York City Police
York, Pennsylvania
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
View 22 talkgroups
| DEC | Alpha Tag | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51001 | PD CITY 1 | Police Dispatch - City 1 (includes West York and West Manchester) | Encrypted |
| 51002 | PD CITY 2 | Police Index/Spec Details - City 2 (includes West York and West Manchester) | Encrypted |
| 51108 | PD67 YCRPD | York County Regional PD | Encrypted |
| 51007 | PD NYCR | Northern York County Regional Police - Dispatch | Encrypted |
| 51116 | PD34 NYCR | Northern York County Regional PD | Encrypted |
| 50111 | YCFS Trng | York County Fire School Training | Encrypted |
| 53405 | EMS Co 95 | Southern York County EMS Private | Encrypted |
| 53406 | EMS Co 97 | York Hospital DRT | Encrypted |
| 51125 | PD48 W Y Boro | West York Boro. PD | Encrypted |
| 51129 | PD54 York Coll | York College | Encrypted |
| 51130 | PD56 York City | York City PD | Encrypted |
| 51131 | PD57 YCS | York City School | Encrypted |
| 52401 | CO 1 | West York FD Private | Encrypted |
| 52411 | CO 19 | York Twp FD Private | Encrypted |
| 52416 | NWBY FD | Newberry/Goldsboro/York Haven FD Private | Encrypted |
| 52451 | CO 71 | Eastern York County Forest Fire Private | Encrypted |
| 52452 | CO 72 | Southern York County Forest Fire Private | Encrypted |
| 52454 | CO 91 | York County Hazmat Private | Encrypted |
| 52455 | CO 99 | York City FD Private | Encrypted |
| 51136 | PD55 Penn St | Penn State - York | Encrypted |
| 51138 | York Coll Event | York College Police - Events | Encrypted |
| 10157 | PSP York | J6 York Dispatch | Encrypted |
Verification Status
We don't yet have per-talkgroup data for York City Police from the RadioReference API. The encryption scope and type above come from the RadioReference Wiki, which is community-maintained rather than independently confirmed channel-by-channel. Our automated matching put this at moderate confidence (70%) based on how closely the wiki listing matches this agency's name and county.
If you monitor York City Police directly or have more current information, the fastest way to fix this is to update the RadioReference Wiki entry — our data pulls from there and from the RadioReference API on a regular refresh cycle.
York County Context
York City Police isn't an outlier here: 2 of the 3 public-safety agencies we track in York County are fully encrypted (67%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in York County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is York City Police radio encrypted?
York City Police is listed in our records with P25 AES-256 encryption — a listing we haven't yet verified against live talkgroup data. This agency is listed in our database as encrypting all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The listing is unverified — confirm current status on the live RadioReference database.
Can I listen to York City Police on a police scanner?
Likely not, if the listing is accurate: our database lists York City Police as fully encrypted using P25 AES-256, which no consumer scanner can decode. The listing is unverified — check the live RadioReference database for current status.
Why do agencies like York City Police encrypt their radio?
Ask why, and the answer is usually officer safety, sometimes operational security. What is harder to obtain is any documented case in York County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on police department response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.
Can York County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about York City Police encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee York City Police's budget directly and ask why full encryption was chosen over partial alternatives. Pair that with a FOIA request for recordings and policy records, and look for an existing coalition in York County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.