City of Franklin Police Department
Williamson, Tennessee
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists Franklin Police dispatch and both police tactical talkgroups on the Middle Tennessee Regional Trunked Radio System as encrypted, along with Franklin fire dispatch, while the city's public-works, transit and special-event talkgroups remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
Williamson County Context
City of Franklin Police Department isn't an outlier here: 9 of the 9 public-safety agencies we track in Williamson County are fully encrypted (100%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Williamson County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Franklin Police Department radio encrypted?
Yes. City of Franklin Police Department uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Every channel this agency runs, including day-to-day dispatch, is encrypted. That shuts out the public and local reporters, and it can complicate coordination with nearby agencies that still expect to hear it.
Can I listen to City of Franklin Police Department on a police scanner?
No. City of Franklin Police Department has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did City of Franklin Police Department encrypt their radio?
The reasons offered are almost always the same two: officer safety and operational security. Whether either was tested against a real Williamson County incident is rarely part of the public record, whereas the consequences are easy to observe — no real-time accountability, and neighbouring agencies still in the clear left working around the gap.
Can Williamson County reverse the encryption decision?
It can. The radios support open and encrypted operation equally well, so this is a configuration and a policy, not a constraint — and policies set by Williamson County officials are policies those officials can revisit when constituents press for it.
What can I do about City of Franklin Police Department encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for City of Franklin Police Department's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Williamson County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.