Police Department Fully Encrypted

City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department

Sumner, Tennessee

How we verified this

As of August 2026 RadioReference lists every Westmoreland police and fire talkgroup on the Sumner County Public Safety (TN) system — police dispatch, three police tactical channels, fire dispatch and fire tactical — as encrypted.

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09: radioreference.com . Encryption status changes without notice — confirm the current picture on the live RadioReference database before relying on it.

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type P25 AES-256
Scope All Traffic
Technical Details P25 Phase II AES-256

Verified Talkgroup Data

Verified Aug 9, 2026
0 Total Talkgroups
0 Encrypted
0 Unencrypted
0% Encrypted
Radio System: Sumner County Public Safety (TN)

Sumner County Context

City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department isn't an outlier here: 6 of the 6 public-safety agencies we track in Sumner County are fully encrypted (100%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.

What This Means

This agency encrypts all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The public, journalists, and even other first responders can't monitor its activity.

See encryption status nationwide Interactive map showing which US police departments have encrypted their radios. Open the encryption map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department radio encrypted?

Yes — City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. This agency encrypts all of its radio communications, including routine dispatch. The public, journalists, and even other first responders can't monitor its activity.

Can I listen to City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department on a police scanner?

No. City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 AES-256. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.

Why did City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department encrypt their radio?

Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Sumner County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.

Can Sumner County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Whoever made this call for City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department can also unmake it; there's no technical lock-in. The approach that has worked elsewhere combines public-records requests, direct council pressure, and a coordinated local coalition.

What can I do about City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department encryption?

Start local: show up when Sumner County officials discuss the budget for City of Westmoreland Police/Fire Department, and ask specifically why full encryption was chosen over a delayed feed or tactical-only approach. File a FOIA request for recordings or policy documents, and connect with others nearby who want the same information — a coordinated ask carries more weight than an individual one.

Data source: RadioReference Wiki + RadioReference API (verified)

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09 — see "How we verified this" above. Encryption status changes; confirm at RadioReference before relying on it.

Advertisement