7 of 11 Sullivan County agencies are fully encrypted
11 public safety agencies in Sullivan County, Tennessee have encrypted their radio communications.
Radio encryption in Sullivan County
Everything monitored in Sullivan County rides on the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN). Bristol Tennessee Police uses P25 AES-256 across all channels and Bristol Tennessee Fire Rescue encrypts specific ones; the remaining nine records use P25 ADP, including Bluff City Police, Bluff City Volunteer Fire, Hickory Tree Volunteer Fire, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, Sullivan County EMS and the Tri Cities Airport Authority. Coverage varies by agency, with seven encrypting everything and four encrypting only part of their traffic. Three records, among them the Sheriff's Office and county EMS, are unverified against RadioReference system data. Of 58 talkgroups catalogued on TACN in the county, 20 are encrypted and 32 remain in the clear.
Compiled from this site's agency database. Encryption status changes without notice — confirm any specific agency on RadioReference.
Radio systems serving Sullivan County
- Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN)
Of 58 talkgroups catalogued for Sullivan County, 20 are encrypted and 32 remain in the clear. A scanner can still receive the unencrypted channels.
8 of 11 records here have been checked against a primary source; 3 have not.
System and talkgroup counts come from this site's agency database and change without notice — confirm current status on RadioReference.
Encryption Technology Used in Sullivan County
Encrypted Agencies in Sullivan County
| Agency Name | Type | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Bluff City Police Department ✓ | Police | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| City of Bluff City Volunteer Fire Department ✓ | Fire | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| City Of Bristol Tennessee Police Department ✓ | Police | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| City Of Bristol Tennessee Fire Rescue ✓ | Fire | P25 AES-256 | Specific Channels |
| City of Piney Falls Volunteer Fire Department | Fire | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| Hickory Tree Volunteer Fire Department ✓ | Fire | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| Sullivan County Sheriff's Office | Sheriff | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| Sullivan County Emergency Medical Services | Ems | P25 ADP | Partially Encrypted |
| Sullivan County Health Department ✓ | Sheriff | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| Sullivan County Volunteer Fire Department ✓ | Fire | P25 ADP | Partially Encrypted |
| Tri Cities Airport Authority ✓ | Airport | P25 ADP | Specific Channels |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sullivan County police radio encrypted?
7 of 11 agencies in Sullivan County, Tennessee are fully encrypted (64%), while 4 have partial encryption.
Can I listen to Sullivan County Sheriff on a scanner?
The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office has encrypted their radio communications using P25 ADP. Scanner monitoring of sheriff operations is no longer possible.
How many police departments in Sullivan County are encrypted?
2 police departments in Sullivan County have implemented some level of encryption, along with 2 sheriff offices, 5 fire departments, and 1 EMS agencies.
What encryption technology does Sullivan County use?
The most common encryption type in Sullivan County is P25 ADP, used by agencies for secure communications. This encryption blocks public scanner monitoring.
Fight Encryption in Sullivan County
Join the movement to restore transparency to public safety communications in Sullivan County, Tennessee.