Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit
Statewide, Tennessee
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists all three talkgroups in the Tennessee Highway Patrol Capital Protection Unit category on the Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN) — security operations and two governor security detail channels — as encrypted.
Encryption Details
Verified Talkgroup Data
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 Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit radio encrypted?
Yes. Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit uses P25 ADP 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 Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit on a police scanner?
No. Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit has fully encrypted their radio communications using P25 ADP. No consumer scanner can decode encrypted transmissions.
Why did Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track state agency response as it happens.
Can Statewide County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes — nothing about the underlying radio technology forces this. It's a decision Statewide County officials made and can revisit, and other communities have pushed departments back toward open channels through sustained council pressure and coalition-building.
What can I do about Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit encryption?
Three things carry weight, in this order: a public-records request for Tennessee Highway Patrol - Capitol Protection Unit's encryption policy and radio recordings, a turn at the microphone during Statewide County budget discussions, and finding the other people locally already asking the same question. Individually these are easy to deflect; together they are not.