City of Addison
Dallas, Texas
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists Addison's single police talkgroup, Police Dispatch, on the Metrocrest Quad Cities system as only partially encrypted (lowercase 'e' flag) rather than fully encrypted, so 'all police operations' overstates the current listing.
Encryption Details
Dallas County Context
City of Addison isn't an outlier here: 9 of the 14 public-safety agencies we track in Dallas County are fully encrypted (64%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Dallas County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Addison radio encrypted?
Yes — City of Addison's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Can I listen to City of Addison on a police scanner?
Partially. City of Addison encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did City of Addison encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Dallas 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 Dallas County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.
What can I do about City of Addison encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for City of Addison, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Dallas County with you.