City of Carrolton
Denton, Texas
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference marks Carrollton's police dispatch talkgroup on the Metrocrest Quad Cities Public Safety Radio System (TG 1250, "Carr PD Disp") "T Enc", while the department's Ops 4 and NCIC/Info talkgroups remain listed in the clear.
Encryption Details
Denton County Context
Denton County is a mixed picture: 1 of 3 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (33%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Denton County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Carrolton radio encrypted?
Yes — City of Carrolton's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. Coverage here is uneven — parts of the system are locked and parts are open, so a scanner gives you an incomplete rather than an empty picture.
Can I listen to City of Carrolton on a police scanner?
Partially. City of Carrolton 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 Carrolton encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Denton County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor other agency activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.
Can Denton County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about City of Carrolton encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for City of Carrolton, 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 Denton County with you.