Police Department Partially Encrypted Discovered via RadioReference

Garland Township Police

Dallas, Texas

How we verified this

RadioReference GMRS system page shows 7 of 8 Garland Police talkgroups flagged 'T Enc' including both dispatch channels (Garland PD N 1 and S 1), with only the NCIC talkgroup in the clear, so effectively all voice operations are encrypted.

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-01: 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 Some talkgroups encrypted; dispatch audible per verification
Technical Details Inferred from RadioReference

Dallas County Context

Garland Township Police 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.

What This Means

Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garland Township Police radio encrypted?

Yes. Garland Township Police uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Encryption here is a mixed bag: some talkgroups are locked, others aren't. It varies by channel and by what the department is doing at the time.

Can I listen to Garland Township Police on a police scanner?

Partially. Garland Township Police encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why did Garland Township Police encrypt their radio?

Agencies cite officer safety and operational security. Those are assertions rather than findings — no local evidence is typically produced — while the effects are concrete and land straight away on anyone who relied on hearing Garland Township Police to know what was happening nearby.

Can Dallas County reverse the encryption decision?

Nothing technical prevents it. Garland Township Police operates encrypted because someone decided it should, and decisions of that kind get revisited when councils hear sustained, organised pressure rather than isolated complaints.

What can I do about Garland Township Police encryption?

File a FOIA request for Garland Township Police's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Dallas County who want the same access — state legislation requiring public radio access is the longer-term fix, but organized local pressure is what usually moves the needle first.

Data source: RadioReference Wiki

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-01 — see "How we verified this" above. Encryption status changes; confirm at RadioReference before relying on it.

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