Encrypted Police Departments
1,508 police departments across the United States have encrypted their radio communications, blocking public access to critical safety information.
About Police Departments
Municipal police departments serving cities and towns across the United States.
Impact of Encryption
When police departments encrypt, journalists cannot report breaking crime news, community members cannot be aware of active situations in their neighborhoods, and oversight of officer conduct becomes nearly impossible.
Affected Stakeholders
- Local journalists
- Community watch groups
- Civil rights organizations
- Neighborhood associations
States with Most Encrypted Police Departments
Encryption Technologies Used
All Encrypted Police Departments
Browse all 1,508 police departments that have encrypted their communications.
| Agency | State | County | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Antioch Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Arcadia Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Azusa Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Baldwin Park Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Banning Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Barstow Police | CA | San Bernardino | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Beaumont Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Benicia Police | CA | Solano | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Bell Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Bell Gardens Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Berkeley Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Tactical Only |
| Beverly Hills Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Brea Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Brentwood Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Buena Park Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Burbank Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Campbell Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Cal State Fullerton Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Cal State Monterey Bay Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Cathedral City Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Carmel Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Chino Police | CA | San Bernardino | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Chula Vista Police | CA | San Diego | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Coast Community College District Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Concord Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Corona Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Costa Mesa Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Covina Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Culver City Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Cypress Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Del Ray Oaks Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Desert Hot Springs Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Downey Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| El Cajon Police | CA | San Diego | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| El Monte Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| El Segundo Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Escondido Police | CA | San Diego | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Fountain Valley Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Fontana Police | CA | San Bernardino | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Fullerton Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Fremont Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Gardena Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Garden Grove Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Gilroy Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Glendale Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Glendora Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Gonzales Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Greenfield Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Hawthorne Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Hercules Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Tactical Only |
| Hermosa Beach Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Huntington Beach Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Indio Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Inglewood Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Irvine Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Irvine Valley College Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Irwindale Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| King City Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Laguna Beach Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Mesa Police | CA | San Diego | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Palma Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Verne Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Los Altos Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Los Angeles Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Specific Channels |
| Los Angeles World Airports Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Tactical Only |
| Los Alamitos Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Los Gatos Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Habra Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| La Palma Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Laguna Niguel Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Livermore Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Long Beach City Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Manhattan Beach Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Manteca Police | CA | San Joaquin | P25 DES-OFB | Specific Channels |
| Marina Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Martinez Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Milpitas Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Menifee Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Modesto Police | CA | Stanislaus | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Morgan Hill Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Monrovia Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Montebello Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Montclair Police | CA | San Bernardino | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Monterey City Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Monterey Park Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Mountain View Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Specific Channels |
| Murrieta Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Newark Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Newport Beach Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Oakland Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Oceanside Police | CA | San Diego | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Pacific Grove Police | CA | Monterey | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Placentia Police | CA | Orange | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Palm Springs Police | CA | Riverside | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
| Palos Verdes Estates Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 ADP | Fully Encrypted |
| Palo Alto Police | CA | Santa Clara | P25 AES-256 | Partially Encrypted |
| Pasadena Police | CA | Los Angeles | P25 DES-OFB | Fully Encrypted |
| Pinole Police | CA | Contra Costa | P25 AES-256 | Tactical Only |
| Pleasantion Police | CA | Alameda | P25 AES-256 | Fully Encrypted |
Showing first 100 of 1,508 agencies. Use state pages to browse all agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many police departments have encrypted their radios?
1,508 police departments across 50 states are documented as encrypted: 1,148 fully encrypted and 360 with partial encryption.
Which state has the most encrypted police departments?
California leads with 146 encrypted police departments, out of 1,508 tracked nationwide.
What encryption technology do most police departments use?
P25 AES-256 is the most common, used by 1,061 of the 1,508 encrypted police departments tracked here (70%).
Why does encrypting police department radio matter?
When police departments encrypt, journalists cannot report breaking crime news, community members cannot be aware of active situations in their neighborhoods, and oversight of officer conduct becomes nearly impossible. Stakeholders most affected include local journalists, community watch groups, civil rights organizations, neighborhood associations.
What can I do if my local police department is encrypted?
Encryption is a policy choice made by department or elected leadership, not a technical requirement — it can be revisited. File a public-records request for the encryption decision, raise it at a city council or county commission meeting, and connect with others who rely on scanner access in your area.
Take Action for Transparency
Your voice matters. Here are concrete ways to advocate for open police communications in your community.
Contact Your Representatives
Use our templates to email your local officials about police radio encryption policies.
Get StartedRead Case Studies
See how encryption has affected real communities - from Highland Park to Chicago.
View CasesSpread Awareness
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Public Testimony
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