Encrypted Police Departments
1,417 police departments across the United States are documented as encrypting their radio communications, blocking public access to critical safety information. Our database holds 1,457 records of this type; the rest are ones our own checks found in the clear.
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
All Encrypted Police Departments
Browse all 1,457 police departments records. Open an agency for its verification status; records our checks found in the clear say so on their own page.
| Agency | State | County | Encryption | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Antioch Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Arcadia Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Azusa Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Baldwin Park Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Banning Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Barstow Police | CA | San Bernardino | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Beaumont Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Benicia Police | CA | Solano | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Bell Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Bell Gardens Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Berkeley Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Tactical Only |
| Beverly Hills Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Brea Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Brentwood Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Buena Park Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Burbank Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Campbell Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Cal State Fullerton Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Cal State Monterey Bay Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Cathedral City Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Carmel Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Chino Police | CA | San Bernardino | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Chula Vista Police | CA | San Diego | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Coast Community College District Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Concord Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Corona Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Costa Mesa Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Covina Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Culver City Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Cypress Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Del Ray Oaks Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Desert Hot Springs Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Downey Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| El Cajon Police | CA | San Diego | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| El Monte Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| El Segundo Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Escondido Police | CA | San Diego | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Fountain Valley Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Fontana Police | CA | San Bernardino | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Fullerton Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Fremont Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Gardena Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Garden Grove Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Gilroy Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Glendale Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Glendora Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Gonzales Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Greenfield Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Hawthorne Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Hercules Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Tactical Only |
| Hermosa Beach Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Huntington Beach Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Indio Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Inglewood Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Irvine Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Irvine Valley College Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Irwindale Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| King City Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Laguna Beach Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| La Mesa Police | CA | San Diego | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| La Palma Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| La Verne Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Los Altos Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Los Angeles Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Specific Channels |
| Los Angeles World Airports Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Tactical Only |
| Los Alamitos Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Los Gatos Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| La Habra Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Laguna Niguel Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Livermore Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Long Beach City Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Manhattan Beach Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Manteca Police | CA | San Joaquin | Algorithm not published | Specific Channels |
| Marina Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Martinez Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Milpitas Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Menifee Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Modesto Police | CA | Stanislaus | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Morgan Hill Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Monrovia Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Montebello Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Montclair Police | CA | San Bernardino | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Monterey City Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Monterey Park Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Mountain View Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Specific Channels |
| Murrieta Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Newark Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Newport Beach Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Oakland Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Oceanside Police | CA | San Diego | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Pacific Grove Police | CA | Monterey | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Placentia Police | CA | Orange | Algorithm not published | Dispatch Only |
| Palm Springs Police | CA | Riverside | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Palos Verdes Estates Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Palo Alto Police | CA | Santa Clara | Algorithm not published | Partially Encrypted |
| Pasadena Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Pinole Police | CA | Contra Costa | Algorithm not published | Tactical Only |
| Pleasantion Police | CA | Alameda | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
| Pomona Police | CA | Los Angeles | Algorithm not published | Fully Encrypted |
Showing first 100 of 1,457 agencies. Use state pages to browse all agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many police departments have encrypted their radios?
1,417 police departments are documented as encrypted: 763 fully encrypted and 654 with partial encryption.
Which state has the most encrypted police departments?
California leads with 145 police departments records, out of 1,457 tracked nationwide.
What encryption technology do most police departments use?
For most of the 1,457 police departments records here, no source we have checked names the algorithm: RadioReference marks a talkgroup as encrypted without naming the cipher. 0 have a published source naming it.
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 Chicago to Palo Alto.
View CasesSpread Awareness
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Public Testimony
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