Atlanta Police Scanner: The Civil Rights City Goes Dark
Atlanta has shut down its police communications. After the 2020 protests and the Rayshard Brooks shooting, metro Atlanta moved quickly to encrypt while fighting ongoing transparency battles over "Cop City." Here is what scanner access actually looks like across the Southeast's largest metro area.
What Atlanta listeners can still monitor
APD, GSP, Fulton County, Gwinnett, Hartsfield airport police—all gone, and the $240/yr Connect Radio program is built for private security, not journalists. But federal agencies, Hartsfield-Jackson aviation, Atlanta Fire partial dispatch, amateur nets, and NOAA weather remain in the clear across metro Atlanta. Here's the stack that still works.
Atlanta Metro at a Glance
Metro Atlanta has gone overwhelmingly dark. The region's 29 counties hold over 6 million residents, making it the largest media market in the Southeast. The core agencies are all fully encrypted: Atlanta PD, Fulton County Sheriff, Georgia State Patrol, and Gwinnett County.
The contrast with Georgia's other major cities is sharp. Augusta, Columbus, and Macon maintain open communications. Atlanta chose secrecy at the moment its policing faced the most public scrutiny it had seen in decades.
2020: the year Atlanta police faced scrutiny
George Floyd protests begin in Atlanta
Demonstrators gathered in downtown Atlanta following George Floyd's murder. Protests spread across the city, with CNN Center and businesses damaged. Scanner listeners tracked police response in real-time.
Rayshard Brooks killed by Atlanta police
Officers shot Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy's restaurant. The incident was captured on bodycam, but scanner communications during the response provided additional context. Police Chief Erika Shields resigned the next day.
"Blue flu" and scanner monitoring
Following charges against the officer who shot Brooks, approximately 170 Atlanta officers called in sick. For the evening of June 19, every officer in Zone 5 failed to report for duty. Scanner listeners documented this unprecedented situation. That information would have been impossible to obtain after encryption.
Full encryption implemented
Atlanta PD completed full encryption of all radio communications. The timing was not coincidental. Encryption arrived precisely when public accountability demands were highest.
"Cop City" and the Transparency Battle
The controversy over Atlanta's Public Safety Training Center, known to critics as "Cop City," exposed how far the city would go to block oversight. When journalists sought records about the $115 million facility, the resistance was immediate.
Open records lawsuit
The Atlanta Community Press Collective and Lucy Parsons Labs sued for records after the Atlanta Police Foundation refused to comply with Georgia's Open Records Act. APF CEO Dave Wilkinson argued that journalism would be used to "terrorize" companies building the facility—essentially claiming that reporting is terrorism.
Court ruling for transparency
In June 2025, a Fulton County judge ordered the Atlanta Police Foundation to release 15 unredacted public records. The ruling was a win for journalists and accountability advocates.
Police surveillance of protesters
Records obtained by the Brennan Center revealed that Atlanta police compiled 155 intelligence reports monitoring Stop Cop City protesters, sharing information with the FBI, DHS, and universities. Over two-thirds targeted peaceful protest activities.
Media structural conflicts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is owned by Cox Enterprises, a major donor to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Independent outlets like the Atlanta Community Press Collective filled the local reporting vacuum.
Atlanta Metro Agency Status
| Agency | Type | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Police Department | Police | Encrypted | Fully encrypted since 2021; Connect Radio program for authorized users |
| Georgia State Patrol | State | Encrypted | Migrated to SouthernLinc LTE system—unmonitorable |
| Fulton County Sheriff | Sheriff | Encrypted | Fully encrypted; covers Atlanta metro core |
| DeKalb County Police | Police | Partial | Atlanta suburb; partial encryption status |
| Gwinnett County Police | Police | Encrypted | Fully encrypted since 2008—pioneer in encryption |
| Cobb County Police | Police | Partial | Northwest Atlanta metro; mixed encryption status |
| Atlanta Fire Rescue | Fire | Partial | Some channels remain accessible |
| MARTA Police | Transit | Encrypted | Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority police |
| Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Police | Airport | Encrypted | World's busiest airport—fully encrypted |
| Georgia Tech Police | Campus | Partial | Primarily on State of Georgia P25 system |
Connect Radio: the pay-to-play alternative
The Atlanta Police Foundation runs Connect Radio (COMNET), a program that provides authorized access to APD communications. This is not public access. It was built for private security companies and comes with real financial barriers.
This is not press access. Connect Radio was created for security coordination, not public transparency. Journalists have no formal channel to monitor Atlanta police communications in real-time.
Metro Atlanta: county by county
Fulton County
EncryptedHome to Atlanta proper. Fulton County Sheriff and Atlanta PD are fully encrypted. More than 1 million residents have zero scanner access to police communications.
Gwinnett County
Encrypted Since 2008Georgia's second most populous county encrypted early. All law enforcement went dark in 2008—Fire/EMS later returned to open channels for interoperability.
DeKalb County
PartialMixed encryption status. Some channels accessible, others encrypted. Status continues to evolve as equipment upgrades occur.
Cobb County
PartialNorthwest Atlanta suburbs including Marietta. Encryption varies by municipality and channel.
State Patrol
LTE - UnmonitorableGeorgia State Patrol migrated to SouthernLinc LTE system in 2024. This isn't even P25—it's cellular-based and completely unmonitorable.
Airport & Transit
EncryptedHartsfield-Jackson (world's busiest airport) and MARTA police are fully encrypted. Travelers and commuters can't monitor police communications at either.
Civil rights city, accountability crisis
Atlanta encrypted police radio in 2021, the same year public pressure for police accountability was at its peak. The city where Dr. King organized for civil rights now blocks real-time public oversight of its police department.
Atlanta Citizen Review Board
The ACRB has had limited authority to address police misconduct since its 2007 founding. With dispatch encrypted, independent monitoring that could flag misconduct patterns is gone.
One Atlanta police reform
Following 2020, the city hired consultants and produced roughly 150 policing recommendations. Verifying whether those reforms are being followed is harder when police communications are hidden.
Disproportionate impact
Black residents in Atlanta face both aggressive policing and the loss of scanner access. The communities most invested in accountability have lost one of their few tools for independent oversight.
Media market impact
Atlanta is the Southeast's largest media market. WSB-TV, 11Alive, and the AJC can no longer provide real-time breaking news from scanner traffic. They now depend entirely on official police statements.
Technical details for scanner listeners
Atlanta/Fulton system
Motorola Digital 800 MHz Trunking system—one of the largest in the country. Provides voice and data for APD, Fire, Watershed, Corrections, and covers Hapeville, East Point, and College Park. All law enforcement channels encrypted.
Georgia State Patrol
Migrated to SouthernLinc LTE using L3Harris subscriber radios in 2024. This is NOT P25—it's cellular-based and cannot be monitored by any scanner. Troop C (Metro Atlanta) may retain P25 backup for interoperability.
Gwinnett County
Fully encrypted P25 system since 2008. All talkgroups encrypted except 314xx/315xx Interop channels. Fire returned to unencrypted for interoperability with surrounding counties.
What you can still hear
Fire/EMS in some counties, amateur radio traffic, some suburban agencies. Check RadioReference Atlanta Metro for current status, but expect most law enforcement to be encrypted.
Fight back: restore scanner access in Atlanta
Atlanta's encryption is a policy decision by city leadership, not a technical requirement. Georgia residents can push back and point to Augusta, Columbus, and Macon as working proof that major cities don't need to go dark.
Contact Atlanta City Council
Atlanta's 15 council members have oversight over APD policies. Ask them directly why encryption was implemented without public debate and whether they'll create journalist access provisions.
File open records requests
Use Georgia's Open Records Act to request any documented cases where scanner access harmed officers or victims. The Cop City litigation shows these requests can win in court.
Support the Atlanta Community Press Collective
Independent local outlets are filling the gap that encrypted scanners and conflicted mainstream media have left. Direct financial support keeps that reporting going.
Engage the Georgia General Assembly
Push for state legislation with public access provisions for police communications. Colorado's media access law is a working model Georgia could follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atlanta Police Department radio encrypted?
Yes. Atlanta Police Department fully encrypted all radio communications in 2021. The only authorized access is through the Connect Radio (COMNET) program, which costs $240 per year plus $750 for a radio and is built for private security companies, not journalists or the general public.
When did Atlanta police encrypt their radio?
Atlanta PD completed full encryption in 2021, following the Georgia State Patrol's statewide encryption in 2020. The timing landed immediately after the George Floyd protests and the Rayshard Brooks shooting, though officials cited officer safety and privacy concerns.
Can I listen to Atlanta police scanners online?
No. Atlanta Police Department radio is fully encrypted and cannot be monitored by the public through online feeds, scanner apps, or physical scanners. Real-time public access ended in 2021.
Is Gwinnett County police radio encrypted?
Yes. Gwinnett County encrypted all police, fire, and sheriff communications in 2008, making it one of the earliest adopters in the Atlanta metro. Fire/EMS later returned to unencrypted channels for interoperability with neighboring counties.
What about DeKalb and Cobb County police scanners?
Both counties use partial encryption. Some dispatch and tactical channels are encrypted while others remain accessible. Status varies by municipality and has been moving toward more encryption as equipment upgrades proceed.
Is Georgia State Patrol encrypted?
Yes. Georgia State Patrol migrated to a SouthernLinc LTE system using L3Harris radios in 2024. The system cannot be monitored with P25 equipment. GSP Troop C (Metro Atlanta) may retain a P25 backup for interoperability.
What is Connect Radio / COMNET in Atlanta?
Connect Radio (COMNET) is run by the Atlanta Police Foundation and gives authorized private security companies limited access to APD communications. It requires a $240/year subscription plus a $750 radio purchase. Journalists and the general public are not eligible.
Why did Atlanta encrypt police radio after the 2020 protests?
Officials cited officer safety and privacy, but the timing is difficult to ignore. Encryption arrived immediately after the George Floyd protests, the Rayshard Brooks shooting, and months of intense public scrutiny of Atlanta police. Those factors likely shaped the decision as much as any technical rationale.