Police Encryption by State
State-by-state encryption status for police radio across the United States. Use this to find out where your state stands and where public access still exists.
Last updated: 2025-12-27
In-Depth State Analysis
Detailed guides available for these states with dedicated case studies:
If your state still has open agencies, here is where listeners start
Encryption is spreading state by state, and the only lasting fix is policy. In the meantime, listeners in mostly-open states, and pockets of open agencies in mixed states, still have real monitoring options. For anyone starting from scratch, this is the standard entry setup.
National Overview
Status Legend
State-by-State Database
Alabama
AL- Birmingham (partial)
- Montgomery (open)
State patrol encrypted; most local departments remain open
Alaska
AK- Anchorage (open)
- Fairbanks (open)
Rural nature makes encryption less common
Arizona
AZ- Phoenix (dispatch open)
- Tucson (encrypted 2026)
Phoenix PD dispatch in the clear; Tucson encrypted April 2026; East Valley suburbs dark
Arkansas
AR- Little Rock (open)
- Fort Smith (open)
Limited encryption adoption statewide
California
CA- LAPD (in the clear)
- SFPD (partial)
- San Diego (encrypted 2025)
LAPD and Sacramento dispatch open; CJIS-driven encryption sweeping suburbs and Bay Area
Colorado
CO- Denver (encrypted 2019)
- Boulder (encrypted 2025)
Denver encrypted July 2019, Aurora 2016, Boulder 2025; CSP dispatch in the clear
Connecticut
CT- Hartford (partial)
- New Haven (partial)
Statewide system with partial encryption
Delaware
DE- Wilmington (encrypted)
- Dover (encrypted)
Small state with unified encrypted system
Florida
FL- Miami-Dade (dispatch open)
- Tampa (open)
- Jacksonville (encrypted)
Miami-Dade and Broward dispatch in the clear; JSO and Palm Beach encrypted; FHP encrypted
Georgia
GA- Atlanta (dispatch open)
- Savannah (encrypted)
APD, DeKalb, and MARTA in the clear; Cobb and Gwinnett encrypted; GSP off-air on LTE
Hawaii
HI- Honolulu (partial)
Limited encryption on main island
Idaho
ID- Boise (encrypted 2024)
- Nampa (encrypted)
Ada County encrypted all law enforcement November 2024; Canyon County followed; fire/EMS clear
Illinois
IL- Chicago (encrypted)
- Springfield (open)
Chicago fully encrypted with delays; downstate mostly open
Indiana
IN- Indianapolis (partial)
- Fort Wayne (open)
State police encrypted; local agencies mixed
Iowa
IA- Des Moines (open)
- Cedar Rapids (open)
Limited encryption adoption
Kansas
KS- Wichita (open)
- Kansas City (partial)
Most agencies remain open
Kentucky
KY- Louisville (partial)
- Lexington (partial)
Major cities moving toward encryption
Louisiana
LA- New Orleans (partial)
- Baton Rouge (open)
NOPD partially encrypted; many agencies open
Maine
ME- Portland (open)
- Bangor (open)
Strong public access tradition
Maryland
MD- Baltimore (encrypted)
- Montgomery County (encrypted)
Statewide encrypted system
Massachusetts
MA- Boston (encrypted)
- Worcester (partial)
Boston encrypted; suburban areas mixed
Michigan
MI- Detroit (dispatch open)
- Grand Rapids (encrypted)
DPD and MSP in the clear as of mid-2026; Kent County encrypted 2021-22; CJIS audits begin Oct 2026
Minnesota
MN- Minneapolis (partial)
- St. Paul (partial)
Twin Cities area partial; rural mostly open
Mississippi
MS- Jackson (open)
- Gulfport (open)
Limited encryption adoption
Missouri
MO- St. Louis (partial)
- Kansas City (partial)
Major cities moving toward encryption
Montana
MT- Billings (open)
- Missoula (open)
Rural state with open tradition
Nebraska
NE- Omaha (encrypted 2023)
- Lincoln (open)
Omaha-area agencies encrypted February 2023 with 15-minute delayed feeds and media access
Nevada
NV- Las Vegas Metro (encrypted)
- Reno (partial)
Las Vegas fully encrypted
New Hampshire
NH- Manchester (open)
- Nashua (open)
Strong transparency tradition
New Jersey
NJ- Newark (partial)
- Jersey City (partial)
Many agencies moving to encryption
New Mexico
NM- Albuquerque (partial)
- Santa Fe (open)
Largest city partial; smaller agencies open
New York
NY- NYPD (precincts encrypted)
- Buffalo (partial)
- Albany (open)
NYPD precinct dispatch encrypted 2023-26; Citywide and Transit channels still clear; upstate varies
North Carolina
NC- Charlotte (partial)
- Raleigh (partial)
Major cities moving toward encryption
North Dakota
ND- Fargo (open)
- Bismarck (open)
Limited encryption adoption
Ohio
OH- Columbus (partial)
- Cleveland (partial)
- Cincinnati (partial)
Major cities partial; rural mostly open
Oklahoma
OK- Oklahoma City (open)
- Tulsa (open)
Most agencies remain open
Oregon
OR- Portland (partial)
- Eugene (open)
Portland partial after 2020
Pennsylvania
PA- Philadelphia (partial)
- Pittsburgh (partial)
Major cities partial; rural mostly open
Rhode Island
RI- Providence (partial)
Small state with unified system
South Carolina
SC- Charleston (partial)
- Columbia (partial)
Coastal cities moving toward encryption
South Dakota
SD- Sioux Falls (open)
- Rapid City (open)
Limited encryption adoption
Tennessee
TN- Nashville (encrypted 2019)
- Memphis (dispatch open)
Nashville encrypted 2019; Memphis dispatch in the clear with tactical encrypted
Texas
TX- Houston (dispatch open)
- Dallas (dispatch open)
- Austin (encrypted 2024)
- San Antonio (media access)
Houston and Dallas dispatch in the clear; Austin encrypted April 2024; DPS varies by region
Utah
UT- Salt Lake City (partial)
- Provo (open)
SLC area partial; rural open
Vermont
VT- Burlington (open)
Strong transparency tradition
Virginia
VA- Virginia Beach (encrypted 2022)
- Norfolk (open)
- Richmond (partial)
Hampton Roads mostly encrypted 2022-23; Norfolk dispatch still clear; VSP encrypting progressively
Washington
WA- Seattle (partial)
- Tacoma (partial)
Puget Sound area partial; eastern WA open
West Virginia
WV- Charleston (open)
- Huntington (open)
Limited encryption adoption
Wisconsin
WI- Milwaukee (partial)
- Madison (partial)
Major cities partial; rural open
Wyoming
WY- Cheyenne (open)
- Casper (open)
Rural state with open tradition
About This Data
This database compiles encryption status across all 50 states using publicly available information, scanner community reports, and news coverage. Status classifications reflect general trends, not exhaustive agency-by-agency surveys.
Limitations
Police encryption status changes quickly. Agencies may encrypt with little notice, and new radio systems are deployed regularly. This database is a snapshot and may not reflect recent changes.
Mixed status
Many states have very different encryption status between urban and rural areas. Major metropolitan departments typically encrypt while rural agencies remain open, largely due to cost and interoperability.
Contribute updates
If you have current information about encryption status in your area, share it through our contact form. Community reports help keep this database accurate.
What You Can Do
If your area is open
Do not assume it will stay that way. Watch local government discussions about radio upgrades and encryption proposals. Speak at public meetings before decisions are finalized. Connect with local media and advocacy groups now.
If your area is encrypted
Document how encryption affects your community. Push for media access programs, delayed feeds, or hybrid systems. Some jurisdictions have reversed encryption decisions after sustained community pressure.
If status is mixed
Find which agencies remain open and make the case that those arrangements work. Point to them when pushing back against encrypted departments. Look for coalitions across jurisdictions.