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 (encrypted)
- Tucson (partial)
Phoenix PD fully encrypted since 2021
Arkansas
AR- Little Rock (open)
- Fort Smith (open)
Limited encryption adoption statewide
California
CA- LAPD (encrypted)
- SFPD (partial)
- San Diego (encrypted)
Major urban departments encrypted; many smaller agencies open
Colorado
CO- Denver (encrypted)
- Colorado Springs (partial)
Denver encrypted in 2022; suburban agencies mixed
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 (partial)
- Tampa (open)
- Orlando (partial)
Varies widely by county; some resistance to encryption
Georgia
GA- Atlanta (encrypted)
- Savannah (partial)
Atlanta encrypted; many rural areas remain open
Hawaii
HI- Honolulu (partial)
Limited encryption on main island
Idaho
ID- Boise (open)
- Nampa (open)
Strong tradition of open communications
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 (partial)
- Grand Rapids (open)
Varies significantly by region
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 (open)
- Lincoln (open)
Most agencies remain open
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 (encrypted)
- Buffalo (partial)
- Albany (open)
NYC fully encrypted; 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 (partial)
- Memphis (partial)
Major cities partial; rural open
Texas
TX- Houston (partial)
- Dallas (partial)
- Austin (open)
- San Antonio (partial)
Varies widely; many large cities moving to encryption
Utah
UT- Salt Lake City (partial)
- Provo (open)
SLC area partial; rural open
Vermont
VT- Burlington (open)
Strong transparency tradition
Virginia
VA- Virginia Beach (partial)
- Norfolk (partial)
- Richmond (partial)
Northern Virginia more encrypted; southern regions open
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.