Are Michigan State Police Encrypted? Police Encryption Status in Michigan
Short answer: no — as of June 2026, Michigan State Police and Detroit Police dispatch are still in the clear on the statewide MPSCS network. It's west Michigan that went dark: Grand Rapids encrypted in December 2021 and the rest of Kent County followed in early 2022. With MSP's CJIS audits starting October 1, 2026, and Detroit expected to encrypt, the map is changing fast. Below is the verified Michigan police encryption status by agency and what's still listenable.
What's still open across Michigan
Grand Rapids and Kent County police are dark, but as of June 2026 Detroit PD, Michigan State Police, and most Macomb County agencies are still in the clear on MPSCS — and fire/EMS dispatch remains open even in Kent County. Add federal agencies, DTW and GRR aviation, and NOAA weather for the full unencrypted picture. This is the standard stack for Michigan listeners.
Michigan at a Glance
Michigan's police encryption story is the inverse of what most people assume. As of June 2026, the state's largest department — Detroit PD — and the Michigan State Police still broadcast dispatch in the clear on the statewide MPSCS network. It's west Michigan that went dark first: Grand Rapids encrypted police dispatch in December 2021 when the Kent County Dispatch Authority's new $25 million P25 system came online, and the rest of the county's police agencies followed in early 2022.
The driver is the FBI's CJIS Security Policy. Michigan State Police issued guidance in May 2025 requiring agencies to encrypt criminal justice information sent over the radio, with compliance audits starting October 1, 2026. The policy doesn't require encrypting routine dispatch — but many agencies are choosing full encryption anyway because it's administratively simpler. That's the policy choice this page documents.
Detroit: Still in the Clear — For Now
The Current Status
As of June 2026, Detroit Police precinct dispatch remains unencrypted on the MPSCS network, and live audio feeds continue to operate. Anyone with a P25-capable scanner or an internet feed can still hear Detroit police dispatch in real time.
That window is expected to close. February 2026 reporting on Michigan's encryption wave indicated Detroit is expected to encrypt as the state's CJIS compliance deadline approaches. No firm cutover date has been announced publicly — check RadioReference for current status.
Historical Context
Detroit's relationship with police accountability is fraught. The 1967 Detroit Rebellion was sparked by police conduct. For decades, Detroiters have used scanners to monitor police activity in their neighborhoods—a form of community oversight in a city where trust in police has been hard-won.
The Department of Justice investigated Detroit PD in the early 2000s, resulting in federal oversight. If Detroit goes dark, it would cut off a transparency tool that survived even that era.
What Encryption Would Mean for Detroit
Detroit journalists at the Free Press, Detroit News, and local TV stations still rely on scanner traffic for breaking news. Full encryption would push them onto delayed official notifications and tips — the pattern already documented in encrypted cities like Grand Rapids and Chicago.
Community organizations that monitor police activity in neighborhoods with frequent police encounters would lose a key oversight tool. The window to weigh in is now, before a cutover happens.
Grand Rapids: West Michigan Went Dark First
How Grand Rapids Encrypted
Michigan's second largest city encrypted police dispatch in December 2021, when the Kent County Dispatch Authority brought its new $25 million digital 700/800 MHz Motorola P25 system online. The rest of Kent County's police agencies — including the Kent County Sheriff's Office — followed in February and March 2022. Officials cited the FBI's CJIS Security Policy as the reason.
In place of scanner access, the dispatch centers offer web-based "Incident Status Monitors" listing the general category, location, and status of incidents — a thin substitute for real-time audio. Fire and EMS dispatch in Kent County remain in the clear.
Two Michigan Cities, As of June 2026
| Factor | Detroit | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Population | ~640,000 | ~200,000 |
| Police Scanner Status | Open (encryption expected) | Encrypted since Dec 2021 |
| Fire/EMS Audio | Open | Open |
| Media Access | Real-time | Incident-status web pages only |
| Community Monitoring | Available — for now | Blocked |
Major Michigan Agencies
| Agency | Status | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Police Department | Open | 640K | Precinct dispatch still in the clear on MPSCS as of June 2026; expected to encrypt as the CJIS deadline nears |
| Michigan State Police | Open | Statewide | Unencrypted on MPSCS as of June 2026 — even as MSP’s own CJIS guidance pushes local agencies to encrypt |
| Grand Rapids Police | Encrypted | 200K | Encrypted December 2021 when the new Kent County P25 system went live |
| Kent County Sheriff | Encrypted | 660K | Countywide police encryption completed early 2022; fire and EMS remain in the clear |
| Oakland County Sheriff | Partial | 1.3M | Encryption rolled out around 2023; status varies by channel and member agency |
| Southfield Police | Encrypted | 76K | Encrypted in 2023 |
| Hamtramck Police | Encrypted | 28K | Encrypted; local press reported scanners are "a thing of the past" |
| Macomb County agencies | Open | 880K | Largely unencrypted on MPSCS as of mid-2026 |
Regional Analysis
Metro Detroit
The tri-county area is a patchwork. Detroit PD itself is still in the clear as of June 2026, but suburbs are encrypting one by one as the CJIS deadline approaches.
- Detroit PD: Open — encryption expected
- Oakland County: Partial (rollout around 2023)
- Macomb County: Largely unencrypted
- Southfield and Hamtramck: Encrypted
West Michigan
Grand Rapids and Kent County were Michigan's early adopters of full police encryption, going dark with the new countywide P25 system in 2021-22. Fire and EMS remain audible.
- Grand Rapids PD: Encrypted (Dec 2021)
- Kent County Sheriff: Encrypted (early 2022)
- Kent County local police: Encrypted (early 2022)
- Kent County fire/EMS: In the clear
Statewide Agencies
Michigan State Police dispatch remains unencrypted on MPSCS — even though MSP wrote the CJIS guidance pushing local agencies to encrypt. Its audits of local compliance begin October 1, 2026.
- Michigan State Police: Unencrypted
- MPSCS network: Mixed by agency
- CJIS guidance issued: May 2025
- Compliance audits: From Oct 1, 2026
Outstate Michigan
Encryption status across mid-Michigan, northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula varies agency by agency and is shifting as the CJIS deadline nears. Check the live RadioReference database for your county before assuming anything is open or closed.
- Status varies by county and agency
- CJIS wave is changing it monthly
- Fire/EMS generally remains open
- Verify at RadioReference.com
Michigan Encryption Timeline
Grand Rapids Encrypts
The Kent County Dispatch Authority's new $25 million Motorola P25 system goes live in Grand Rapids with police dispatch encrypted, ending public scanner access in Michigan's second-largest city.
Kent County Goes Countywide
The Kent County Sheriff's Office and the county's local police departments move onto the encrypted system in February and March 2022. Fire and EMS dispatch stay in the clear.
Metro Detroit Suburbs Begin Encrypting
Oakland County rolls out encryption across its system, and Southfield encrypts. Hamtramck follows the same path. Macomb County agencies largely stay in the clear.
MSP Issues CJIS Encryption Guidance
Michigan State Police publishes guidance requiring criminal justice information transmitted over land mobile radio to be encrypted, citing the FBI's CJIS Security Policy. Routine dispatch is not covered — but many agencies opt for full encryption anyway.
CJIS Compliance Audits Begin
MSP's CJIS audit staff begin auditing agencies against the encryption requirement, with corrective action plans required for non-compliance. February 2026 reporting indicates Detroit PD — still in the clear as of June 2026 — is expected to encrypt as the deadline approaches.
Impact on Michigan Communities
West Michigan Media
Since the 2021-22 Kent County encryption, Grand Rapids newsrooms have been left with web-based incident status monitors that list only the general category and location of calls. Stories that once broke via scanner monitoring now depend on official channels and tips.
Detroit's Closing Window
Detroit's history of police-community tensions makes oversight particularly important. Organizations that monitor police activity to document response patterns still have scanner access as of June 2026 — but reporting indicates that access is expected to end as Detroit moves toward encryption.
The Real CJIS Requirement
The FBI's CJIS Security Policy requires encrypting criminal justice information — names run through LEIN, criminal histories, personal data — not routine dispatch. Agencies could comply by moving sensitive queries to encrypted channels. Full-dispatch encryption is a choice.
Fire and EMS Stay Open
Even in encrypted Kent County, fire and EMS dispatch remain in the clear — a reminder that public-safety agencies can operate with open radio. The same is true across most of Michigan, where fire traffic carries no CJIS-protected data.
What Michiganders Can Do
Speak Up Before Detroit Goes Dark
Detroit dispatch is still in the clear, which means the decision is still live. Push the city and DPD to meet CJIS requirements the narrow way — encrypting channels that carry criminal justice data — instead of a total dispatch blackout.
Engage Local Government
Many Michigan cities are deciding right now how to comply with the October 2026 CJIS audit deadline. Attend city council meetings when radio system contracts are discussed, and make clear that the FBI policy does not require encrypting routine dispatch.
Support State Legislation
Michigan's legislature could establish statewide transparency standards. Contact your state representative and senator to support legislation requiring public access provisions—or at minimum, requiring public hearings before encryption decisions.
Document Impact
If you're in an encrypted area and encryption has affected your access to public safety information, document it. These stories build the case for transparency—whether you're a journalist, community organizer, or concerned resident.