Police Encryption in Minnesota
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police, sparking a global movement for police accountability. In a bitter irony, the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments accelerated encryption efforts in the aftermath—making it harder to monitor the very agencies whose conduct had ignited demands for oversight.
Minnesota at a Glance
Minnesota's encryption story cannot be separated from its place at the center of America's racial justice reckoning. Minneapolis and St. Paul—the Twin Cities at the heart of the 2020 protests—moved toward encryption just as the public was demanding greater police transparency and accountability.
Outside the Twin Cities metro, Minnesota remains largely accessible. Rochester, Duluth, and many Greater Minnesota communities maintain open communications. But the state's population center—home to over 3 million people—has significantly restricted scanner access since 2020.
2020: Accountability Demands Met with Opacity
The George Floyd Murder
On May 25, 2020, Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd on a Minneapolis street corner. The bystander video that captured Floyd's final moments sparked worldwide protests. But in the immediate aftermath, it was scanner traffic that helped journalists and community members understand police response patterns as the city erupted.
During the protests that followed, scanner access allowed journalists to track police movements, document tactics, and provide real-time information to a public desperate for understanding. Radio traffic captured police communications that later became evidence of problematic tactics.
The Push for Encryption
In the months following Floyd's murder, Minneapolis PD accelerated plans to encrypt tactical channels. The department argued that protestors and "bad actors" were using scanners to evade police. Critics pointed out the irony: at the moment of peak demand for accountability, the department moved to reduce oversight.
St. Paul PD and suburban departments followed Minneapolis's lead. By late 2021, most major Twin Cities law enforcement agencies had implemented some level of encryption, citing the 2020 protests as justification.
The Accountability Paradox
The timing created a profound contradiction. As the DOJ investigated Minneapolis PD, as consent decrees were discussed, as the public demanded transparency—the department made itself harder to monitor. Community groups noted that encryption doesn't make police more accountable; it makes accountability harder to achieve.
Scanner access had been a tool for community oversight in Minneapolis for decades. Organizations monitoring police conduct, journalists covering breaking news, and residents tracking activity in their neighborhoods all lost a key resource.
Major Minnesota Agencies
| Agency | Status | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Police Department | Partial | 430K | Expanded encryption post-2020; tactical channels encrypted |
| St. Paul Police Department | Partial | 310K | Partial encryption; main dispatch accessible |
| Minnesota State Patrol | Encrypted | Statewide | Fully encrypted statewide operations |
| Hennepin County Sheriff | Partial | 1.3M | Minneapolis metro; mixed encryption |
| Ramsey County Sheriff | Partial | 550K | St. Paul metro; partial encryption |
| Bloomington Police | Partial | 90K | Mall of America jurisdiction; partial encryption |
| Rochester Police | Open | 120K | Mayo Clinic city; largely open |
| Duluth Police Department | Open | 90K | Northern MN city remains open |
| Metro Transit Police | Partial | Twin Cities | Transit system; partial encryption |
| University of Minnesota Police | Partial | Campus | Twin Cities campus; partial encryption |
Regional Analysis
Twin Cities Metro
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding seven-county metro area have significantly expanded encryption since 2020. While some channels remain accessible, tactical operations and sensitive communications are now encrypted across most major departments.
- Minneapolis PD: Tactical channels encrypted
- St. Paul PD: Partial encryption
- Hennepin County: Mixed by channel
- Suburban departments: Generally partial
Greater Minnesota
Outside the Twin Cities, Minnesota's smaller cities and rural areas remain largely transparent. Rochester, home to the Mayo Clinic, maintains open communications. Duluth and the Iron Range similarly preserve traditional scanner access.
- Rochester PD: Open
- Duluth PD: Open
- St. Cloud: Partial
- Rural sheriffs: Generally open
Border Communities
Minnesota's border communities—along Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas—generally maintain open communications. Interoperability with neighboring states and practical considerations keep these areas accessible.
- Moorhead: Open (Fargo metro)
- Mankato: Partial
- Winona: Open
- County sheriffs: Mixed
Northern Minnesota
The Northwoods, Iron Range, and Arrowhead region maintain traditional open communications. Tourism-dependent communities value public information access, and resource constraints limit encryption adoption.
- Iron Range: Open
- Bemidji: Open
- International Falls: Open
- Tribal police: Varies
Minnesota Encryption Timeline
Minnesota State Patrol Encrypts
State Patrol completes statewide encryption. Highway coverage and state-level operations go dark before the events that would transform police accountability nationally.
George Floyd Murder
Derek Chauvin murders George Floyd in Minneapolis. Scanner traffic during the subsequent protests helps journalists and community document police response. The event triggers global demands for police accountability.
Minneapolis Accelerates Encryption
Minneapolis PD moves to encrypt tactical channels, citing protestor scanner use. Critics note the irony of reducing transparency at the peak of accountability demands.
Metro-Wide Expansion
St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, and suburban departments implement partial encryption. The Twin Cities metro collectively moves toward reduced transparency.
Ongoing Tension
As Minneapolis operates under DOJ oversight following a pattern-and-practice finding, the tension between accountability requirements and encrypted communications continues. Community groups advocate for transparency while departments maintain encryption.
DOJ Investigation and Encryption
Pattern and Practice Finding
In June 2023, the Department of Justice released findings of a pattern-and-practice investigation into Minneapolis PD, documenting systemic civil rights violations. The investigation was triggered by Floyd's murder and the department's long history of misconduct.
The DOJ findings include constitutional violations, excessive force, and discriminatory policing. A consent decree requiring reforms is being negotiated—yet the department's encrypted communications remain a barrier to the community oversight that could help ensure compliance.
The Transparency Gap
Consent decrees typically require departments to demonstrate accountability through various mechanisms. But when radio communications are encrypted, one traditional form of community oversight is eliminated. The public cannot independently monitor whether officers are following new policies.
Civil rights organizations have noted that encryption undermines the spirit of accountability reforms. A department under federal oversight that simultaneously hides its communications sends contradictory messages about its commitment to transparency.
Impact on Minnesota Communities
Twin Cities Media
The Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and local TV stations covered 2020's events partly through scanner access. Since encryption, journalists report significant challenges. Breaking news coverage now relies more heavily on official notifications—controlled by the very agencies being covered.
Community Oversight
Organizations that monitored Minneapolis PD conduct—particularly in communities that experienced disproportionate policing—have lost a key tool. In neighborhoods where trust in police was already low, encryption removed a mechanism for independent verification of police claims.
Protest Coverage
Since 2020, subsequent protests in the Twin Cities have been harder to cover. Without scanner access, journalists and legal observers cannot track police movements or document tactics in real-time. This affects both coverage and later accountability efforts.
Racial Justice Implications
The communities most impacted by the policing that killed George Floyd are also the communities most affected by encryption. When police can operate without public monitoring, the power imbalance that enabled Floyd's murder is reinforced, not remedied.
What Minnesotans Can Do
Connect Transparency to Reform
As consent decree negotiations continue, advocate for transparency provisions. Real reform requires real oversight—and encrypted communications undermine community monitoring. Contact city council members and state legislators to make this connection.
Support State Legislation
Minnesota's legislature could establish transparency requirements for police communications. Bills requiring public access provisions or mandating public hearings before encryption decisions deserve support. Contact your state representative and senator.
Document the Impact
If encryption has affected your ability to monitor police activity, document it. Whether you're a journalist, community organizer, legal observer, or concerned resident, these stories matter for advocacy. Share experiences with civil rights organizations.
Celebrate Open Agencies
Rochester, Duluth, and Greater Minnesota agencies that remain open deserve recognition. When departments argue encryption is inevitable, point to Minnesota communities that maintain transparency without documented negative impacts on officer safety.