St. Paul Police Encryption: Twin Cities Complete the Blackout
Following Minneapolis, St. Paul encrypted police radio in fall 2025. Together, the Twin Cities metro's 3.7 million residents now have limited real-time access to police communications.
Key facts
The Twin Cities Regional Blackout
When Minneapolis encrypted in May 2025, St. Paul's move was predictable. The two cities share borders, coordinate on major incidents, and have faced the same political pressures since 2020.
With both major departments encrypted, along with county sheriff's offices and dozens of suburban agencies, the Twin Cities metro's 3.7 million residents have no practical real-time access to police communications.
Regional pressure, regional result
Minneapolis's encryption put St. Paul in an awkward position. The argument was straightforward: if Minneapolis is dark, anyone wanting to monitor police can just look across the river. This "last holdout" dynamic has driven regional domino effects elsewhere, including in the East Bay in California.
The protest rationale
St. Paul officials offered a specific rationale: protesters used scanner information during the 2020 unrest after George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis.
Unpacking this claim
- Listening to public radio broadcasts and sharing information is protected First Amendment activity—protesters exercising free speech were doing nothing wrong
- No evidence shows that scanner monitoring by protesters led to officer injuries or compromised operations
- The same logic would justify encrypting any public information that protesters might use
- If scanner monitoring during protests was a genuine concern, why did St. Paul wait until fall 2025 to act on it?
Using protests against police violence as justification for reducing police transparency creates a direct problem: it frames public accountability as the threat rather than police conduct.
No public alternative
Minneapolis offers a 30-minute delayed incidents dashboard. Boston provides a 5-minute delayed feed. St. Paul has not created any public alternative.
Minneapolis
30-minute delayed dashboard
Limited AccessBoston
5-minute delayed feed
Limited AccessSt. Paul
No public alternative
No AccessThat makes St. Paul's approach stricter than most cities that have encrypted. There is no sanctioned channel, delayed or otherwise, for the public to follow police activity.
Minnesota's statewide trend
St. Paul's encryption is part of a statewide pattern. Minnesota's ARMER (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response) system lets agencies encrypt without major infrastructure changes. Flipping the switch is easy.
Impact on Twin Cities journalism
The Twin Cities have a substantial local journalism ecosystem: the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, MPR News, MinnPost, and a range of community outlets. All of them used scanner access for breaking news.
Breaking news
Journalists can no longer respond to incidents as they develop. By the time official information is released, the story has often moved on.
Independent verification
Scanner traffic provided a check on official police statements. Without it, journalists must rely more heavily on police communications offices.
Pattern detection
Monitoring scanner traffic allowed journalists to identify patterns in police response that might not be apparent from individual incident reports.
Stakeholder perspectives
Encryption hits different parts of the community differently:
Twin Cities reporter
"We used to cover both cities seamlessly—Minneapolis and St. Paul. Now both are dark. If there's a major incident, we find out when police want us to find out. That's not journalism, that's public relations."
Regional news coverage has changed sharply. Breaking news is now dependent on official channels.
Community activist
"They cited 2020 protests as justification—as if monitoring public radio broadcasts during a civil rights movement is a crime. Now when police do something wrong, we have even less ability to document it."
Police accountability has decreased in a region still processing the George Floyd killing and its aftermath.
Frogtown resident
"Our neighborhood has always had challenges. We used to know what was happening on our block. Now we hear sirens and have no idea if it's safe to leave the house or keep the kids inside."
Situational awareness has dropped in neighborhoods that need it most.
Scanner hobbyist
"I've monitored Twin Cities public safety for 25 years. I've helped neighbors, called in emergencies, and been part of this community's safety net. That's all gone now—both cities, dark."
A decades-long hobby and community service role is gone.
George Floyd's legacy: a troubling justification
Using the 2020 protests as partial justification for encryption raises a direct question about what accountability is supposed to look like in a city still processing the George Floyd killing.
The protest context
Following George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police, protests erupted across the Twin Cities. Some protesters monitored police scanners to understand where officers were gathering or where confrontations were occurring—a practice protected by the First Amendment.
The troubling logic
Using protests against police violence as justification for reducing police transparency creates a concerning precedent. It suggests that public accountability itself is the problem—that citizens knowing what police are doing is inherently dangerous.
No documented harm
Despite the protest rationale, no evidence has been presented showing that scanner monitoring during 2020 led to officer injuries or compromised operations. The justification relies on hypothetical concerns, not documented harm.
Five years later
If scanner monitoring during protests was such an urgent concern, why did St. Paul wait until fall 2025 to encrypt? The timing suggests the protest rationale may be post-hoc justification rather than genuine operational necessity.
What you can do
St. Paul residents
- Contact the St. Paul City Council about transparency concerns
- Attend city council meetings and raise encryption during public comment
- Support local journalism that covers police accountability
- File data practices requests for specific incidents
Minnesota statewide
- Advocate for state legislation requiring press access policies
- Follow Colorado's HB21-1250 as a model
- Contact your state legislators about encryption concerns
- Build coalitions with journalism and civil liberties groups
Support local media
- Subscribe to local news outlets covering police accountability
- Share stories about encryption's impact on public safety
- Write letters to the editor supporting transparency
- Contact MPR, Star Tribune, and Pioneer Press about coverage
Document impacts
- Keep records of incidents where encryption affected your awareness
- Note when you learned about nearby emergencies late
- Track rumors that spread in the absence of scanner information
- Share specific examples with elected officials
Frequently Asked Questions
When did St. Paul police encrypt their radios?
St. Paul Police Department encrypted radio communications in fall 2025, following Minneapolis which encrypted in May 2025. This means both major Twin Cities police departments are now encrypted.
Why did St. Paul encrypt police radio?
St. Paul officials cited compliance with federal rules for radio traffic. They also referenced concerns about protesters using scanner information during the 2020 unrest following George Floyd's murder in neighboring Minneapolis. Critics note that this rationale punishes the public for exercising First Amendment rights.
Can I still listen to St. Paul police scanners?
No. Traditional scanners can no longer receive St. Paul Police Department communications. Unlike Minneapolis (which offers a 30-minute delayed dashboard) or Boston (which provides a 5-minute delayed feed), St. Paul has not implemented any public alternative.
Is all of the Twin Cities area encrypted now?
Effectively yes. With both Minneapolis and St. Paul encrypted, plus Hennepin County Sheriff, Ramsey County Sheriff, and many suburban departments, the entire Twin Cities metro area of 3.7 million people has limited real-time police radio access. This represents one of the largest regional blackouts in the country.
Does St. Paul have a media access program for journalists?
No. Unlike some cities that have implemented credentialed media access programs, St. Paul has not created any mechanism for journalists to access police communications in real time. Local news organizations must rely entirely on official police statements and press releases.
What alternatives to full encryption could St. Paul implement?
St. Paul could implement several transparency-preserving alternatives: time-delayed public feeds (like Minneapolis's 30-minute dashboard), tactical-only encryption (encrypting sensitive operations while keeping routine calls open), media credential programs for real-time access, or a public information channel for major incidents. None of these options were adopted.
How can I advocate for transparency in St. Paul?
Contact St. Paul City Council members about transparency concerns, attend public meetings, support local journalism, file data practices requests for incident information, and advocate for state legislation requiring press access policies. Building coalitions with journalism organizations and civil liberties groups amplifies your voice.
Take Action for Transparency
Your voice matters. Here are concrete ways to advocate for open police communications in your community.
Contact Your Representatives
Use our templates to email your local officials about police radio encryption policies.
Get StartedRead Case Studies
See how encryption has affected real communities - from Highland Park to Chicago.
View CasesSpread Awareness
Share evidence about police radio encryption with your network and community.
Public Testimony
Learn how to speak effectively at city council and public safety meetings.
Prepare to Speak