Virginia Beach Police Scanner: Virginia's Largest City
Virginia Beach is Virginia's largest city and a major resort destination, sitting at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. On July 28, 2022, its police department switched on full encryption across more than 2,000 radios, ending public scanner access to all VBPD communications. Fire and EMS remain in the clear — and next door, Norfolk police dispatch is still audible, making Hampton Roads a side-by-side test of two transparency policies.
Virginia Beach by the Numbers
A few numbers give a sense of what VBPD is managing:
VBPD's sworn officers cover roughly 250 square miles of land (nearly 500 including water), one of the larger footprints of any U.S. city. The department handles resort town crowds at the oceanfront and suburban and rural calls inland, sometimes on the same shift.
The Road to Full Encryption
Virginia Beach's blackout didn't happen overnight:
- Fiscal year 2018: City funding approved for encrypted police radios.
- May 31, 2019: A city employee shoots and kills 12 people at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, prompting security reviews across city operations.
- Fiscal year 2021: The radio replacement funding is actualized.
- July 28, 2022: VBPD activates encryption on more than 2,000 radios. Local media report the public "will no longer be able to use scanners to listen to Virginia Beach Police communication."
The department cited officer safety and the personal identifying information officers transmit during stops. It said it was exploring a time-delayed dispatch feed through Broadcastify — as of June 2026, no such feed exists. The public got a total blackout, not a compromise.
Current Encryption Status
| Agency | Type | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach Police | Police | Encrypted | Fully encrypted since July 28, 2022; more than 2,000 radios converted |
| Virginia Beach Fire & EMS | Fire | Open | In the clear; the official Virginia Beach EMS feed is live on Broadcastify |
| Norfolk Police Department | Police | Open | Precinct dispatch in the clear as of June 2026, with live Broadcastify feeds; listeners report encryption is planned |
| Chesapeake Police | Police | Partial | Listeners reported dispatch in the clear as of late 2023; verify current status at RadioReference |
| Suffolk Police | Police | Partial | Listeners reported dispatch in the clear as of late 2023; verify current status at RadioReference |
| Virginia State Police | State | Partial | On the statewide STARS P25 system; listeners report divisions progressively encrypting |
| Naval Station Norfolk (base) | Military | Encrypted | Military operations encrypted |
| Portsmouth Police | Police | Encrypted | Listeners reported Portsmouth PD fully encrypted as of November 2023 |
| Hampton Police | Police | Encrypted | Reported encrypted; Hampton Fire and Rescue remains audible on a live feed |
| Newport News Police | Police | Encrypted | Reported mostly encrypted; Newport News Fire remains audible |
Local Context: Resort City Meets Military Hub
Several features of Virginia Beach's geography shape its public safety picture:
Oceanfront tourism
The 3-mile Oceanfront boardwalk draws millions of visitors each year. Major events like the Something in the Water festival and College Beach Weekend draw multi-agency responses — and since 2022, reporters and residents can no longer follow the police side of those operations.
Military presence
Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base, sits just across the city line. Military operations are encrypted, but off-base incidents often involve both civilian police and base security. With VBPD encrypted too, journalists and neighbors have lost their window into those responses.
Hurricane season
Coastal Virginia gets hurricanes and tropical storms regularly. Scanner access lets residents follow evacuation orders and emergency response in real time, when official channels are often overloaded.
Regional coordination
Hampton Roads spans seven cities. Crime and emergencies cross city lines constantly, but with police encryption spreading city by city, an incident can now go silent the moment it crosses a boundary.
Hampton Roads: Regional Context
Virginia Beach sits within the Hampton Roads metro, one of the larger metro areas on the East Coast. Police encryption has swept much of the region since 2022, while fire and EMS remain in the clear. Status as reported by scanner listeners (verify at RadioReference before relying on it):
Southside
- Virginia Beach PD - Encrypted (July 2022)
- Norfolk PD - Open dispatch (live feeds, June 2026)
- Chesapeake PD - Clear per late-2023 listener reports
- Portsmouth PD - Encrypted (reported Nov 2023)
- Suffolk PD - Clear per late-2023 listener reports
Peninsula
- Hampton PD - Encrypted (reported 2023)
- Newport News PD - Mostly encrypted (reported 2023)
- Williamsburg PD - Encrypted (reported 2023)
- Fire/EMS region-wide - In the clear
Listeners summarized the region as roughly 50/50 for law enforcement, with all fire/EMS unencrypted. Norfolk is the big remaining open police agency — and listeners report its encryption is planned.
How to listen to Virginia Beach area scanners
Online streaming
Broadcastify carries the official Virginia Beach EMS feed, Norfolk police precinct dispatch, and fire feeds across Hampton Roads. There is no VBPD feed — police talkgroups are encrypted.
Find online feedsDigital scanner
Hampton Roads uses P25 Phase I and II trunked systems. You'll need a P25-capable scanner like the Uniden SDS100 or Whistler TRX-1.
Scanner buying guideMobile apps
Apps like Scanner Radio aggregate Hampton Roads feeds. Quality varies depending on volunteer feed operators.
App comparison guideTechnical details
- Systems: Each Hampton Roads city runs its own trunked system; Hampton and Newport News share the Peninsula Regional Radio System
- Type: P25 Trunked (police talkgroups encrypted in Virginia Beach; fire/EMS clear)
- State: Virginia State Police operate on the statewide STARS P25 system
- Reference: RadioReference: Virginia Beach City
Take action: push back on the Hampton Roads blackout
Virginia Beach went fully dark in 2022 and never delivered the delayed public feed it floated. Norfolk is the region's last big open police agency, and listeners report its encryption is already planned:
Hold VBPD to its own words
When it encrypted, the department said it was exploring a time-delayed dispatch feed via Broadcastify. Ask city council why, years later, it still doesn't exist.
Defend Norfolk's open dispatch
Norfolk police precinct dispatch is still in the clear. Radio system upgrades and budget cycles are when encryption proposals show up — engage Norfolk's council before the switch flips.
Engage regional media
The Virginian-Pilot, WAVY, and WVEC rely on scanner access. When encryption comes up, contact their reporters directly — newsrooms that already use scanners are natural allies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Virginia Beach Police Department radio encrypted?
Yes, fully. VBPD switched on encryption across more than 2,000 radios on July 28, 2022, ending public scanner access to all police communications. Funding for the encrypted radios was approved back in fiscal year 2018. The department cited officer safety and the personal information officers transmit over the air.
Can I listen to Virginia Beach police scanner online?
Not the police. Since July 2022, no consumer scanner or app can receive VBPD traffic. Virginia Beach EMS remains in the clear with an official live Broadcastify feed, and Norfolk police precinct dispatch next door is still audible as of June 2026. When it encrypted, VBPD said it was exploring a delayed dispatch feed via Broadcastify, but no such feed is live.
How did the 2019 Municipal Center shooting affect encryption?
The May 31, 2019 shooting that killed 12 people at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center prompted security reviews across city operations. Police radio encryption was already in the pipeline—funding was approved in fiscal year 2018—and the department completed full encryption in July 2022.
What frequencies does Virginia Beach use?
Virginia Beach runs its own P25 trunked system for city public safety; police talkgroups are encrypted while fire/EMS remain clear. Neighboring cities run separate systems, including the Peninsula Regional Radio System for Hampton and Newport News. Check RadioReference.com for current talkgroup assignments.