West Coast police encryption: California, Oregon, and Washington
California's major cities went dark first. Oregon followed during the 2020 protests, encrypting just nine days after George Floyd's murder. Washington went a different direction. Three states, three approaches — and one documented reversal, in Palo Alto, that shows it doesn't have to stay this way.
The West Coast went dark first—here's the stack that still works
LAPD, SFPD, Oakland, San Diego, Portland, Multnomah—73% of major West Coast agencies are encrypted. CHP and Seattle dispatch plus federal, aviation, amateur, wildfire air ops, and NOAA weather remain in the clear. The regional pattern means buy this gear now.
Three states, three approaches
California has the most encryption of any state. LAPD encrypted in 2019, and most of Southern California followed within a few years. Oregon's Portland Police went dark during the George Floyd protests, blocking public monitoring of over 100 nights of demonstrations. Seattle kept dispatch open while encrypting tactical channels.
Palo Alto reversed its encryption after 20 months of sustained pressure from residents and a council member. Berkeley's debate showed that even cities with strong accountability traditions can lose that fight. Senator Josh Becker's SB 719 has twice tried to restore transparency statewide in California.
State-by-State Summary
California
Heavily EncryptedLAPD set the pace in 2019; DOJ directive accelerated adoption
View full California analysisOregon
Heavily EncryptedPortland encrypted during 2020 protests; Multnomah followed 2024
View full Oregon analysisWashington
Partial AccessSeattle's partial model preserves dispatch access
View full Washington analysisKey Cities Affected
Most of the West Coast's major cities have encrypted. Here is what that means for the 15+ million people in these metro areas.
| City | State | Status | Population | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | CA | Encrypted | 3.9M | 2019 | First major West Coast city; set precedent for region |
| San Francisco | CA | Partial | 870K | 2021 | Media access program preserves some transparency |
| Oakland | CA | Partial | 430K | 2020 | Encrypted during protests while under federal oversight |
| San Diego | CA | Encrypted | 1.4M | 2022 | Encrypted during radio system upgrade |
| Seattle | WA | Partial | 750K | 2021 | Dispatch open, tactical encrypted; regional model |
| Portland | OR | Encrypted | 650K | 2020 | Encrypted 9 days after George Floyd murder |
California's October 2020 DOJ Directive: The Catalyst
What Happened
In October 2020, the California Department of Justice issued a directive requiring law enforcement agencies to protect personally identifiable information (PII) transmitted over radio. Departments across the state pointed to this directive as justification for encryption.
The Problem With This Argument
The California Highway Patrol and other agencies comply with the same directive without encrypting all communications. The CHP uses a partial-information model: officers read only portions of sensitive data over the radio, using cell phones for truly private details. Palo Alto's 2022 reversal adopted this exact approach.
The DOJ directive became a ready justification for departments that wanted to encrypt anyway. It was never a legal mandate for full encryption. Palo Alto's reversal proved the point.
Senator Josh Becker's SB 719: Fighting Back Through Legislation
The Bill
California State Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) introduced SB 719 in March 2022, directly citing Palo Alto's encryption as motivation. The bill would have required agencies to adopt alternatives to full encryption—similar to the CHP model—before implementing blanket encryption.
What It Would Do
- Require public hearings before encryption decisions
- Mandate consideration of partial-information alternatives
- Create transparency requirements for encrypted agencies
- Protect media access to public safety communications
Current Status
The original SB 719 faced opposition from law enforcement associations and stalled. Senator Becker has continued to advocate for transparency legislation, working with press freedom groups and community advocates. The fight for California legislation continues.
Why It Matters
California is the most encrypted state and the largest. Legislation here would put other states on notice. If California requires transparency provisions before encryption, other states face harder questions. SB 719 is the most direct legislative response to the encryption wave on the West Coast.
"The public has a right to know what their police are doing. We can protect sensitive information without blocking all public access to police communications."— Senator Josh Becker, on introducing SB 719
Success Stories: Proof That Reversal Is Possible
Palo Alto: 20 Months to Transparency
Councilman Greer Stone led a sustained campaign that proved encryption reversal is possible. The department adopted the CHP model—partial information over radio, cell phones for sensitive details—demonstrating that DOJ compliance doesn't require full encryption.
Read the full Palo Alto case studyBerkeley: Progressive City Struggles
Berkeley's encryption vote revealed tensions even in progressive cities. Despite Berkeley Copwatch's decades of police monitoring and media opposition, the council approved encryption 8-1. The debate exposed how even communities with strong accountability traditions can succumb to police department pressure.
Read about Berkeley's debateWest Coast Encryption Timeline
California Highway Patrol encrypts statewide
State-level precedent
LAPD completes full encryption
Largest encrypted department in US
CA DOJ issues PII protection directive
Agencies cite compliance as encryption justification
Portland encrypts during protests
No monitoring of 100+ nights of demonstrations
Oakland, SF, San Jose encrypt
Bay Area goes largely dark
Seattle implements partial encryption
Alternative model emerges
San Diego, Palo Alto encrypt (PA later reversed)
Southern CA consolidates
SB 719 (Becker) introduced
First major legislative response
Palo Alto reverses encryption
Proof that reversal is possible
Multnomah County (OR) encrypts
Portland metro fully dark
SB 719 reintroduced as transparency bill
Legislative fight continues
Patterns Unique to the West Coast
Several patterns on the West Coast don't appear to the same degree elsewhere.
Tech industry influence
The West Coast's concentration of technology workers produces unusually informed public comment. Speakers at council meetings regularly cite technical literature on encryption's security limits. Yet the tech companies themselves have stayed quiet, even when their own employees push back locally.
Protest coverage connection
Portland, Oakland, and Seattle all experienced significant 2020 protests—and all three cities accelerated or implemented encryption during or shortly after. The timing was not coincidental. Portland encrypted just nine days after George Floyd's murder. Oakland finalized encryption amid federal oversight concerns. The pattern suggests encryption served to block protest monitoring, not protect officer safety.
Wildfire and disaster context
California's wildfire seasons have grown longer and more destructive each decade. Communities that once used scanners for fire updates now wait for official notifications that lag the ground situation. During the 2019 Getty Fire, LAPD's encryption prevented journalists from tracking evacuation coordination in real time. That gap recurs every fire season.
Strong open government traditions
California's Public Records Act and Washington's open government statutes have long been cited as national models. Portland's encryption felt particularly abrupt given Oregon's accessible-government reputation. In each state, encryption cut against decades of established practice.
Progressive politics, surprising outcomes
A progressive political reputation hasn't protected scanner transparency. Berkeley voted 8-1 for encryption. Oakland encrypted while under federal oversight. Portland switched during the 2020 protests. Police departments made their case to progressive councils and won. Political orientation turns out to be a poor predictor of encryption outcomes.
Regional coordination and spread
Encryption spreads regionally. When LAPD encrypted in 2019, surrounding departments followed. Seattle's partial model shaped how other Puget Sound agencies approached the question. Portland encrypted in 2020; Multnomah County followed in 2024. The same dynamic that created the encryption wave could theoretically work in reverse, though it hasn't yet.
Take Action: Regional Resources
California
- Contact your state senator and assemblymember to support SB 719 and similar transparency legislation
- The California News Publishers Association has opposed encryption and can coordinate media pressure
- The First Amendment Coalition provides legal resources and advocacy support
- Many California cities have civilian police commissions that can directly address encryption decisions
Oregon
- Oregon could follow Colorado's lead in requiring media access policies — push legislators for a state bill
- ACLU of Oregon is active on police accountability and a natural coalition partner
- Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association has experience in transparency advocacy
- Portland City Council now has 12 district members with oversight authority
Washington
- Seattle's partial-encryption model preserves meaningful dispatch access — advocate for maintaining it as PSERN expands
- Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington provides press freedom advocacy infrastructure
- Washington Coalition for Open Government has public records expertise useful in encryption fights
- The PSERN regional upgrade creates a window to require transparency provisions before systems go live
Where things stand
The West Coast's encryption story is still being written. LAPD set a troubling precedent in 2019. Portland's protest-era encryption blocked accountability during historic demonstrations. Most of California's major cities have gone dark.
But Palo Alto proved reversal is possible. Seattle showed that partial encryption can preserve meaningful access. Senator Becker's legislation represents a serious effort to restore transparency at the state level. And across the region, advocates continue fighting.
West Coast communities have lost substantial access. Whether that loss becomes permanent depends on whether advocates keep pushing.
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 SpeakSources
- California DOJ PII Protection Directive (October 2020)
- SB 719 Legislative Analysis, California State Senate (2022)
- Palo Alto Online: Police Radio Encryption Coverage (2021-2022)
- OPB: Portland Police Encryption During Protests (2020)
- Seattle Times: PSERN and Regional Encryption Policies (2025-2026)
- Los Angeles Times: LAPD Encryption Impact on News Coverage (2019-2020)
- San Francisco Chronicle: SFPD Media Access Program (2021-2022)
- Berkeleyside: Berkeley Encryption Debate (2023)
- Oakland Tribune: OPD Encryption Under Federal Oversight (2020)
- California News Publishers Association: Encryption Opposition Statements