Find Police Scanner Feeds in Your Area
Want to listen to police, fire, and EMS in your area? Here's how to find scanner feeds—and what to do if your local department has gone encrypted.
Method 1: Scanner Apps (Easiest)
The fastest way to find scanner feeds is through smartphone apps. These stream audio from volunteer-operated scanners around the world.
Broadcastify
iOS, Android, Web
- Largest scanner network worldwide
- Thousands of feeds including police, fire, EMS, aviation
- Free with ads; premium removes ads and adds features
- Archives of past broadcasts (premium)
Scanner Radio
iOS, Android
- Clean, user-friendly interface
- Location-based feed discovery
- Favorite feeds and notifications
- Uses Broadcastify's feed network
Police Scanner 5-0
iOS, Android
- Simple interface for beginners
- Automatic location detection
- Push notifications for activity
- Good for casual listening
How to Search for Your Area
- Download Broadcastify or Scanner Radio
- Allow location access OR search by city/county name
- Look for feeds labeled "Police," "Fire," "EMS," or "Public Safety"
- Tap to listen—it's that simple
Method 2: RadioReference Database
RadioReference.com is the most comprehensive database of radio frequencies and systems in the United States.
What You Can Find
- Frequency databases — Exact frequencies used by every agency
- Encryption status — Whether channels are encrypted
- System information — Technical details about radio systems
- Live audio feeds — Links to streaming audio where available
- Wiki pages — Community-maintained information about each jurisdiction
How to Check Your Area
- Go to RadioReference.com/db/browse
- Select your state
- Select your county
- Find your local police/sheriff department
- Look for "Mode" column—if it says "E" or "Encrypted," that channel is blocked
Method 3: Physical Scanner
For serious monitoring, a physical scanner provides real-time reception without internet delays.
Digital Trunking Scanners
$300-600
Required for modern P25 systems. Can receive digital transmissions (but not encrypted ones).
Recommended: Uniden SDS100, Whistler TRX-1
Basic Analog Scanners
$50-150
Only useful for older analog systems, which are increasingly rare.
Note: Won't work with most modern police systems
Software Defined Radio (SDR)
$20-50 + computer
USB dongle + software. Flexible but requires technical knowledge.
For: Tech enthusiasts and hobbyists
Important: No Scanner Can Decode Encryption
Even a $600 digital scanner cannot receive encrypted police communications. If your local department has encrypted, no consumer equipment will help. The only solution is policy change.
What If No Feeds Are Available?
If you search for your area and find no feeds—or feeds that say "encrypted" or show no activity—your local police have likely gone dark. Here's what that means:
Your Department Is Probably Encrypted
When a police department encrypts their radio communications, several things happen:
- Scanner apps show no feeds (volunteers can't stream what they can't hear)
- RadioReference lists channels as "Encrypted"
- Physical scanners receive only digital noise
- No technology exists to decode the transmissions
Alternative Sources of Information
When police radio is encrypted, you still have some options:
Fire/EMS Channels
Fire departments and EMS often remain unencrypted even when police encrypt. Check these feeds for emergency information.
Citizen App
Crowdsourced incident reports, though delayed and less detailed than scanner audio.
Nextdoor/Neighbors
Community-posted alerts. Quality varies by neighborhood activity.
Local News
Journalists who once used scanners now rely on police press releases—which are often delayed and incomplete.
None of these alternatives provide the real-time, unfiltered information that scanner access provided. That's the point of encryption.
Why You Should Care About Encryption
If you came to this page looking for scanner feeds and discovered your department is encrypted, you've just experienced what thousands of communities are facing.
Public Safety
During emergencies, you can't hear warnings about active shooters, fires, or dangerous situations in your neighborhood.
Accountability
Police control the narrative. Misconduct is harder to document. The only version of events you hear is the official one.
Journalism
Local news can't independently verify police claims or provide breaking coverage of incidents.
Community Trust
Secrecy breeds suspicion. Transparency built through open communications is lost.
See the difference: During the Highland Park shooting, open scanner access helped families shelter and locate loved ones. In encrypted Chicago, the public learns about incidents hours or days later.
Read the Highland Park case study →Take Action Against Encryption
You can't decode encrypted radio—but you can fight the policy. Encryption decisions are made by local officials who respond to public pressure.
What You Can Do
- Confirm encryption status — Document when and why your department encrypted
- Contact city council — Many encryption decisions happen without public input
- Request records — FOIA the justification; they often can't provide evidence of harm
- Contact local media — Journalists are powerful allies against encryption
- Organize neighbors — Community pressure has reversed encryption policies
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