Albany County, New York: Police Scanner Guide
Most police and sheriff agencies in Albany County have gone encrypted. You can still monitor fire, EMS, weather broadcasts, and any remaining unencrypted channels.
What You Can Still Monitor in Albany County
- Fire dispatch — most fire departments stay on open radio even when police go encrypted
- EMS / ambulance dispatch — emergency medical services often remain unencrypted for interoperability
- NOAA Weather Radio — direct NWS broadcasts on 162.400–162.550 MHz
- Public works & utilities — city maintenance, road crews, and utilities typically unencrypted
Recommended Scanners for Albany County
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Agencies in Albany County
Data from the RadioReference database and direct verification. View all New York agencies →
| Agency | Type | Encryption |
|---|---|---|
| Albany County Fire/EMS | fire | P25 AES-256 |
| Albany County Sheriff's Office | sheriff | P25 AES-256 |
| Albany County Interoperability | sheriff | P25 AES-256 |
| Albany City Police | police | P25 AES-256 |
| Bethlehem Police Department | police | P25 AES-256 |
| Belthleham EMS | ems | P25 AES-256 |
| Cohoes Police Department | police | P25 AES-256 |
| Colonie Fire/EMS | fire | P25 AES-256 |
| Colonie Police Department | police | P25 AES-256 |
| Guilderland EMS | ems | P25 AES-256 |
| Guilderland Police Department | police | P25 AES-256 |
| Green Island Police Department | police | P25 AES-256 |
| New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services | federal | P25 AES-256 |
| SUNY Albany | other | P25 AES-256 |
| Watervliet Arsenal | other | P25 AES-256 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I monitor in Albany County, New York?
Most police and sheriff agencies in Albany County have gone encrypted. You can still monitor fire, EMS, weather broadcasts, and any remaining unencrypted channels. Check the local fire and EMS frequencies which often remain unencrypted even when police go encrypted.
Is police radio encrypted in Albany County?
Police radio in Albany County is not fully encrypted. Most agencies use open or mixed radio systems that can be monitored with a digital scanner.
What scanner do I need for Albany County?
For Albany County, we recommend a scanner that covers VHF and UHF frequencies for fire, EMS, and weather — the Uniden BC125AT is the best value. For broader exploration, the RTL-SDR V4 with free SDRTrunk software can scan the full spectrum.