Police Radio Encryption in Iowa
Iowa has an encryption rate of 8%. Out of 563 tracked public safety agencies, 9 are fully encrypted, 72 are partially encrypted, and 482 broadcast in the clear.
9
Encrypted
72
Partial
482
Clear
Agencies by Type
229
Public Safety
21 encrypted
65
Government
30 encrypted
17
Law Enforcement
2 encrypted
13
EMS
1 encrypted
12
Dispatch
6
Federal
2 encrypted
4
Fire
217
Other
25 encrypted
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in Iowa
- Black Hawk County (Black Hawk County) — Encrypted
- Dakota County, NE (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Davis County (Davis County) — Encrypted
- Department of Corrections (Adair County) — Encrypted
- Emmet County (Emmet County) — Encrypted
- Federal (Des Moines County) — Encrypted
- Federal Agencies (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Independence Mental Health Institute/Four Oaks Independence Camp (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Winfield (Henry County) — Encrypted
- Appanoose County (Appanoose County) — Partial
- Audubon County (Audubon County) — Partial
- Belle Plaine (Benton County) — Partial
- Boone County (Boone County) — Partial
- Business (Clayton County) — Partial
- Business (Warren County) — Partial
- Businesses (Bremer County) — Partial
- Businesses (Pottawattamie County) — Partial
- Camanche (Clinton County) — Partial
- Cass County (Cass County) — Partial
- Cedar County (Cedar County) — Partial
- Cerro Gordo County (Cerro Gordo County) — Partial
- Clay County (Clay County) — Partial
- Clayton County (Clayton County) — Partial
- Clinton (Clinton County) — Partial
- Clinton County (Clinton County) — Partial
- Clinton County - Clinton (Statewide) — Partial
- Colleges (Winneshiek County) — Partial
- Dakota County, NE - South Sioux City (Statewide) — Partial
- Department of Public Safety - Area B (Statewide) — Partial
- Department of Public Safety - Area C (Statewide) — Partial
- Des Moines County (Des Moines County) — Partial
- Dickinson County (Dickinson County) — Partial
- Dubuque County (Dubuque County) — Partial
- Electronic Engineering (Linn County) — Partial
- Fayette County (Fayette County) — Partial
- Franklin County (Franklin County) — Partial
- Fremont County (Fremont County) — Partial
- General Mobile Radio Service (Des Moines County) — Partial
- Guthrie County (Guthrie County) — Partial
- Hancock County (Hancock County) — Partial
- Harrison County (Harrison County) — Partial
- Hospitals (Palo Alto County) — Partial
- Iowa National Guard (Statewide) — Partial
- Lee County - Keokuk (Statewide) — Partial
- Mapleton (Monona County) — Partial
- Marion County (Marion County) — Partial
- Medevac (Statewide) — Partial
- Milford (Dickinson County) — Partial
- Mills County (Mills County) — Partial
- Omaha Regional Interoperability Network (ORION) (Pottawattamie County) — Partial
- Polk County - Des Moines (Statewide) — Partial
- Polk County - Westcom (Statewide) — Partial
- Radio Maintenance (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 1 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 2 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 3 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 4 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 5 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Region 6 Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Schools (Bremer County) — Partial
- Schools (Dallas County) — Partial
- Schools (Davis County) — Partial
- Schools (Muscatine County) — Partial
- Schools (Tama County) — Partial
- Schools (Winnebago County) — Partial
- Schools (Winneshiek County) — Partial
- Statewide Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) (Linn County) — Partial
- Transportation (Iowa County) — Partial
- Transportation (Sioux County) — Partial
- Union County, SD - North Sioux City (Statewide) — Partial
- University of Northern Iowa (Statewide) — Partial
- Vinton (Benton County) — Partial
- Wapello County (Wapello County) — Partial
- Warren County (Warren County) — Partial
- Warren County - Norwalk (Statewide) — Partial
- Water Districts (Warren County) — Partial
- Webster County (Webster County) — Partial
- Webster County - Fort Dodge (Statewide) — Partial
- Winnebago County (Winnebago County) — Partial
- Wright County (Wright County) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across Iowa.
- Dakota County, NE (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Encrypted
- Federal Agencies (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Encrypted
- Independence Mental Health Institute/Four Oaks Independence Camp (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Encrypted
- Clinton County - Clinton (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Dakota County, NE - South Sioux City (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Department of Public Safety - Area B (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Department of Public Safety - Area C (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Iowa National Guard (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Lee County - Keokuk (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Medevac (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Polk County - Des Moines (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Polk County - Westcom (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Radio Maintenance (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 1 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 2 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 3 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 4 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 5 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Region 6 Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Statewide Interoperability (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Union County, SD - North Sioux City (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- University of Northern Iowa (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Warren County - Norwalk (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
- Webster County - Fort Dodge (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS)) — Partial
County Breakdown
93 counties tracked across Iowa. 42 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 93 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmet County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Davis County | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 75% |
| Winneshiek County | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50% |
| Franklin County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Guthrie County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Clayton County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Dickinson County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Henry County | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25% |
| Winnebago County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Audubon County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Fremont County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Sioux County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Warren County | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 19% |
| Clinton County | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 17% |
| Appanoose County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Cedar County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Hancock County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Mills County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Wapello County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Des Moines County | 16 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 13% |
| Bremer County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Cass County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Monona County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Palo Alto County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Wright County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Benton County | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10% |
| Cerro Gordo County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Clay County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Harrison County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Black Hawk County | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 9% |
| Pottawattamie County | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9% |
| Adair County | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 8% |
| Boone County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Iowa County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Muscatine County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Marion County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Dubuque County | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6% |
| Fayette County | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6% |
| Dallas County | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5% |
| Webster County | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5% |
| Tama County | 12 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4% |
| Linn County | 33 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 3% |
| Polk County | 21 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0% |
| Johnson County | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0% |
| Scott County | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0% |
| Lee County | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0% |
| Jasper County | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0% |
| Buchanan County | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0% |
| Story County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Woodbury County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Marshall County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Adams County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Hamilton County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Poweshiek County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Shelby County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Washington County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Allamakee County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Mahaska County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Worth County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Calhoun County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Carroll County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Grundy County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Kossuth County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Lyon County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Montgomery County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Sac County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Butler County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Clarke County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Humboldt County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Page County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Cherokee County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Chickasaw County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Decatur County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Delaware County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Floyd County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Greene County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Howard County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Jones County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Louisa County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Plymouth County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Pocahontas County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Wayne County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Buena Vista County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Crawford County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Hardin County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Ida County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Lucas County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Madison County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Monroe County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Osceola County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Ringgold County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Union County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Van Buren County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for Iowa Residents
Iowa has a relatively low encryption rate of 8%. The majority of public safety agencies (482 out of 563) still broadcast in the clear, meaning scanner listeners and journalists retain access to most emergency radio traffic.
Encryption status can change at any time as agencies upgrade equipment or adopt new policies. The RTDNA considers police radio encryption the #1 threat to journalism in America. Use our search tool to check specific cities and counties in Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in Iowa?
In Iowa, 9 out of 563 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 72 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 8%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in Iowa?
Yes — 482 agencies in Iowa still broadcast in the clear and can be monitored with a scanner. Check specific agencies using our search tool for detailed channel information.
How often is Iowa data updated?
Data for Iowa is synchronized weekly from RadioReference.com. Encryption status reflects the latest known radio configurations, though agencies can change their setup without notice. Report incorrect data.
Search all 563 agencies in Iowa →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Oregon (8%) · Washington (8%) · Arkansas (8%) · North Carolina (8%) · Illinois (8%)
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