Police Radio Encryption in Maryland
Maryland has an encryption rate of 13%. Out of 190 tracked public safety agencies, 4 are fully encrypted, 42 are partially encrypted, and 144 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in Maryland
- Comptroller of Maryland (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Johns Hopkins University (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Maryland Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (Allegany County) — Encrypted
- Somerset County (Somerset County) — Encrypted
- Allegany County (Allegany County) — Partial
- Attractions (Baltimore City) — Partial
- Baltimore City (Baltimore City) — Partial
- Baltimore County (Baltimore County) — Partial
- Businesses (Carroll County) — Partial
- Calvert County (Calvert County) — Partial
- Caroline County (Caroline County) — Partial
- Cecil County (Cecil County) — Partial
- Central Maryland Area Regional Communications Committee (CMARC) (Baltimore City) — Partial
- Charles County (P16) (Charles County) — Partial
- Department of Emergency Management (Allegany County) — Partial
- Federal (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal (Allegany County) — Partial
- Frederick County, MD (Frederick County) — Partial
- Howard County, MD (Howard County) — Partial
- Laurel (Prince George's County) — Partial
- M-NCPPC Parks (Prince George's County Division) (Prince George's County) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Emergency Management (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Health (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Human Services (Allegany County) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Information Technology (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Transportation (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland State Highway Administration (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland State Police (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland State Police (Worcester County) — Partial
- Maryland Transit Administration (Statewide) — Partial
- Maryland Transportation Authority (Statewide) — Partial
- Miscellaneous Businesses (Worcester County) — Partial
- Montgomery County, MD (Montgomery County) — Partial
- National Security Agency (NSA) (Anne Arundel County) — Partial
- Police (Montgomery County) — Partial
- Prince George's County (Prince George's County) — Partial
- Queen Anne's County (Queen Anne's County) — Partial
- Rocky Gap Casino Resort (Allegany County) — Partial
- St. Mary's County (St. Mary's County) — Partial
- Statewide Interoperability (Statewide) — Partial
- Talbot County (Talbot County) — Partial
- Washington County (Washington County) — Partial
- Worcester County (Worcester County) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across Maryland.
- Comptroller of Maryland (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Encrypted
- Johns Hopkins University (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Encrypted
- Federal (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Emergency Management (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Health (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Information Technology (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Department of Transportation (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland State Highway Administration (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland State Police (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Transit Administration (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Maryland Transportation Authority (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
- Statewide Interoperability (First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team (FIRST)) — Partial
County Breakdown
24 counties tracked across Maryland. 19 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 24 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| Caroline County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Allegany County | 15 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 23% |
| Worcester County | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 19% |
| Carroll County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Queen Anne's County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Talbot County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Baltimore City | 13 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 12% |
| St. Mary's County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Washington County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Prince George's County | 16 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 9% |
| Montgomery County | 12 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 8% |
| Cecil County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Frederick County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Charles County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Calvert County | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6% |
| Baltimore County | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5% |
| Howard County | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5% |
| Anne Arundel County | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 4% |
| Harford County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Dorchester County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Garrett County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Wicomico County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Kent County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for Maryland Residents
Maryland has a relatively low encryption rate of 13%. The majority of public safety agencies (144 out of 190) 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 Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in Maryland?
In Maryland, 4 out of 190 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 42 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 13%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in Maryland?
Yes — 144 agencies in Maryland 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 Maryland data updated?
Data for Maryland 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 190 agencies in Maryland →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
New Mexico (13%) · Alabama (13%) · Florida (13%) · District of Columbia (14%) · Vermont (12%)
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