Police Radio Encryption in Minnesota
Minnesota has an encryption rate of 12%. Out of 448 tracked public safety agencies, 5 are fully encrypted, 97 are partially encrypted, and 346 broadcast in the clear.
5
Encrypted
97
Partial
346
Clear
Agencies by Type
184
Public Safety
21 encrypted
69
Government
50 encrypted
21
EMS
3 encrypted
14
Law Enforcement
2 encrypted
13
Dispatch
3 encrypted
5
Federal
4 encrypted
2
State Police
1 encrypted
1
Fire
139
Other
18 encrypted
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in Minnesota
- Cedar Lakes Casino (Cass County) — Encrypted
- Federal Agencies (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Mall of America (Hennepin County) — Encrypted
- Stones Mobile Radio (Polk County) — Encrypted
- Xcel Energy Minnesota (Hennepin County) — Encrypted
- Becker County (Becker County) — Partial
- Beltrami County (Beltrami County) — Partial
- Benton County (Benton County) — Partial
- Big Stone County (Big Stone County) — Partial
- Blue Earth County (Blue Earth County) — Partial
- Brainerd (Crow Wing County) — Partial
- Business (Red Lake County) — Partial
- Businesses (Goodhue County) — Partial
- Camp Ripley (Morrison County) — Partial
- Cass County (Cass County) — Partial
- Cass County (ND) (Statewide) — Partial
- Chisago County (Chisago County) — Partial
- Clay County (Clay County) — Partial
- Cook County (Cook County) — Partial
- Cottage Grove (Washington County) — Partial
- Dakota County (Dakota County) — Partial
- Elgin (Wabasha County) — Partial
- Faribault County (Faribault County) — Partial
- Federal (Aitkin County) — Partial
- Federal Agencies For the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area (Hennepin County) — Partial
- Freeborn County (Freeborn County) — Partial
- Grand Meadow (Mower County) — Partial
- Granite Electronics (Wright County) — Partial
- Grant County (Grant County) — Partial
- Hennepin County (Hennepin County) — Partial
- Hennepin County - Edina - Richfield (Statewide) — Partial
- Hennepin County - Minnetonka (Statewide) — Partial
- Hennepin County - Municipalities Dispatched by County (Hennepin County) — Partial
- Hennepin County - St. Louis Park (Statewide) — Partial
- Houston County (Houston County) — Partial
- Hubbard County (Hubbard County) — Partial
- Itasca County (Itasca County) — Partial
- Kanabec County (Kanabec County) — Partial
- Lac Qui Parle (Statewide) — Partial
- Le Sueur County (Le Sueur County) — Partial
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Statewide) — Partial
- MAC MSP International Airport (Statewide) — Partial
- Mahnomen County (Mahnomen County) — Partial
- McLeod County (McLeod County) — Partial
- Medical Facilities (Wabasha County) — Partial
- Meeker County (Meeker County) — Partial
- Metro EMS - Medical Control (Statewide) — Partial
- Military Frequencies (Hennepin County) — Partial
- Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Aitkin County) — Partial
- Mille Lacs County (Mille Lacs County) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - DNR (Statewide) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Bur. Crim. Appr. - BCA (Statewide) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Emergency Communications (Statewide) — Partial
- Minnesota Misc. State Agencies (Statewide) — Partial
- Minnesota National Guard - Military (Statewide) — Partial
- Mobile Radio Engineering (NXDN) (Washington County) — Partial
- Morrison County (Morrison County) — Partial
- National Weather Service (Statewide) — Partial
- North Memorial Health Operations (Statewide) — Partial
- Olmsted County (Olmsted County) — Partial
- Otter Tail County (Otter Tail County) — Partial
- Owatonna (Steele County) — Partial
- Pennington County (Pennington County) — Partial
- Pine County (Pine County) — Partial
- Polk County (Red Lake County) — Partial
- Polk County (Polk County) — Partial
- Professional Wireless Communications (Hennepin County) — Partial
- Ramsey County (Ramsey County) — Partial
- Ramsey County - St. Paul (Statewide) — Partial
- Red Lake Band of Ojibwe (Aitkin County) — Partial
- Renville County (Renville County) — Partial
- Rice County (Rice County) — Partial
- Rollingstone (Winona County) — Partial
- Roseau County (Roseau County) — Partial
- Sanford MED/F-M Ambulance (Statewide) — Partial
- Sherburne County (Sherburne County) — Partial
- Sibley County (Sibley County) — Partial
- Spring Valley (Fillmore County) — Partial
- St. Louis County (St. Louis County) — Partial
- Statewide Interoperability (Aitkin County) — Partial
- Statewide Law Interoperability (Aitkin County) — Partial
- Stearns County - St. Cloud (Statewide) — Partial
- Steele County (Steele County) — Partial
- Stevens County (Stevens County) — Partial
- Swift County (Swift County) — Partial
- Towns (Beltrami County) — Partial
- Traverse County (Traverse County) — Partial
- University of St. Thomas (Ramsey County) — Partial
- Wabasha (Wabasha County) — Partial
- Wabasha County (Wabasha County) — Partial
- Wadena County (Wadena County) — Partial
- Waseca County (Waseca County) — Partial
- White Earth Reservation (Statewide) — Partial
- White Earth Reservation (Becker County) — Partial
- Wilkin County (Wilkin County) — Partial
- Winona County (Winona County) — Partial
- Wright County (Sherburne County) — Partial
- Wright County (Wright County) — Partial
- Zone 1 Interoperability Metro (Statewide) — Partial
- Zone 2 Interoperability SW (Statewide) — Partial
- Zone 3 Interoperability SE (Statewide) — Partial
- Zone 4 Interoperability Central (Statewide) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across Minnesota.
- Federal Agencies (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Encrypted
- Cass County (ND) (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Hennepin County - Edina - Richfield (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Hennepin County - Minnetonka (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Hennepin County - St. Louis Park (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Lac Qui Parle (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- MAC MSP International Airport (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Metro EMS - Medical Control (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - DNR (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Bur. Crim. Appr. - BCA (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Emergency Communications (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Minnesota Misc. State Agencies (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Minnesota National Guard - Military (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- National Weather Service (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- North Memorial Health Operations (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Ramsey County - St. Paul (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Sanford MED/F-M Ambulance (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Stearns County - St. Cloud (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- White Earth Reservation (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Zone 1 Interoperability Metro (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Zone 2 Interoperability SW (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Zone 3 Interoperability SE (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
- Zone 4 Interoperability Central (Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER)) — Partial
County Breakdown
85 counties tracked across Minnesota. 53 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 85 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Roseau County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Traverse County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Polk County | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 38% |
| Wabasha County | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 33% |
| Cass County | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 25% |
| Morrison County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Red Lake County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Chisago County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Cook County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Freeborn County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Grant County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Kanabec County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Mahnomen County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Meeker County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Pennington County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Renville County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Sibley County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Swift County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Wilkin County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Winona County | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 20% |
| Aitkin County | 14 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 18% |
| Sherburne County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Steele County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Wright County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Benton County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Faribault County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Hubbard County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Itasca County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Le Sueur County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Mille Lacs County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Pine County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Rice County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Hennepin County | 30 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 15% |
| Becker County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Beltrami County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Washington County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Houston County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| McLeod County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Stevens County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Blue Earth County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Goodhue County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Waseca County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Ramsey County | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9% |
| Crow Wing County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Fillmore County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Otter Tail County | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7% |
| Mower County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Dakota County | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6% |
| Wadena County | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5% |
| Clay County | 13 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4% |
| Olmsted County | 15 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3% |
| St. Louis County | 16 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 3% |
| Koochiching County | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| Stearns County | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| Anoka County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Dodge County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Lake Of The Woods County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Douglas County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Nobles County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Redwood County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Brown County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Cottonwood County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Marshall County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Norman County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Pope County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Todd County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Carlton County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Clearwater County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Isanti County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Kandiyohi County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lac Qui Parle County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lake County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lincoln County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Martin County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Murray County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Scott County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Carver County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Chippewa County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Jackson County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Kittson County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Lyon County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Nicollet County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Rock County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Watonwan County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for Minnesota Residents
Minnesota has a relatively low encryption rate of 12%. The majority of public safety agencies (346 out of 448) 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 Minnesota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in Minnesota?
In Minnesota, 5 out of 448 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 97 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 12%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in Minnesota?
Yes — 346 agencies in Minnesota 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 Minnesota data updated?
Data for Minnesota 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 448 agencies in Minnesota →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Vermont (12%) · New Jersey (12%) · New York (12%) · Wisconsin (12%) · Hawaii (11%)
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