Decoded by Binary Rogue · Frequencies by RadioReference.com

Police Radio Encryption in New York

New York has an encryption rate of 12%. Out of 358 tracked public safety agencies, 7 are fully encrypted, 71 are partially encrypted, and 280 broadcast in the clear.

7
Encrypted
71
Partial
280
Clear

Agencies by Type

101
Public Safety
29 encrypted
29
Dispatch
5 encrypted
24
Law Enforcement
3 encrypted
10
EMS
1 encrypted
8
Fire
2 encrypted
6
Government
5 encrypted
5
Federal
3 encrypted
175
Other
30 encrypted

Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in New York

County Breakdown

60 counties tracked across New York. 37 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.

View all 60 counties
County Agencies Encrypted Partial Clear Rate
Greene County 3 0 3 0 50%
Cortland County 2 0 2 0 50%
Franklin County 2 1 0 1 50%
Chenango County 1 0 1 0 50%
Montgomery County 1 0 1 0 50%
Schoharie County 1 0 1 0 50%
Yates County 6 1 2 3 33%
Cayuga County 3 0 2 1 33%
Chautauqua County 4 0 2 2 25%
Orleans County 2 0 1 1 25%
Westchester County 21 0 10 11 24%
Niagara County 7 1 1 5 21%
Washington County 11 0 4 7 18%
St. Lawrence County 6 1 0 5 17%
Jefferson County 3 0 1 2 17%
Lewis County 3 0 1 2 17%
Rensselaer County 3 0 1 2 17%
Steuben County 3 0 1 2 17%
Tompkins County 3 0 1 2 17%
Nassau County 14 1 2 11 14%
Rockland County 7 0 2 5 14%
Schenectady County 7 0 2 5 14%
New York City County 28 1 5 22 13%
Oneida County 28 0 7 21 13%
Onondaga County 8 0 2 6 13%
Putnam County 8 0 2 6 13%
Clinton County 4 0 1 3 13%
Ulster County 4 0 1 3 13%
Warren County 4 0 1 3 13%
Suffolk County 21 1 3 17 12%
Livingston County 5 0 1 4 10%
Otsego County 5 0 1 4 10%
Dutchess County 7 0 1 6 7%
Essex County 8 0 1 7 6%
Orange County 9 0 1 8 6%
Erie County 23 0 2 21 4%
Albany County 12 0 1 11 4%
Chemung County 7 0 0 7 0%
Monroe County 6 0 0 6 0%
Cattaraugus County 4 0 0 4 0%
Herkimer County 4 0 0 4 0%
Madison County 4 0 0 4 0%
Oswego County 4 0 0 4 0%
Queens County 4 0 0 4 0%
Saratoga County 4 0 0 4 0%
Allegany County 3 0 0 3 0%
Broome County 3 0 0 3 0%
Columbia County 3 0 0 3 0%
Genesee County 3 0 0 3 0%
Ontario County 3 0 0 3 0%
Wayne County 3 0 0 3 0%
Wyoming County 3 0 0 3 0%
Fulton County 2 0 0 2 0%
Schuyler County 2 0 0 2 0%
Seneca County 2 0 0 2 0%
Sullivan County 2 0 0 2 0%
Tioga County 2 0 0 2 0%
Delaware County 1 0 0 1 0%
Hamilton County 1 0 0 1 0%
Kings County 1 0 0 1 0%

What This Means for New York Residents

New York has a relatively low encryption rate of 12%. The majority of public safety agencies (280 out of 358) 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 New York.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is police radio encrypted in New York?

In New York, 7 out of 358 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 71 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 New York?

Yes — 280 agencies in New York 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 New York data updated?

Data for New York 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.

Source: RadioReference.com · Updated weekly · Methodology

Search all 358 agencies in New York →

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