Police Radio Encryption in South Carolina
South Carolina has an encryption rate of 10%. Out of 306 tracked public safety agencies, 8 are fully encrypted, 46 are partially encrypted, and 252 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in South Carolina
- Catawba Nuclear Plant (York County) — Encrypted
- Clover School District 2 (York County) — Encrypted
- SC BPS Bureau Of Protective Services (Statewide) — Encrypted
- SC DOC Department of Corrections (Abbeville County) — Encrypted
- SC Department of Natural Resources (Statewide) — Encrypted
- SC PPP Probation Pardon and Parole (Statewide) — Encrypted
- SLED State Law Enforcement Division (Statewide) — Encrypted
- University of South Carolina (Richland County) — Encrypted
- Aiken County (Aiken County) — Partial
- AnMed Healthcare (Anderson County) — Partial
- Beaufort County Fire/EMS (Statewide) — Partial
- Beaufort County Law Enforcement (Statewide) — Partial
- Businesses (Colleton County) — Partial
- Businesses (Lexington County) — Partial
- Calhoun County (Calhoun County) — Partial
- Charleston Co. Colleges and Schools (Statewide) — Partial
- Charleston Co. Sheriff's Office (Statewide) — Partial
- Colleton County (Colleton County) — Partial
- Columbia Police (Statewide) — Partial
- Darlington County (Darlington County) — Partial
- Dillon County (Dillon County) — Partial
- Dorchester County (Dorchester County) — Partial
- EMS (Edgefield County) — Partial
- EMS (Lancaster County) — Partial
- Fairfield County (Fairfield County) — Partial
- Federal Agencies (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal Agencies (Charleston County) — Partial
- Fire Departments (Lancaster County) — Partial
- Fire/EMS (Jasper County) — Partial
- Florence County (Florence County) — Partial
- Great Falls (Chester County) — Partial
- Greenville County (Greenville County) — Partial
- Greenwood County (Greenwood County) — Partial
- Horry County (Horry County) — Partial
- Jasper County (Jasper County) — Partial
- Kershaw County (Kershaw County) — Partial
- Lancaster County (Lancaster County) — Partial
- Lexington County (Lexington County) — Partial
- Local Government (Greenwood County) — Partial
- Local Government (Laurens County) — Partial
- Newberry County (Newberry County) — Partial
- North Augusta (Aiken County) — Partial
- North Beach Plantation (Horry County) — Partial
- North Charleston (Statewide) — Partial
- Richland County (Richland County) — Partial
- Richmond County, GA (Statewide) — Partial
- SC DMH Department of Mental Health (Statewide) — Partial
- SCANA/SCE and G (Union County) — Partial
- Sumter County (Sumter County) — Partial
- TRBOMAX (York County) — Partial
- Turbeville (Clarendon County) — Partial
- University of South Carolina Columbia (Statewide) — Partial
- Walterboro (Colleton County) — Partial
- York County SC Public Safety (York County) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across South Carolina.
- SC BPS Bureau Of Protective Services (Palmetto 800) — Encrypted
- SC Department of Natural Resources (Palmetto 800) — Encrypted
- SC PPP Probation Pardon and Parole (Palmetto 800) — Encrypted
- SLED State Law Enforcement Division (Palmetto 800) — Encrypted
- Beaufort County Fire/EMS (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Beaufort County Law Enforcement (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Charleston Co. Colleges and Schools (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Charleston Co. Sheriff's Office (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Columbia Police (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Federal Agencies (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- North Charleston (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- Richmond County, GA (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- SC DMH Department of Mental Health (Palmetto 800) — Partial
- University of South Carolina Columbia (Palmetto 800) — Partial
County Breakdown
45 counties tracked across South Carolina. 27 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 45 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper County | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50% |
| York County | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 27% |
| Lancaster County | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 25% |
| Greenwood County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Newberry County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Lexington County | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 20% |
| Colleton County | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 19% |
| Dorchester County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Edgefield County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Kershaw County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Sumter County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Union County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Richland County | 13 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 12% |
| Calhoun County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Clarendon County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Dillon County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Laurens County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Florence County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Greenville County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Abbeville County | 13 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 8% |
| Aiken County | 15 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 7% |
| Horry County | 15 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 7% |
| Chester County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Darlington County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Fairfield County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Anderson County | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5% |
| Charleston County | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 4% |
| Berkeley County | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0% |
| Cherokee County | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| Chesterfield County | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0% |
| Beaufort County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Bamberg County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Barnwell County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Marion County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Oconee County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Williamsburg County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Hampton County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Pickens County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Spartanburg County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Allendale County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Georgetown County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lee County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| McCormick County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Orangeburg County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Marlboro County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for South Carolina Residents
South Carolina has a relatively low encryption rate of 10%. The majority of public safety agencies (252 out of 306) 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 South Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, 8 out of 306 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 46 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 10%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in South Carolina?
Yes — 252 agencies in South Carolina 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 South Carolina data updated?
Data for South Carolina 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 306 agencies in South Carolina →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Connecticut (10%) · Nevada (10%) · Montana (10%) · California (10%) · Nebraska (10%)
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