Police Radio Encryption in Washington
Washington has an encryption rate of 8%. Out of 123 tracked public safety agencies, 3 are fully encrypted, 13 are partially encrypted, and 107 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in Washington
- Amazon HQ (King County) — Encrypted
- Community Colleges of Spokane (Spokane County) — Encrypted
- Gonzaga University (Spokane County) — Encrypted
- Benton County 800 (Franklin County) — Partial
- Delta Airlines (SeaTac) (King County) — Partial
- Fire / EMS (Okanogan County) — Partial
- MACC 911 (Grant County) — Partial
- Oregon State Radio Project (Skamania County) — Partial
- Public Safety (Grant County) — Partial
- Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN) (King County) — Partial
- Sno911 (Snohomish County) — Partial
- South Sound 911 (Pierce County) — Partial
- Tonasket (Okanogan County) — Partial
- WA Fish and Wildlife (Adams County) — Partial
- Wiztronics Inc (Whatcom County) — Partial
- Wiztronics R93 (Whatcom County) — Partial
County Breakdown
27 counties tracked across Washington. 10 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 27 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skamania County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Spokane County | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 17% |
| Grant County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Okanogan County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Franklin County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Whatcom County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Snohomish County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| King County | 19 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 11% |
| Adams County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Pierce County | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5% |
| Benton County | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0% |
| Pacific County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Thurston County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Clark County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Cowlitz County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Kitsap County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Grays Harbor County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| San Juan County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Skagit County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Stevens County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Whitman County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Chelan County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Clallam County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Douglas County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Jefferson County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Wahkiakum County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Yakima County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for Washington Residents
Washington has a relatively low encryption rate of 8%. The majority of public safety agencies (107 out of 123) 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 Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in Washington?
In Washington, 3 out of 123 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 13 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 Washington?
Yes — 107 agencies in Washington 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 Washington data updated?
Data for Washington 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 123 agencies in Washington →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Oregon (8%) · Arkansas (8%) · Iowa (8%) · North Carolina (8%) · Illinois (8%)
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