Police Radio Encryption in West Virginia
West Virginia has an encryption rate of 14%. Out of 218 tracked public safety agencies, 4 are fully encrypted, 52 are partially encrypted, and 162 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in West Virginia
- Federal ( ATF ) (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Jefferson County (19) ( EMS ) (Statewide) — Encrypted
- WVSP - Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Statewide) — Encrypted
- WVSP Radio Communications (Statewide) — Encrypted
- Barbour County (01) (Statewide) — Partial
- Boone County (03) (Statewide) — Partial
- Brooke County (05) (Statewide) — Partial
- Business (Hancock County) — Partial
- EMS Agencies (Jackson County) — Partial
- EMS Agencies (Summers County) — Partial
- Federal ( USMS ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal ( USPS ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal (Department of the Interior) (Statewide) — Partial
- Fire / EMS Departments (Tucker County) — Partial
- Fire Departments (Raleigh County) — Partial
- Fire/EMS Operations (Hardy County) — Partial
- Fire/EMS Operations (Brooke County) — Partial
- Hampshire County (14) (Statewide) — Partial
- Hardy County (16) ( Law ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Fire ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Law ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Municipal Cities ) ( Fire ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Jackson County (18) (Statewide) — Partial
- Jefferson County (19) ( Fire ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Jefferson County (19) ( Law ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Keyser (Mineral County) — Partial
- Law Enforcement (Jackson County) — Partial
- Law Enforcement (Tucker County) — Partial
- Law Enforcement (Wyoming County) — Partial
- Marion County (24) (Statewide) — Partial
- Marshall County (25) (Statewide) — Partial
- Mason County (26) (Statewide) — Partial
- McDowell County (27) (Statewide) — Partial
- Mineral County (29) (Statewide) — Partial
- Morgan County (33) (Statewide) — Partial
- Nicholas County (34) ( Law ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Ohio County (35) ( Wheeling ) (Statewide) — Partial
- Preston County (39) (Statewide) — Partial
- Public Works (Barbour County) — Partial
- Public Works (Hancock County) — Partial
- Raleigh County (41) (Statewide) — Partial
- Randolph County (42) (Statewide) — Partial
- Summers County (45) (Statewide) — Partial
- Taylor County (46) (Statewide) — Partial
- Upshur County (49) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 1 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 2 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 3 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 4 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 5 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 6 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 7 ) (Statewide) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 1 (Statewide) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 3 (Statewide) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 4 (Statewide) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 6 (Statewide) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across West Virginia.
- Federal ( ATF ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Encrypted
- Jefferson County (19) ( EMS ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Encrypted
- WVSP - Bureau of Criminal Investigation (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Encrypted
- WVSP Radio Communications (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Encrypted
- Barbour County (01) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Boone County (03) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Brooke County (05) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Federal ( USMS ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Federal ( USPS ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Federal (Department of the Interior) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Hampshire County (14) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Hardy County (16) ( Law ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Fire ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Law ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Harrison County (17) ( Municipal Cities ) ( Fire ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Jackson County (18) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Jefferson County (19) ( Fire ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Jefferson County (19) ( Law ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Marion County (24) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Marshall County (25) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Mason County (26) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- McDowell County (27) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Mineral County (29) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Morgan County (33) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Nicholas County (34) ( Law ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Ohio County (35) ( Wheeling ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Preston County (39) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Raleigh County (41) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Randolph County (42) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Summers County (45) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Taylor County (46) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- Upshur County (49) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 1 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 2 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 3 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 4 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 5 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 6 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WV Regional Response ( Region 7 ) (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 1 (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 3 (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 4 (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
- WVSP - Troop 6 (WV SIRN: West Virginia Statewide Interoperable Radio Network) — Partial
County Breakdown
42 counties tracked across West Virginia. 10 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 42 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50% |
| Tucker County | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33% |
| Wyoming County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Mineral County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Summers County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17% |
| Hancock County | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 14% |
| Raleigh County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Brooke County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Hardy County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Barbour County | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6% |
| Cabell County | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0% |
| Kanawha County | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0% |
| Harrison County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Berkeley County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Jefferson County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Wayne County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Wood County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Braxton County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Marshall County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Boone County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Calhoun County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Clay County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Greenbrier County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Monongalia County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Ohio County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Pleasants County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Putnam County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Fayette County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Gilmer County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Lincoln County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Logan County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| McDowell County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Mercer County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Mingo County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Pocahontas County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Preston County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Randolph County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Ritchie County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Roane County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Taylor County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Upshur County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Webster County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for West Virginia Residents
West Virginia has a relatively low encryption rate of 14%. The majority of public safety agencies (162 out of 218) 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 West Virginia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in West Virginia?
In West Virginia, 4 out of 218 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 52 use partial encryption. The overall encryption rate is 14%. Use the search tool on the homepage to check specific cities and counties.
Can I listen to police scanners in West Virginia?
Yes — 162 agencies in West Virginia 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 West Virginia data updated?
Data for West Virginia 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 218 agencies in West Virginia →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
District of Columbia (14%) · Colorado (14%) · Maryland (13%) · New Mexico (13%) · Alabama (13%)
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