Police Radio Encryption in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has an encryption rate of 12%. Out of 417 tracked public safety agencies, 16 are fully encrypted, 70 are partially encrypted, and 331 broadcast in the clear.
Agencies by Type
Encrypted & Partially Encrypted Agencies in Wisconsin
- Baraboo (Sauk County) — Encrypted
- Baycom (Mapleton) (Waukesha County) — Encrypted
- CUNA Mutual Insurance (Dane County) — Encrypted
- Cudahy (Milwaukee County) — Encrypted
- Dane County Regional Airport-Truax Field (Dane County) — Encrypted
- Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee County) — Encrypted
- Fleet Farm Distribution Center (Chippewa County) — Encrypted
- Flipco (Waukesha County) — Encrypted
- Great Wolf Lodge (Sauk County) — Encrypted
- Kobussen Buses (Calumet) (Calumet County) — Encrypted
- Kwik Trip (La Crosse County) — Encrypted
- Marinette Marine (Marinette County) — Encrypted
- Merck KGaA (Sheboygan County) — Encrypted
- Rice Lake (Barron County) — Encrypted
- S C Johnson Wax (Racine County) — Encrypted
- Skywarn (Burnett County) — Encrypted
- American Red Cross (Adams County) — Partial
- Appleton (Outagamie County) — Partial
- Business (Waukesha County) — Partial
- Businesses (Barron County) — Partial
- Businesses (Buffalo County) — Partial
- Businesses (Chippewa County) — Partial
- Businesses (Columbia County) — Partial
- Businesses (Dane County) — Partial
- Businesses (La Crosse County) — Partial
- Businesses (Menominee County) — Partial
- Businesses (Milwaukee County) — Partial
- Businesses (Outagamie County) — Partial
- Businesses (Richland County) — Partial
- Businesses (Sauk County) — Partial
- Businesses (Shawano County) — Partial
- Businesses (Sheboygan County) — Partial
- Businesses (Taylor County) — Partial
- Businesses (Winnebago County) — Partial
- Columbus (Columbia County) — Partial
- County Safety/Service (Vilas County) — Partial
- DaneCom (Dane County) — Partial
- Dept. of Health Services - EMS/Hospital (Statewide) — Partial
- Dept. of Justice (Statewide) — Partial
- Dept. of Natural Resources: Statewide (Statewide) — Partial
- Dodge Co Businesses (Dodge County) — Partial
- Douglas County (Douglas County) — Partial
- Federal (Statewide) — Partial
- Federal (Adams County) — Partial
- Fort McCoy (Adams County) — Partial
- GenComm NexWave (Waukesha County) — Partial
- Gibraltar (Door County) — Partial
- Grafton (Ozaukee County) — Partial
- Green Bay (Brown County) — Partial
- Hospitals (Milwaukee County) — Partial
- Iowa County (Iowa County) — Partial
- Jefferson Co Businesses (Jefferson County) — Partial
- Kaukauna (Outagamie County) — Partial
- La Crosse Public Safety (La Crosse County) — Partial
- Lands End (Iowa County) — Partial
- Madison Public Safety (Dane County) — Partial
- Manitowoc County (Manitowoc County) — Partial
- Marinette (City) (Marinette County) — Partial
- Milwaukee Air and Water Show (Milwaukee County) — Partial
- Milwaukee School of Engineering (Milwaukee County) — Partial
- Montello School District (Marquette County) — Partial
- NextEra Energy Point Beach (Manitowoc County) — Partial
- Nielson Communications (Silver Cliff) (Marinette County) — Partial
- Oneida Indian Nation (Brown County) — Partial
- Outagamie-Winnebago County (Winnebago County) — Partial
- Ozaukee County (Ozaukee County) — Partial
- Repeaters (Waupaca County) — Partial
- Road America (Sheboygan County) — Partial
- Shawano Lake Sanitary District (Shawano County) — Partial
- Sheboygan County (Sheboygan County) — Partial
- Shiocton (Outagamie County) — Partial
- Skywarn (Outagamie County) — Partial
- State Patrol: North Central Region (Statewide) — Partial
- State Patrol: Northeast Region (Statewide) — Partial
- State Patrol: Northwest Region (Statewide) — Partial
- State Patrol: Radio Technicians (Statewide) — Partial
- State Patrol: Southwest Region (Statewide) — Partial
- State Patrol: Special Operations (Statewide) — Partial
- Sturgeon Bay (Door County) — Partial
- Sustained Interoperable Radio for Emergency Notification (SIREN) (Brown County) — Partial
- University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (Winnebago County) — Partial
- Walworth County (Walworth County) — Partial
- Washington County (Ozaukee County) — Partial
- Watertown Public Safety (Jefferson County) — Partial
- Wisconsin Public Safety Network (WiPSN) (Waukesha County) — Partial
- Wisconsin Veterans Home (Waupaca County) — Partial
Statewide Encrypted Systems
These agencies operate on statewide radio systems and serve multiple jurisdictions across Wisconsin.
- Dept. of Health Services - EMS/Hospital (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- Dept. of Justice (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- Dept. of Natural Resources: Statewide (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- Federal (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: North Central Region (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: Northeast Region (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: Northwest Region (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: Radio Technicians (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: Southwest Region (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
- State Patrol: Special Operations (Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM)) — Partial
County Breakdown
72 counties tracked across Wisconsin. 33 have at least one encrypted or partially encrypted agency.
View all 72 counties
| County | Agencies | Encrypted | Partial | Clear | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa County | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 50% |
| Buffalo County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
| Barron County | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 38% |
| La Crosse County | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 33% |
| Marinette County | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 33% |
| Manitowoc County | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33% |
| Sheboygan County | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 25% |
| Ozaukee County | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 25% |
| Calumet County | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25% |
| Iowa County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Jefferson County | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25% |
| Douglas County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Marquette County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Menominee County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Richland County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Taylor County | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25% |
| Sauk County | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 23% |
| Waukesha County | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 22% |
| Outagamie County | 14 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 18% |
| Dane County | 21 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 17% |
| Burnett County | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 17% |
| Columbia County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Racine County | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 17% |
| Shawano County | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 17% |
| Milwaukee County | 29 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 14% |
| Adams County | 11 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 14% |
| Winnebago County | 12 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 13% |
| Waupaca County | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 13% |
| Vilas County | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13% |
| Door County | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11% |
| Brown County | 14 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 11% |
| Dodge County | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10% |
| Walworth County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8% |
| Marathon County | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0% |
| Rock County | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0% |
| Portage County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Washington County | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| Wood County | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Kenosha County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Trempealeau County | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| Bayfield County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Fond Du Lac County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Oconto County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Oneida County | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| Ashland County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Jackson County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Juneau County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Langlade County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Lincoln County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Monroe County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Polk County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Sawyer County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| St. Croix County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Washburn County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Clark County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Dunn County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Eau Claire County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Florence County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Grant County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Green County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Iron County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Kewaunee County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Lafayette County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Pepin County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Price County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Rusk County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Vernon County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Waushara County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Crawford County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Forest County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Green Lake County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Pierce County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
What This Means for Wisconsin Residents
Wisconsin has a relatively low encryption rate of 12%. The majority of public safety agencies (331 out of 417) 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 Wisconsin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is police radio encrypted in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, 16 out of 417 tracked public safety agencies use fully encrypted radio, and 70 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 Wisconsin?
Yes — 331 agencies in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin data updated?
Data for Wisconsin 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 417 agencies in Wisconsin →
States with Similar Encryption Rates
Vermont (12%) · New Jersey (12%) · New York (12%) · Minnesota (12%) · Hawaii (11%)
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