# Is it still possible to get radio scanners that will let you listen to police bands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455 "2011-12-16T22:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/21 "2011-12-17T13:21:18Z")
From what I’ve seen, some of the most avid listeners of police scanners are retired policemen. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/22 "2011-12-17T17:02:29Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > From what I’ve seen, some of the most avid listeners of police scanners are retired policemen. Our radio newsroom in Indianapolis always had a police scanner going. You could be doing several different things at once, but certain words off police transmissions always jumped out at you, i.e. “shot”, “stabbed” etc. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/23 "2011-12-17T18:13:11Z")
It has really gotten confusing in the last ten years or so. Trunked (Type I & II & variants), conventional, EDACS, LTR, NexEdge, OpenSky, P25 3600, 9600, Multicast, , Smartnet, Smartzone, TRBO… And whole bunch more. Not all are monitorable. Here’s what to do. Go (as suggested) to RadioReference and click Databases. Then, drill down till you have the agency desired. The system type and frequencies are typically discussed there in the database entries. Often, a town’s dispatching is performed by a consolidated center that dispatches for several agencies. If it is, read that center’s entry. Then, ensure the scanner you are considering can monitor the system. If you still aren’t sure, click on Forums. The Forums are very active and there’s loads of smart and helpful folks. Before you go posting willy-nilly, search the forums for your system and see if there’s an active discussion. If you still can’t find the information you need, POST TO THE APPLICABLE REGIONAL RADIO DISCUSSION FORUM near the bottom of the forums main page. Introduce yourself, state what you know, be specific about what you’re trying to find and for god’s sake, NAME THE AGENCY. Ideally, you should link to the database entry to show you’ve done your research and so people know just what you’re after. Good, posted to the Florida forum: I’m trying to determine if the Bearcat XYZ123 can monitor Smithville, FL police dispatching. Bad, posted to the General Scanning forum: I want to hear public safety in northern Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/24 "2011-12-17T20:53:53Z")
Am I happy with the model: generally yes. I forget the technical term for it, but it does have problems breaking up when there are two digital towers simulcasting that it can pick because it gets confused which one to pick. My understanding is that all consumer scanners have the same problem and it’s too expensive to build a fix into consumer scanners. I intend to buy a Yagi antenna to see if it fixes the problem, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. I can listen to stuff from downtown that has a single broadcast antenna just fine, it’s the suburbs I live in that have several broadcast antennas that are problematic. My only gripe with the unit itself is the display bulges out and is just begging to be scratched, and they don’t include an AC power cord. I’m happy with the sound quality, button feel, etc. You really do want software to program it, especially if you’re programming digital trunking systems (and if you’re not doing that, you can get by with a much cheaper scanner) ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/25 "2011-12-17T21:10:36Z")
More things I though of after edit window: Radio Shack / GRE vs Uniden: my understanding is there is no consensus which is better at the things that matter, like audio quality, picking up signals. From what I’ve heard, Uniden Bearcats are smaller (The Pro-106 is big to the point it’s a bit ackward to carry it on your belt, I normally put it in a backpack if I’m going to be out and about with it) but are harder to use since some things that are a button on RS are buried in menues on the Bearcat. Another thing I like about the Radio Shack is the programmable multi-color LED. I have it light up blue if it’s picking up the fuzz, red for fire, white for EMS, etc. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/26 "2011-12-17T21:14:37Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Speaking as someone posting from Northern Ireland the concept of the general public listening to police transmissions is frankly bizarre. Aren’t there security and safety implications regarding that? > > To use a prosaic example couldn’t bank robbers listen to the police net and work out how far away the cops are? This was a minor plot point in the movie “Drive.” There’s a scene at the beginning, where Ryan Gosling, who plays a stuntman that works by night a getaway driver for burglars, is using a scanner to evade the cops. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/27 "2011-12-17T21:25:27Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Our radio newsroom in Indianapolis always had a police scanner going. You could be doing several different things at once, but certain words off police transmissions always jumped out at you, i.e. “shot”, “stabbed” etc. “Nakatomi Plaza” ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/28 "2011-12-17T22:11:31Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > “Nakatomi Plaza” nm ---
**Author:** ![Mithras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mithras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithras)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/29 "2011-12-17T23:56:02Z")
If you have a smart phone you can get a free app that’ll work as a scanner (I use PoliceStream Free on my android phone. The interface is terrible, but it works). I’d imagine they use the same stations you can find online, so if what you need isn’t there you’re probably out of luck as far as that goes. But if it is, you can’t beat the portability. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/30 "2011-12-18T03:56:03Z")
In jurisdictions where you can’t use a police scanner in a vehicle I’d think listening to an internet feed on a smartphone would bring up an interesting legal question. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/31 "2011-12-18T05:23:36Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Speaking as someone posting from Northern Ireland the concept of the general public listening to police transmissions is frankly bizarre. Aren’t there security and safety implications regarding that? > > To use a prosaic example couldn’t bank robbers listen to the police net and work out how far away the cops are? You can listen to the Irish police, too. > **[RadioReference Database](https://www.radioreference.com/db/aid/2494)** > > The most complete database of radio communications data ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/32 "2011-12-18T12:21:01Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > You can listen to the Irish police, too. > > [RadioReference Database](http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?inputs=2&aid=2494) There you go, didn’t know that. But I was thinking of the PSNI: [http://www.psni.police.uk/](http://www.psni.police.uk/) Who you definitely can’t listen to, due to the ‘interesting’ security situation here. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/33 "2011-12-18T13:32:27Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Speaking as someone posting from Northern Ireland the concept of the general public listening to police transmissions is frankly bizarre. Aren’t there security and safety implications regarding that? > > To use a prosaic example couldn’t bank robbers listen to the police net and work out how far away the cops are? It’s an interesting question. I guess from a US perspective, it’s part of the general public being able to check up on how their tax dollars are being spent and what their civil servants are up to (so that if they find they disapprove of what is happening, they can call their congressman or remember to vote differently next time). ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/34 "2011-12-18T14:49:33Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > It’s an interesting question. I guess from a US perspective, it’s part of the general public being able to check up on how their tax dollars are being spent and what their civil servants are up to (so that if they find they disapprove of what is happening, they can call their congressman or remember to vote differently next time). I understand, however what about privacy issues? If its transmitted in the clear then everyone knows everyones business. For example, a callsign gets a transmission to attend an ongoing domestic incident. They have to know the specific address they’re going to, the occupants therein, and if they have any previous history _(for example the person is aggressive towards police or has access to a firearm)_. And so on. It sounds like a perfect tool for nosy neighbours! ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/35 "2011-12-18T19:41:38Z")
I doubt anyone is interested, but I figured for the sake of completeness I should mention that I did end up ordering the Pro-106 last night. This is going to be a bit of an adventure and even more of a challenge. As jnglmassiv observed, so much has changed since I used to be into this stuff. I realize I probably don’t have to understand every last nuance, but it’s in my nature to try and often leads to a sense of being overwhelmed. But to start, I’m going to try to follow a cookbook approach and not worry too much about what the ingredients mean or where they come from. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/36 "2019-11-24T21:12:01Z")
I’ve gotten into scanners again, having watched so much “Live PD” and “Live Rescue”. Bought a Whistler 1065 a few days ago and Bu-Tel ARC500 software for it. ARC500 came bundled with a Radio Reference subscription. It’s tuned to the Fairfax County Fire Department right now. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/37 "2019-11-24T22:46:20Z")
Are police transmissions still unencrypted (eight years later)? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/38 "2019-11-24T23:14:30Z")
I’m a Ham and occasional scanner user. It depends on your location so far as encryption goes. It’s more likely in major metro areas where they are willing to spend the money. In more rural and non major metro areas most stuff is in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/39 "2019-11-25T00:41:13Z")
Chicago Police dispatch remains clear on T-band UHF. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455/40 "2019-11-25T01:17:11Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Are police transmissions still unencrypted (eight years later)? A 2011 post noted that many police transmissions in the U.S. _are_ encrypted, including but not limited to special operations. And [that’s even more true now](https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Encrypted_Agencies). Numerous departments encrypt even general dispatch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-get-radio-scanners-that-will-let-you-listen-to-police-bands/606455.md?page=3)