Boulder City PD Gives Media Free Encrypted Radios After Going Dark
Boulder City Police in southern Nevada have moved to encrypted radio channels and are doing something rare: handing their three local media outlets free city-owned encrypted radios so reporters can still hear dispatch. In a message dated Aug. 25, 2026, Police Chief Stephen Redfearn defended the encryption as necessary — and confirmed what it quietly means for the public: consumer scanners are locked out, no matter the price, and only agency-issued radios can still hear the traffic.
Why Boulder City PD encrypted — the official reasoning
Redfearn’s message pins the change on an aging radio system that was “failing during critical times.” The department transitioned to a new encrypted system in October 2026, and the City Attorney’s Office drafted a Police Radio Use Agreement under Colorado’s radio-encryption law.
The chief also pointed to criminals using scanner apps to monitor police movements. He cited a stolen-car case where suspects had police channels streaming over the vehicle’s speakers — an argument that has become a common justification for encryption nationwide.
The carve-out: free encrypted radios for local media
The notable piece is the media arrangement. The city offered its three local media outlets their own city-owned encrypted police radios — roughly $6,000 each — at no cost. The radios ship with the transmit function deactivated and restrictions on sharing tactical or officer-safety information.
That is the starkest illustration yet of how encryption redistributes listening access. A working journalist who covers the city gets a $6,000 agency-issued radio. A resident, taxpayer, or hobbyist with a consumer scanner gets silence — regardless of how much they spend on equipment.
What this means for consumer scanners
There is no consumer-grade workaround for a fully encrypted system. No feature update, antenna, or add-on restores access to encrypted dispatch. This is the same trajectory seen across the country as departments argue that scanner-app misuse justifies going dark.
Redfearn also asserted that in 27 years of policing he has “never seen a case of police misconduct uncovered by someone with a scanner app.” It is a claim transparency advocates dispute — scanner-captured dispatch audio has repeatedly surfaced in reporting, and the Loudoun County audit found encryption widened the transparency gap.
What still makes a scanner worth owning
Even as cities like Boulder City lock down, most agencies nationwide still transmit a meaningful share of traffic in the clear — and in communities that have not yet encrypted, a pre-loaded listener hears it all from day one. A pre-programmed police scanner is the fastest way onto that traffic while it exists, with channels already loaded for your zip code.
The lesson of the media-radio deal is timing: when a department encrypts, the window closes permanently. If your county is still in the clear, the time to be listening is now.
Hear your county’s traffic — tonight
Every scanner ships pre-programmed to your zip code. Open the box, turn it on, listen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Boulder City PD encrypt its radios?
Chief Stephen Redfearn cited an aging radio system that was “failing during critical times” and pointed to criminals using scanner apps to monitor police movements, citing a stolen-car case where channels were streamed in the vehicle.
Did Boulder City give local media access after encrypting?
Yes. The city offered its three local media outlets their own city-owned encrypted radios, roughly $6,000 each, at no cost — with the transmit function deactivated and restrictions on sharing tactical or officer-safety information.
Can a consumer scanner still hear Boulder City PD?
Once a system is fully encrypted, no consumer scanner can decode it. Only agency-issued radios — like the ones given to media — can hear the traffic.
Is Boulder City PD the same agency as the Boulder County 800 MHz trial?
No. The Boulder County Sheriff ran its own 800 MHz encryption trial; Boulder City PD is a separate agency that transitioned to a new encrypted system in October 2026 under Colorado’s radio-encryption law.
Is a scanner still worth buying if agencies are encrypting?
Most agencies still transmit a meaningful share of traffic in the clear, and many communities haven’t encrypted yet. A pre-programmed scanner is the fastest way onto that traffic while it exists.
Bottom line: Boulder City PD’s media-radio deal makes encryption’s real cost concrete — reporters get free $6,000 agency radios while the public’s scanners stay permanently dark. If your county hasn’t encrypted yet, the window to listen is closing.
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