News

Exterior of a small-town Southern county courthouse at dusk, with an American flag hanging still and an empty street in the foreground.

Shelby NC Police Radio: Dispatch Audio Released...

Shelby NC released police dispatch audio and 911 calls in a use-of-force case — a real example of why open police radio matters to scanner listeners in 2026.

Shelby NC Police Radio: Dispatch Audio Released...

Shelby NC released police dispatch audio and 911 calls in a use-of-force case — a real example of why open police radio matters to scanner listeners in 2026.

A listener on a grassy ridge at golden hour holds a small handheld radio to their ear, with a radio transmission tower on a distant ridge in the evening light.

Baofeng SW-9 & UV-29 Pro: Budget Radios Now Add...

Baofeng's new SW-9 and UV-29 Pro add SSB shortwave and the U.S. public-safety band to budget handheld radios in 2026. See what's new before you buy a scanner.

Baofeng SW-9 & UV-29 Pro: Budget Radios Now Add...

Baofeng's new SW-9 and UV-29 Pro add SSB shortwave and the U.S. public-safety band to budget handheld radios in 2026. See what's new before you buy a scanner.

Quiet small-town main street in western Pennsylvania at dusk with a single distant police cruiser parked far down the block

Beaver County PA Police Go Dark: Encrypted P25 ...

Beaver County, PA police moved to encrypted P25 in one week, silencing scanner listeners. Fire and EMS stay audible. What you can still hear.

Beaver County PA Police Go Dark: Encrypted P25 ...

Beaver County, PA police moved to encrypted P25 in one week, silencing scanner listeners. Fire and EMS stay audible. What you can still hear.

Empty New Jersey Turnpike at dusk with a distant state police cruiser far down the road, overcast sky, documentary news photograph

NJ State Police Fully Encrypted: Turnpike Scann...

New Jersey State Police fully encrypted all patrol channels June 1, 2026. Turnpike and Parkway traffic is gone from scanners. See what's still audible in NJ.

NJ State Police Fully Encrypted: Turnpike Scann...

New Jersey State Police fully encrypted all patrol channels June 1, 2026. Turnpike and Parkway traffic is gone from scanners. See what's still audible in NJ.

Documentary photograph of a suburban Virginia public safety building at dusk in the DC suburbs with a distant police cruiser leaving the parking lot, wide news-photo framing with no readable signage

City of Fairfax Police Encrypt Dispatch: DC Sub...

City of Fairfax VA police encrypted dispatch on July 13, 2026, closing one of the last open scanner windows in the DC suburbs. Fire and EMS stay open.

City of Fairfax Police Encrypt Dispatch: DC Sub...

City of Fairfax VA police encrypted dispatch on July 13, 2026, closing one of the last open scanner windows in the DC suburbs. Fire and EMS stay open.

Documentary photograph of a modest Midwestern Illinois police station exterior at dusk with parked police cruisers in the foreground and streetlights beginning to glow, wide news-photo framing with no readable signage

Galesburg IL Police Encryption: StarCom21 Scann...

Galesburg IL police, fire, and Knox County sheriff dispatch went encrypted on StarCom21 on June 1, 2026. Here's what scanners can still hear and why it matters.

Galesburg IL Police Encryption: StarCom21 Scann...

Galesburg IL police, fire, and Knox County sheriff dispatch went encrypted on StarCom21 on June 1, 2026. Here's what scanners can still hear and why it matters.

Twin Falls Idaho police station exterior at twilight with police vehicles parked in front, a low brick municipal building in a small city setting

Twin Falls In-N-Out Shooting: Dispatch Audio Re...

Twin Falls police released raw dispatch audio from the In-N-Out mass shooting. See how live scanner traffic captured the full police response timeline.

Twin Falls In-N-Out Shooting: Dispatch Audio Re...

Twin Falls police released raw dispatch audio from the In-N-Out mass shooting. See how live scanner traffic captured the full police response timeline.

Scotts Valley Police Department building at golden hour in a small California coastal town with trees and mountains in the background

Scotts Valley Police Get $682K for Encrypted P2...

Scotts Valley, CA secured a $682K federal grant for a brand-new encrypted P25 radio system. Standard police scanners will no longer hear local dispatch.

Scotts Valley Police Get $682K for Encrypted P2...

Scotts Valley, CA secured a $682K federal grant for a brand-new encrypted P25 radio system. Standard police scanners will no longer hear local dispatch.

Documentary photograph of a VHF radio tower on a ridge in the Hudson Valley at dusk with muted editorial color grade

FCC Weighs NY State Police Plan to Convert LoJa...

The FCC is considering a NY State Police request to convert 173.075 MHz LoJack channel to P25 public safety radio. Comments due Sept 10. What it means for scanner listeners.

FCC Weighs NY State Police Plan to Convert LoJa...

The FCC is considering a NY State Police request to convert 173.075 MHz LoJack channel to P25 public safety radio. Comments due Sept 10. What it means for scanner listeners.

Wide-angle documentary photograph of the Illinois State Capitol building exterior at golden hour with muted editorial color grade

Illinois Bills Force Media Access When Police E...

Illinois SB0265 and HB3719 would require police to give media real-time scanner access when encrypting dispatch. Learn how stalled bills could impact scanner listeners.

Illinois Bills Force Media Access When Police E...

Illinois SB0265 and HB3719 would require police to give media real-time scanner access when encrypting dispatch. Learn how stalled bills could impact scanner listeners.

Night scene of a gas station parking lot in Humble Texas with distant cruiser lights

Scanner Listeners Help Rescue 3 Kidnapped Kids ...

Open Harris County police radios helped civilians spot a stolen SUV with three children inside. A real-world case for keeping scanner traffic unencrypted.

Scanner Listeners Help Rescue 3 Kidnapped Kids ...

Open Harris County police radios helped civilians spot a stolen SUV with three children inside. A real-world case for keeping scanner traffic unencrypted.

Radio tower on a misty ridge in Skagit County Washington at golden hour

Skagit County Police Radio: Partial Encryption,...

Washington's Skagit County rolls a rare partial encryption model: dispatch stays publicly audible while tactical channels go dark. Here's what scanner listeners can still hear.

Skagit County Police Radio: Partial Encryption,...

Washington's Skagit County rolls a rare partial encryption model: dispatch stays publicly audible while tactical channels go dark. Here's what scanner listeners can still hear.

Documentary establishing shot of the Polk County Sheriff's Office exterior in Bartow, Florida at dusk, with American flags and Florida palm trees visible in foreground

Polk County Sheriff Releases K-9 Shooting Dispa...

The Polk County Sheriff's Office publicly released raw dispatch radio traffic from the Aug 6 shootout that wounded K-9 Ace. Hear the scanner audio and read the full story.

Polk County Sheriff Releases K-9 Shooting Dispa...

The Polk County Sheriff's Office publicly released raw dispatch radio traffic from the Aug 6 shootout that wounded K-9 Ace. Hear the scanner audio and read the full story.

Documentary photograph of a rural Missouri radio communications tower on a grassy hilltop at golden hour, wide shot showing antenna arrays and open Midwestern farmland

Boone County 911 Plans P25 Encryption: Columbia...

Boone County Joint Communications plans an 800 MHz P25 upgrade that will encrypt all police channels. Columbia MO scanner listeners face a looming blackout.

Boone County 911 Plans P25 Encryption: Columbia...

Boone County Joint Communications plans an 800 MHz P25 upgrade that will encrypt all police channels. Columbia MO scanner listeners face a looming blackout.

A wildfire burns along a ridge at dusk, smoke rising, seen from a rural highway.

How a Police Scanner Got a Reporter to the Old ...

A Spokane reporter heard the Old Trails fire on her police scanner before any public alert — and was first on scene. See how scanner listeners stay ahead of breaking...

How a Police Scanner Got a Reporter to the Old ...

A Spokane reporter heard the Old Trails fire on her police scanner before any public alert — and was first on scene. See how scanner listeners stay ahead of breaking...

A police cruiser drives through a small Oklahoma town at dusk, lights blurred with motion.

Enid PD Encrypts Police Radio: AI Apps Blamed f...

Enid, Oklahoma police radio went fully encrypted on July 23, 2026, locking out scanners. Chief Nick John cited AI scanner apps and officer safety. Here's what happened and how it...

Enid PD Encrypts Police Radio: AI Apps Blamed f...

Enid, Oklahoma police radio went fully encrypted on July 23, 2026, locking out scanners. Chief Nick John cited AI scanner apps and officer safety. Here's what happened and how it...

A radio tower stands on a ridge near Boulder, Colorado, with a handheld radio on a rock in the foreground.

Boulder County Tests Police Radio Encryption: 8...

Boulder County's month-long encrypted 800 MHz radio trial silenced VHF police scanner channels in Colorado. Here's what it means for scanner listeners and whether the change is permanent.

Boulder County Tests Police Radio Encryption: 8...

Boulder County's month-long encrypted 800 MHz radio trial silenced VHF police scanner channels in Colorado. Here's what it means for scanner listeners and whether the change is permanent.

Police scanner handheld radio with glowing blue display, Chicago skyline silhouette in background, dramatic night scene, news journalism theme

Chicago Grant Park Shooting: How Scanner Traffi...

ABC7 Chicago used live police scanner audio to break the news of a Grant Park officer-involved shooting. See why open dispatch still matters for public safety transparency in 2026.

Chicago Grant Park Shooting: How Scanner Traffi...

ABC7 Chicago used live police scanner audio to break the news of a Grant Park officer-involved shooting. See why open dispatch still matters for public safety transparency in 2026.

Handheld police scanner radio glowing with blue and amber LEDs on a dark desk, dramatic lighting, emergency communication theme

How Police Radio Encryption Widens the Accounta...

Award-winning Kansas journalist Max McCoy on why police radio encryption widens the accountability gap. How CJIS and the HALO Act reshape scanner access in 2026.

How Police Radio Encryption Widens the Accounta...

Award-winning Kansas journalist Max McCoy on why police radio encryption widens the accountability gap. How CJIS and the HALO Act reshape scanner access in 2026.

Police scanner on dark desk with blue and amber lighting and New York City skyline silhouette, representing police radio encryption legislation

New York Police Radio Transparency Act Heads to...

The Police Radio Transparency Act passed both houses and awaits Governor Hochul's signature. If signed, New York would be the first state to mandate real-time press access to encrypted police...

New York Police Radio Transparency Act Heads to...

The Police Radio Transparency Act passed both houses and awaits Governor Hochul's signature. If signed, New York would be the first state to mandate real-time press access to encrypted police...

Professional police scanner on dark background with blue LED glow, representing NYPD radio encryption and scanner listening

NYPD Delayed Feed Plan Draws Fire — File Commen...

NYPD's encrypted radio plan offers only delayed feeds, drawing press outrage. Scanner advocates can file public comments until August 30, 2026. Here's how to weigh in on Local Law 46.

NYPD Delayed Feed Plan Draws Fire — File Commen...

NYPD's encrypted radio plan offers only delayed feeds, drawing press outrage. Scanner advocates can file public comments until August 30, 2026. Here's how to weigh in on Local Law 46.

Police scanner on a dark surface with amber and blue indicator lights, vintage police badge beside it, warm documentary-style lighting

Wichita Police Radio Goes Dark: Kansas Journali...

Wichita police radio is now fully encrypted under CJIS rules, and veteran Kansas journalists are publicly fighting back. Here's what scanner listeners need to know.

Wichita Police Radio Goes Dark: Kansas Journali...

Wichita police radio is now fully encrypted under CJIS rules, and veteran Kansas journalists are publicly fighting back. Here's what scanner listeners need to know.

Police scanner on a dark table with blue glowing lights, mountainous Colorado landscape visible in shadowy background

Grand County Police Radio Goes Dark Over AI Sca...

Grand County, Colorado encrypted all police, fire, and EMS radio in May 2026, citing AI scanner apps that spread false alerts. Here's what it means for listeners.

Grand County Police Radio Goes Dark Over AI Sca...

Grand County, Colorado encrypted all police, fire, and EMS radio in May 2026, citing AI scanner apps that spread false alerts. Here's what it means for listeners.

Handheld police scanner radio with blue glow in front of Minneapolis skyline silhouette, representing Twin Cities encryption lockout

Twin Cities Police Radio Dark: St. Paul Encrypt...

St. Paul police encrypted their radios on January 5, 2026, completing a metro-wide Twin Cities lockout. Minneapolis & Hennepin County already dark. See what's next for scanner listeners.

Twin Cities Police Radio Dark: St. Paul Encrypt...

St. Paul police encrypted their radios on January 5, 2026, completing a metro-wide Twin Cities lockout. Minneapolis & Hennepin County already dark. See what's next for scanner listeners.

Shop Pre-Programmed Police Scanners

Short answer: every scanner here ships programmed to your zip code. We load the local police, fire, EMS and weather frequencies by hand before it leaves us, so there is no cable, no software and nothing to set up, and listening needs no FCC license.

Programmed by hand

Your zip code specifically — not a generic regional preset.

Free US shipping

Included on every order, anywhere in the United States.

No license needed

Listening requires no FCC license and no radio experience.

We check first

Check your zip code free and see what's actually receivable there.

Which one is right for you?

Buying your first scanner? The UV-5R. Proven, affordable, and does everything most people need.
Want it pocket-sized? The UV-5R Mini. Same core capability, USB-C charging.
Want the widest coverage? The K5 Plus. Adds airband and 1.25M reception, bigger battery.

Before you order, let us check your area

Most US counties still run analog on at least some public safety channels. A growing number have moved to encrypted or digital P25 systems that no analog scanner can receive — at any price.

Check your zip code and we'll tell you honestly what's receivable where you live. We'd rather turn down a sale than ship you a radio that can't hear your county.

New to this? Read What Can You Hear on a Police Scanner? or the Ultimate Scanner Guide.

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