News

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.

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.

Short answer: pick the radio and we do the rest. We load your police, fire, EMS and weather frequencies from your zip code by hand before it ships, so there is no cable, no software and nothing to set up, and listening needs no FCC license.

Every scanner here ships programmed to your zip code. Tell us the area you want to hear, and we load the local police, fire, EMS, and weather frequencies by hand before it leaves us. No cable, no software, no setup — turn it on and press scan.

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

Send your zip and we'll tell you 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.

Send us 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.

1 3
View all