Santa Cruz County Police Scanner (2026): Still Analog, Still Listenable

Santa Cruz County Police Scanner

The Sheriff runs its primary dispatch in the clear on analog FM, and every city police department — Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola and Scotts Valley — dispatches on analog FM too.

Baofeng UV-5R Plus police scanner programmed for Santa Cruz County
Our pick for Santa Cruz County

Baofeng UV-5R Plus Police Scanner

VHF + UHF, 128 channels. Programmed to your Santa Cruz County zip — hears the channels listed below.

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What you can hear in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County Sheriff
Primary dispatch + patrol
Santa Cruz Police
Dispatch & tactical
Watsonville Police
Dispatch
Capitola & Scotts Valley PD
Both dispatch in the clear
CAL FIRE / County Fire
Fire dispatch & command
EMS / Hospitals
Medical & HEAR net

What’s actually on the air in Santa Cruz County

The conventional analog channels we program for Santa Cruz County — all receivable in the clear on the scanners above:

Agency Channel Tone Mode
Santa Cruz County Sheriff
155.565 Blue — Primary dispatch (countywide) CSQ Analog FM
154.950 Red — Mutual aid CSQ Analog FM
154.385 Silver — North Coast tac CSQ Analog FM
155.010 Black — SWAT CSQ Analog FM
155.310 County Jail 162.2 PL Analog FM
Santa Cruz Police Department
154.770 Police Dispatch — Blue 162.2 PL Analog FM
155.880 Police Secondary — Yellow 123.0 PL Analog FM
155.250 Police Tactical CSQ Analog FM
Watsonville Police
154.845 Police Dispatch 346 DPL Analog FM
Capitola Police
155.625 Police Dispatch 162.2 PL Analog FM
153.995 Police Secondary — Analog FM
Scotts Valley Police
155.085 Police Dispatch 162.2 PL Analog FM
155.940 Police Secondary 162.2 PL Analog FM
UC Santa Cruz Police
155.505 Police Dispatch 156.7 PL Analog FM
Fire (CAL FIRE CZU / County)
154.325 Red — Dispatch 162.2 PL Analog FM
154.190 Yellow — Command 103.5 PL Analog FM
154.415 Blue — Coastal Tac 151.4 PL Analog FM
154.445 Green — East Tac 162.2 PL Analog FM
EMS / Hospitals
463.050 Med 3 — Medical Net 173.8 PL Analog FM
155.385 HEAR Net — Hospital 118.8 PL Analog FM

Channels vary by exact address and are re-checked before every order. Run your zip for the precise list.

The honest part: what you can’t hear

Santa Cruz County is almost entirely analog. The narrow exceptions are UC Santa Cruz's campus facilities system (NXDN digital, not police) and the county transit agency (DMR). Neither is police dispatch — you hear all four city PDs and the Sheriff in the clear. If what you want to hear matters to you, tell us your exact address and we’ll be straight about what you get before you buy.

Programmed by hand
to your exact zip
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We check first
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Santa Cruz County scanner questions

Can I hear the Santa Cruz County Sheriff on a scanner?

Yes. The Sheriff’s primary dispatch — the “Blue” channel on 155.565 MHz — runs analog FM with no tone, so it’s receivable on any hand-programmed scanner, including patrols across the unincorporated coast and San Lorenzo Valley.

Can I hear Santa Cruz and Watsonville police?

Yes. Santa Cruz PD dispatches on 154.770 MHz and Watsonville PD on 154.845 MHz, both analog FM. Capitola and Scotts Valley also dispatch in the clear. No city department in the county is encrypted.

Is Santa Cruz County police radio analog or encrypted?

Analog. Roughly 95% of the county’s public-safety voice — the Sheriff, all four city police departments, CAL FIRE and EMS — is conventional analog FM receivable on a standard scanner. The only digital systems are UC Santa Cruz’s campus facilities and the transit agency, neither of which is police dispatch.

Do I need an expensive digital scanner in Santa Cruz?

No. Because the county’s main agencies have not moved to a digital trunked system, a digital trunking scanner costs several hundred dollars more and buys you almost nothing here.

Is it legal to own a police scanner in California?

Yes. Owning and listening to a scanner is legal in California. California law restricts using a radio in a vehicle to intercept police transmissions with intent to commit a crime or evade arrest. This is general information, not legal advice.

Ready to hear Santa Cruz County tonight?

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Radio systems change. Confirm what’s receivable in your exact area before relying on it. Listening only — transmitting without a licence is illegal.

More places we cover

Live in a neighboring area? See the other places we program scanners for:

Scanners We Program For Your Area

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.

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  • Programmed To Your Zip Code

    Local police, fire, and EMS frequencies loaded before it ships.

  • Works Out Of The Box

    No computer, no cable, no CHIRP software.

  • Free US Shipping

    Every order ships free within the United States.

  • Free Coverage Check

    Send your zip code and we'll tell you what's receivable there.

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Not Sure What You Can Hear Where You Live?

Send us your zip code and we'll tell you honestly what a scanner picks up in your area — before you spend a dollar.

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