Santa Clara County, CA police scanner: police are encrypted. Here's what you can still hear.
Last checked: 27 Oct 2026
San Jose Police Department: SJPD's Jan 2021 training bulletin says all primary dispatch, back-up and special-operations channels are encrypted, with four rarely used event channels to follow. (Scope: all routine channels.) Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office: A 2023 report names the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office among fully encrypted agencies and says its encryption remained in place. (Scope: all (per report).)
Confirmed encrypted (official), 7 Jan 2021. Reported (news), 20 Mar 2023
We haven't found an official or news source on fire radio encryption here yet. The FCC licenses below show whether the county's channels are analog or digital, not whether they are encrypted.
We haven't found an official or news source on EMS radio encryption here yet. The FCC licenses below show whether the county's channels are analog or digital, not whether they are encrypted.
What you can still hear
- San Jose Police Department on an old analog scanner: Mixed: some analog, some digital (FCC licenses).
- Old analog scanner, county-wide: Mixed: some analog, some digital (FCC licenses).
- San Jose Police Department (all routine channels): encrypted, so no scanner hears it.
- Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office (all (per report)): encrypted, so no scanner hears it.
Agency by agency
San Jose Police Department
EncryptedWhat: all routine channels
Old analog scanner: Mixed: some analog, some digital (FCC licenses)
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Reported encryptedWhat: all (per report)
Analog or digital?
Works on an old analog scanner? Mixed: some analog, some digital. The main licensees split between analog and digital channels.
- Digital only: 25%
- Analog only: 46%
- Licensed for both: 29%
482 voice channels of the main licensees; 20 licensees with voice channels in the county. Licenses show analog or digital, never encryption. FCC ULS license file of 18 Oct 2026
Recommended scanner
Analog + digital Works on an old analog scanner? Mixed: some analog, some digital. The main licensees split between analog and digital channels. From FCC licenses, which don't show encryption.
Top pick
Uniden SDS100 (handheld)
The county's main licensed channels are a mix of analog and digital. A digital P25 Phase II scanner hears analog and P25, wherever traffic isn't encrypted. It also handles simulcast sites, which licenses don't show.
- $689.99 Amazon
- $699.99 ScannerMaster
Prices as of 19 Oct 2026
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It doesn't change your price.
Cheaper P25 option
Whistler WS1065 (desk)
Hears P25 Phase I and II, but can struggle near simulcast sites. A good choice if you've confirmed the local system isn't simulcast.
- $351.49 Amazon
Price as of 19 Oct 2026
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It doesn't change your price.
Analog only
Uniden BC125AT (handheld)
Hears only the analog channels, which here are part of the picture.
- $137.65 Amazon
Price as of 19 Oct 2026
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It doesn't change your price.
What NOT to buy
- Anything sold as an “encryption decoder.” It won't play encrypted traffic.
Questions
Can I still listen to Santa Clara County, CA police on a scanner?
Encrypted: San Jose Police Department (all routine channels); Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office (all (per report)). Police agencies not named here haven't been checked yet.
Do I need a digital scanner in Santa Clara County, CA?
Mixed: some analog, some digital. The main licensees split between analog and digital channels. Licenses show whether a channel is analog or digital, not whether it's encrypted.
Which scanner should I buy for Santa Clara County, CA?
Uniden SDS100 ($689.99 at Amazon, price as of 19 Oct 2026). The county's main licensed channels are a mix of analog and digital. A digital P25 Phase II scanner hears analog and P25, wherever traffic isn't encrypted. It also handles simulcast sites, which licenses don't show.
Are fire and EMS radios encrypted in Santa Clara County, CA?
Fire: Not checked yet. EMS: Not checked yet. "Not checked yet" means we haven't found an official or news source so far.
Where does this information come from?
The analog or digital answer comes from the FCC's public license file of 18 Oct 2026: the voice channels licensed to public safety agencies with transmitter sites in the county. Encryption comes from official statements and news reports, each listed under Sources with its date.
Cities in this county
San Jose · Saratoga · Sunnyvale · Santa Clara · Gilroy · Palo Alto · Morgan Hill · Mountain View · Campbell · Milpitas · Los Gatos · Cupertino · Los Altos · Los Altos Hills