King County, WA police scanner: police dispatch is still open. Here's what you can still hear.
Last checked: 27 Oct 2026
Seattle Police Department: SPD said its dispatch channels stay open to scanners. From Q2 2026 it is encrypting channels that carry identities, victim and witness names, building access data and tactical traffic. (Scope: dispatch open; tactical/sensitive encrypted (planned Q2 2026, completion not confirmed).)
Seattle Fire Department: Seattle Fire phased in encryption from 18 Aug 2026. By 31 Aug, channels 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 were to be fully encrypted, while dispatch channels 4 and 5 stay open (incident type, address, units). (Scope: partial: operations channels encrypted, dispatch channels open.)
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
- Seattle Police Department: dispatch open; tactical/sensitive encrypted (planned Q2 2026, completion not confirmed).
- Seattle Fire Department: partial: operations channels encrypted, dispatch channels open.
- Seattle Police Department on an old analog scanner: No, needs a digital P25 scanner (FCC licenses).
- Seattle Fire Department on an old analog scanner: No, needs a digital P25 scanner (FCC licenses).
- Old analog scanner, county-wide: Mostly no: most main channels are digital (FCC licenses).
Agency by agency
Seattle Police Department
OpenWhat: dispatch open; tactical/sensitive encrypted (planned Q2 2026, completion not confirmed)
Old analog scanner: No, needs a digital P25 scanner (FCC licenses)
Seattle Fire Department
Partly encryptedWhat: partial: operations channels encrypted, dispatch channels open
Old analog scanner: No, needs a digital P25 scanner (FCC licenses)
Analog or digital?
Works on an old analog scanner? Mostly no: most main channels are digital. About 7 in 10 of the main licensees' channels with a clear mode are digital-only.
- Digital only: 56%
- Analog only: 27%
- Licensed for both: 18%
685 voice channels of the main licensees; 61 licensees with voice channels in the county. Licenses show analog or digital, never encryption. FCC ULS license file of 18 Oct 2026
Recommended scanner
Mostly digital (P25) Works on an old analog scanner? Mostly no: most main channels are digital. About 7 in 10 of the main licensees' channels with a clear mode are digital-only. From FCC licenses, which don't show encryption.
Top pick
Uniden SDS100 (handheld)
The county's main licensed channels are mostly 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.
What NOT to buy
- An analog-only scanner. The county's main channels are digital, so it would hear only a few.
- Anything sold as an “encryption decoder.” It won't play encrypted traffic.
Questions
Can I still listen to King County, WA police on a scanner?
Reported clear: Seattle Police Department (dispatch open; tactical/sensitive encrypted (planned Q2 2026, completion not confirmed)). Police agencies not named here haven't been checked yet.
Do I need a digital scanner in King County, WA?
Mostly no: most main channels are digital. About 7 in 10 of the main licensees' channels with a clear mode are digital-only. Licenses show whether a channel is analog or digital, not whether it's encrypted.
Which scanner should I buy for King County, WA?
Uniden SDS100 ($689.99 at Amazon, price as of 19 Oct 2026). The county's main licensed channels are mostly 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 King County, WA?
Fire: Partly encrypted. 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
Seattle · Federal Way · Kirkland · Bellevue · Kent · Redmond · Renton · Auburn · Bothell · Issaquah · Burien · Shoreline · Tukwila · Enumclaw · Mercer Island · Sammamish · Maple Valley · Woodinville · Snoqualmie · Duvall · Black Diamond · Clyde Hill · Carnation · Yarrow Point · Hunts Point