Loudoun County Law Enforcement Radios Go Silent: Report

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA – Loudoun County law enforcement radio traffic is now fully encrypted, according to a new report, completing a process that was announced in July.

Loudoun Now reports that scanners monitoring radio channels used by county law enforcement have gone silent for the first time.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Leesburg Police Department, Purcellville Police Department and Middleburg Police Department announced in July that they would no longer allow public access to their radio channels. They anticipated the process would be completed by fall.

Loudoun law enforcement said the move was made to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses and to ensure police safety.

Civil rights, press freedom groups and others criticize the wave of police radio encryption, which has been underway for the past decade. In 2024, Justin Sasso, CEO of the Colorado Broadcasters Association, told Truthout that broadcasters have been using police radio information responsibly for years, and that encrypting police communications only leaves the public in the dark about potentially dangerous incidents.

Read more from Loudoun Now here.