The Berkeley Police Department (BPD) is beginning the transition to encrypted radio communications on November 6, 2025, at approximately 5 am, to comply with state and federal mandates and to enhance public and officer safety.

This transition aligns Berkeley with every other law enforcement agency in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, all of which have recently moved to full encryption. These agencies share a regional radio infrastructure that allows for cost-sharing and ensures interoperability during major incidents and mutual aid responses.

**Transparency and Public Access **

BPD remains committed to transparency and to providing timely and accurate information to the public. While encryption will limit the direct monitoring of police radio channels, BPD has developed multiple ways for community members and media partners to stay informed.

We are pleased to have launched a near real-time call log which will be available on the Berkeley Police Department Transparency Hub. This feature will display calls as they are entered into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, including:

Incident number

Call Date & Time of call

Call type (e.g., disturbance, collision, robbery)

Source of call (911, non-emergency, officer initiated or cold report)

Priority level

General Location

This near real-time feature will bridge the gap between when calls are received and when the City’s calls-for-service data is updated with a 10-minute delay and 10-minute refresh rate.

Additional information will continue to be available to the public in a number of ways:

Fire Department Radio Channel: The Berkeley Fire Department’s radio channel will remain unencrypted, continuing to provide real-time updates on emergencies such as fires, medical calls, and traffic collisions.

Ongoing Public Updates: BPD will continue to share information through media releases via Nixle alerts, and social media updates (Facebook and Instagram).

**Why Encryption Is Necessary **

The California Department of Justice requires all law enforcement agencies to protect Criminal Justice Information (CJI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) transmitted over radio channels. These regulations are designed to prevent the public dissemination of sensitive or private information related to victims, witnesses, and ongoing investigations.

In addition to meeting these legal standards, encryption addresses significant public safety concerns. Over the past several years- and notably, more recently- suspects have used publicly available police radio traffic to coordinate criminal activity, including burglaries, robberies, shootings, and vehicle thefts.

Workaround solutions such as switching to alternative radio channels are no longer feasible due to current staffing levels in the communications center and the impact such practices have on operational efficiency and incident awareness.

**Media and Public Information Access **

As BPD transitions to transcribed radio communications, the department would like to clarify how media partners and community members can obtain information about calls for service.

Our Strategic Communications Office, operates during weekday daytime hours and can be reached as follows:

Strategic Communications Office (General Inquiries):

Desk Line: 510-981-5780

Mobile: 510-812-4082

E-mail (preferred for quickest response): [email protected]

For after-hours inquiries, please contact our Communications Center through the non-emergency line at 510-981-5900 and request to speak with the Watch Commander for assistance.

If you have pending inquiries or suggestions for improving our public information efforts, please email [email protected], and a member of our team will follow up directly.

**Commitment to the Community **

The Berkeley Police Department appreciates the community’s understanding and continued partnership as we enhance our systems to better serve Berkeley. These changes ensure the protection of sensitive information while maintaining the highest possible level of transparency and accessibility.