City of Boston Public Safety Agencies by Gary Saffer
from: The Eastern Mass Scanner Guide 

Boston Police Department

The Boston Police Department provides police protection to the citizens of and visitors to the City of Boston. Recently President William Clinton proclaimed the BPD “the best police department in the nation”.  A mixture officers assigned to regular patrol, neighborhood services and special units such a Canine, Mounted Unit, and Harbor Patrol provide services. The BPD also maintains a fully  staffed bomb squad.

The Operations Division, better known as the "turret" provides communications. Located at Boston Police Headquarters the “turret” contains 9-1-1 operations, all radio dispatch and the “teletype room” where wanted , license, and registration checks are performed.

The BPD recently moved into a new headquarters building. This building features state of the art security, houses detectives, the crime lab, identification section, and warrant unit, some of which were quartered away from the old headquarters.

Most Boston cruisers also have MDTs and the BPD maintains it’s own system separate from the system maintained by the MSP.

Boston PD channels all went DPL on 6/21/06 the char below is being updated as we receive the changes.

In addition the Boston Police Operations Division "The Turret" can communicate on all of the BAPERN Channels and can cross patch to any of the operational channels if the need arises.

Boston Police Call sign ID's

Each unit is assigned it's own call sign. The first part of the call sign is a phonetic letter that designates the part of the city or specialized unit.

The city is broken down into five areas, within each area are two or three districts.

Call sign            District #          Location/Unit   

Alpha                         1/15                     Downtown, Charlestown
Bravo                         2                          Roxbury
Charlie                       3                          Mattapan
Delta                          4                          South End, Back Bay
Echo                          5                          West Roxbury
Fox                             6                         South Boston
Gold                            7                        East Boston
Harry                         11                        Dorchester
Jake                          13                       Jamaica Plain
Kilo                           14                        Allston/Brighton
Lima                           8                        Hyde Park
Mike                                                      Special Events
Nova Base                                            Channel 8
Romeo                                                   Detail units on Central Artery project
Silver                                                      Services (mechanics, tow trucks, etc.)
Tango                                                    Special Operations
Victor                                                     Detectives
Yankee                                                  Administration

Academy xxx units are heard when there is an academy class in session.  These units operate on Channel 1 and transmit simulated radio traffic including fights, officer in trouble calls, crimes in progress calls, etc. The concept is to get recruits used to operating police radios.

The second character denotes the unit type

1                              Rapid Response (two man cars)
2                              Patrol Wagons
3                              Motorcycles
4                              Neighborhood Service Unit, including Community Service  Officers,
5                                                           Canine Units
6                                                          Foot Patrols
7                              Mounted
7                                                         Detectives assigned to district stations
8                              Specialized detective units like Homicide.
9                              Supervisors
A                             Lieutenants
B                             Captains
C                             Command
D                             Other
K                             Anti Crime units (Plain Clothes Officers)

The third and fourth digits denote the individual  unit identification.
The fifth digit, if used denotes shift. Generally you will only hear this at the beginning and end of a shift.

A -  Night Shift
D -  Day Shift
F -  Evening

The Boston Police Department does not use any dispatch codes. All calls are given out in clear language. They do however use service codes and Routine Miscellaneous Incident Reporting Codes (Miscel Codes). Service codes are used for Vehicle Maintenance, Lunch Breaks, Court, Etc.  Miscel Codes are used for clearing incidents for which no report is required. Finally, they use codes for Arriving, Clearing, and Logging on and off the air.

Boston Police Service Codes
Code                 Meaning                                                Code                       Meaning
1                         Vehicle Maintenance                           16                            Moving Violation or Tagging
2                         Radio Maintenance                             17                            Car Wash
3                         Training                                                 18                            Range
4                         Transport Female                                 19                            Walk and Talk
5                         Transport Prisoners                             20                            Gas
6                                                 Court Attendance                                 21                            Travel to and From Post
7                                                  Escort Duty                                           22                            Emergency Shelter Coverage
8                                                 School Crossing                                   23                            Guarding Prisoners
9                                                  Station Assignment                             24                            209A Service
10                                              Lunch                                                     25                            Community Service Meeting
11                                              Warrant Service                                   26                            On Duty – Special Event
12                                              Warrant Unit for Pickup                      35                            Licensed Premises Inspection
13                                              Out of City Assignment
14                                          Towing
15                                          Traffic Enforcement

Miscellaneous Routine Incident Reporting Codes (Miscel Codes)
Number                  Incident                                                 Phonetic                                Police Action
1                              ADT or Burglar Alarm                         A- Adam                Non Bona Fide Incident
2                              Citizen Alarm                                        B- Boy                    No Person can be found
3                              Citizen Calling for Help                       C-Charlie                No such address
4                              Escort Duty                                           D-David                 No police service necessary
5                              Fire Alarm                                              E-Edward               Perpetrator gone on police arrival
6                              Family trouble*                                    F-Frank                  Peace restored
7                              Gathering causing annoyance           G-George               Advised Warrant
8                              Investigation person routine             H-Henry                 Advised to re-contact police if
9                              Investigation, premises routine                                         repeated or returned
10                            Landlord – Tenant Disturbance        I-Ida                        Taken to district station
11                            Lock Out                                                J-John                    Field Interrogation report
12                            Noisy Party                                                                           completed
13                            Prowler (no description)                     K-King                   Issued traffic citation
14                            Police Services – Traffic, etc.             L-Lincoln               Issued parking ticket
15                            Disturbances Drunk                            M-Mary                 Advised legal help
16                            Disturbance inside                               N-Nora                   Accidental or defective alarm
                                                                                                O-Ocean                False – no prosecution
                                                                                                P-Paul                     Service rendered
                                                                                               X-Xray                   Clear from Code 19

Status Codes
Adam Robert  Arriving on scene
Charlie Robert  Clearing assignment that does not require miscel code or report
Ocean Nora  Logging on the air
Ocean Frank  Logging off the air

City of Boston Trunked System

Most City of Boston departments use the city's 800 Mhz trunk system. I am including the talk groups for the public safety related services only. The Boston Police have talk groups on the system, but use is very uncommon.

 For a listing of the whole system look at Stephen Johnson's City of Boston Trunking System Page

FREQUENCIES: 851.5375,852.1875,856-860.7625,856-860.9375
(Type 1 Uniden Fleet Map usr B0-0 B1-4 B2-4 B3-10 B4-10 B5-4 B6-12)

FLEET 301 PUBLIC FACILITIES
301-1   Public Safety Emergency
301-2   Dispatch (Municipal Building Police)
301-3   Warrant Listing (F2)
301-4   Technicians (F3)
301-5   City Hall Security/Administration  (F4)
301-6   Regrouping (F5)
301-7   Reserved
FLEET 302 HOUSING AUTHORITY
302-1   Public Safety Emergency  
302-2   Housing Police   (moved to 453.350)
302-3   Special Operations (F12)
302-4   Supervisors (F13)
302-5   Reserved
302-6   Reserved
302-7   Reserved

Boston Emergency Medical Services    

Channels 1-8 are MED 1-8

09                        462.950R                                   151.4                                                       Tactical                     

10                        462.975R                                   151.4                                                       Citywide Dispatch

11                        458.1375R                                 97.4                                                         Simplex (portable only)          

12                        460.550R                                   192.8                                                       Tactical (old TAC 11)

13                        458.0625                                   210.7                                                       Simplex (portable only)

14                        460.525R                                   192.8/DVP                                             Secure communication           

15  (new 5/15/02)      453.100R                                   151.4                                                       Simulcasting Tac10 **  

16                        453.775R                                   156.7                                                       Communications Engineering

**Could possibly become a new dispatch channel. A new statewide EMS plan is being worked on which could cause BostonEMS to loose exclusive use of 462.975 for dispatch.

Channels 11 and 13 are receive only in mobile units. The Communications Engineering Section uses channel 16.
Old channel 15 was 460.525 simplex with DVP.

Boston EMS is the 9-1-1 service for the City of Boston. Operated by the Public Health Commission, Boston EMS is a third service system. All BLS units are staffed by two EMTs, and two paramedics staff all ALS units. In addition to ALS and BLS units, Boston EMS also operates bicycle units during the warm weather and for special events. Also during the warm weather months EMTs are assigned to Boston Police Department Harbor Patrol boats. Boston EMS also has two Special Operations trucks that are equipped for use at Mass Casualty Incidents or incidents with potential for large numbers of patients.

All Boston EMS BLS ambulances and supervisor vehicles are equipped with Semi Automatic Defibrillators.  Boston and Massachusetts Port Authority Fire Departments act as first responders and are also equipped with SAEDs. In addition many private and public facilities in Boston have SAEDs of their own. The Boston EMS training division provides Training and Quality Control for all SAED users in the city. In addition numerous private and public organizations in Boston provide Public Access Defibrillation, with training and quality assurance provided by Boston EMS.

Boston EMS has recently installed mobile computers in the ambulances and other vehicles. Most dispatch and response information will be transmitted by Mobile Data Work Station (MDW), which will significantly reduce the amount of voice traffic on the dispatch channels. Added future enhancements will include digital mapping, and eventually report writing software. By the end of 2000, all ambulances, supervisory and command vehicles will have MDWs installed.

Boston EMS Unit Call signs and Station Locations

Call sign   Station Location              Primary Response Area  

Ambulance 1                           Purchase Street                                  Downtown Boston
Ambulance 2                           Warren St/Edgewood St                    Roxbury (Dudley)
Ambulance 3                           Morton St/Blue Hill Ave                       Mattapan
Ambulance 5                           Faulkner Hospital                                West Roxbury
Ambulance 6                           101 W. Broadway                               South Boston
Ambulance 7                            Logan Airport                                      East Boston
Ambulance 8+                          Glynn Way %                                      Downtown/East Boston
Ambulance 9                            (Future unit)                                         Roxbury Crossing
Ambulance 10+                      Glynn Way                                          Dorchester/South Boston
Ambulance 11                         Gibson Street                                      Dorchester
Ambulance 12+                      River Street                                         Roxbury/Dorchester
Ambulance 13                         Washington St/Green St                   Jamaica Plain
Ambulance 14                         Washington St Brighton                  Allston/Brighton
Ambulance 15*                      Main Street                                         Charlestown
Ambulance 16+                      Beth Israel Hospital                           Back Bay/South End
Ambulance 17#                      With Ambulance 13                           Roslindale Square (when in Service)
Ambulance 18                         Dana Ave                                            Hyde Park
Paramedic 1                             With Ambulance 1                             Downtown/East Boston/South Boston
Paramedic 2                             With Ambulance 2                             Roxbury/Dorchester
Paramedic 3*                           With Ambulance 12                           Mattapan/Dorchester
Paramedic 5                             With Ambulance 5                             Hyde Park/West Roxbury/Jamaica Plain
Paramedic 16+                         With Ambulance 16                           Brighton/Back Bay/South End
Ambulance 20-29                   Future Primary BLS units
Ambulance 30-39                   Reserve BLS units
Paramedic 40-49                      Reserve ALS units
Ambulance 50-54                   BLS special event units
Paramedic 55-59                      ALS special event units
Ambulance 60-64                   BLS detail units
Paramedic 65-69                      ALS Detail units
Squad 70-79                            BLS non transporting units
Squad 80-89                            ALS non transporting units
Ambulance 90-94                   BLS training units
Paramedic 95-99                      ALS Training units
Division 1                                North Side Supervisor
Division 2                                South Side Supervisor
Sierra 3-9                                  Reserve Supervisor complement
EMTxxx                                    EMTs individual numbers
Medicxxx                                  Paramedics individual numbers
Mxx                                           Fleet Maintenance vehicles
Sxx                                            Supply, Fleet Maintenance Personnel
Academy 101, ...                     Personnel assigned to Training and Quality  Improvement Section
Xray xx                                   Bicycle Units, operational during warm months, and for special events
Gold 1                                     Domestic Violence Outreach Unit
HU-2                                        Harbor Unit, EMTs assigned to Boston  Police Harbor patrol boat during spring  and  summer months.
HU-x                                         Additional Harbor Units, for special  events.
C1 through C9                        Command Staff
C10 through C19                    Shift Commanders
TC411                                       Captain-Special Operations
Tango 1                                                 Special Operations Truck North
Tango 2                                   Special Operations Truck South
C20 through C22                    Captains assigned to Training Section
C30 through C65                    Individual Supervisor Call Signs

+ Units in service 20 hours per day, unless extra staffing permits.
*Units in service 16 hours per day, unless extra staffing permits.
% Temporary, will be moved to new station in the future.
#  In service as staffing permits

Boston Fire Department

 Excellent Site on Boston Fire Radio: http://bfdradio.net

Boston Fire is also licensed for two 800 MHz channels (867.8625, 868.8625) which are scheduled to be used for MDTs in the future.

In addition to tone alerting on 453.650, Boston Fire Alarm "taps out" boxes on Channel 1.  "45" followed by a box number denotes working fire. 2 through 7 followed by a box number denote the alarm level .

Boston Fire has also recently licensed the following frequencies. They may be used for  simplex fire ground operations.  483.150, 483.175, 483.200, 483.225, 482.250.

Code A                  Apparatus in Accident
Code B                  Apparatus Broken Down
Code C                   Used by first arriving apparatus to signal that nothing is showing. Upon receiving Code C other apparatus are to slow but continue responding. If further investigation reveals a fire condition the Code C will be terminated and normal  response resumed. 

Boston Fire Department Disposition Codes

1.    Fire or Explosion
110          Building and Contents or Building Only
111          Building: Contents Only
112          Building: Rubbish Inside
113          Bridge, Trestle, Overhead Elevated Structure
114          Building: Chimney or Flue
115          Building: Incinerator
116          Pier, Quay, Pilings
117          Tunnel
118          Utility Company Equipment (Manhole, Transformer, Vault)
119          Fire Detail
120          Public Mail Box
121          Fence, Pole
122          Other Outside Fire: Material has definable value
130          Road Transport Vehicle: Passenger
131          Road Transport Vehicle:     Transport
132          Rail Transport Vehicle
133          Water Transport Vehicle
134          Air Transport Vehicle
135          Heavy Equipment
136          Special Vehicle
140          Forest, Brush, Grass, or Standing Crops
150          Rubbish, Trash, Waste
151          Dump
152          Dumpster
153          Compactor
154          Catch Basin
160          Explosion, No After Fire
170          Outside Spill, Leak with Ensuing Fire
180          Delayed Ignition of Oil Burner
190          Fire, Explosion not listed above 

2.             Overpressure Rupture (No Combustion)
212          Steam line Rupture
220          Air Compressor Tank Rupture
221          Overpressure Rupture of Oxygen Tank
222          Overpressure Rupture of Other Gas Tank
223          Overpressure Rupture of Gas Pip Line
290          Overpressure Rupture not listed above 

3.             Rescue, EMS Calls
310          Inhalator
311          Cardiac Arrest, CPR Performed
312          Cardiac Arrest, Non Resuscitation
313          Chest Pain, Cardiac Related
314          OB/GYN Maternity
319          Patient Refusal Against Medical Advice
320          EMS Call (Includes First Aid and Checking for Injuries)
321          Medical Assist
322          Vehicle Accident with Injuries (Includes Aircraft and Marine)
323          EMS Call Where injured parties left scene or were transported prior to fire arrival
324          Vehicle with Pedestrian Accident
325          Multiple Casualty Incident
330          Lock In (Lock Out is 510)
340          Search
341          Water Search
350          Extrication from Building or Vehicle Wreckage
351          Extrication from Stalled Elevator
352          EMS on Scene, Cancel
354          Defective Elevator, No Occupants
355          Trench Rescue
356          Confined Space Rescue
357          High Angle Rescue
360          Drowning or Near Drowning
361          Ice Rescue
362          Water Rescue
363          Swift Water Rescue
364          Surf Rescue
370          Electrocution
390          Other Rescue, EMS Call not listed above
391          Rescue or EMS Standby

4.             Hazardous Condition
410          Gasoline Spill or other Flammable Liquid
411          Odor of Gas, Gas Leak (Domestic or LPG)
412          Oil Spill, or other combustible liquid
420          Explosive, Bomb Removal (Bomb Scare is 720)
431          Excessive Heat
432          Heat from short circuit, defective or worn insulation
434          Breakdown of light ballast
440          Power line down
441          Cable, Telephone lines down
451          Arcing, Shorted electrical equipment
460          Aircraft Stand by
470          Chemical Spill
471          Radiation Leak, radioactive material
472          Refrigeration leak
473          Chemical Hazard, no spill or leak
474          Asbestos Incident, no fire
475          Unstable, reactive, explosive material
480          Attempt to Burn
481          Threat to Burn
490          Other hazardous condition no listed above
492          Gas appliance defective, malfunction, or misuse 

5.             Service Call
510          Lock Out (Lock in is 330)
520          Water Evacuation
530          Smoke or odor removal
540          Animal rescue
550          Assisted Police or other city department
551          Police matter
560          Unauthorized burning
570          Mutual aid - Line Box (No Duty or False Alarm)
571          Mutual aid - Coverage only
572          Mutual aid - Response to fire
573          Mutual aid - Response and coverage
574          Covered other Boston company
575          Covered other district
590         Service Call not listed above
591          Water or Steam Leak (includes open hydrant
592          Public Service
594          Defective elevator - No Injuries (Use 350 if persons released) 

6.             Good Intent Call
610          Smoke Scare, Odor of smoke
620          Wrong Location
630          Controlled Burning
631          Barbecue, Tar Kettle
640          Incident in other location (Vicinity Alarm)
650          Steam, Vapor, Fog, or Dust for Smoke
670          External Visual Investigation, No apparent evidence of fire
690          Other Good intent call, not listed above 

7.             False Alarm, False Call
710          False Alarm, Box
720          False Alarm, Master Prefix Box
712          False Alarm, Still (Telephone)
713          False Alarm, Central System
714          False Alarm, Local Alarm System
720          Bomb Scare
730          Alarm System Malfunction, Sprinkler
731          Alarm System Malfunction, Smoke Detector
732          Alarm System Malfunction, Heat Detector
734          Heat Detector Device Operated, No Fire
735          Local Alarm System Malfunction, Sprinkler
736          Local Alarm System Malfunction, Smoke Detector
737          Local Alarm System Malfunction, Heat Detector
740          Unintentional Alarms, Not a Malfunction (Knockdowns only) 

8.             Natural Disasters
810          Earthquake
820          Flood
830          Wind Storm (includes Hurricane, Tornado, etc...)
840          Lightning Strike - No Fire
890          Natural Disaster, not listed above 

9.             Other situation
910          Citizen Complaint
990          Other condition not listed above
991          Assisted other district at fire

BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION LOCATIONS

DIVISION 1

                District 1
                                  Engine 5,  Car 1                                                 360 Saratoga Street, East Boston
                                  Engine 9, Ladder 2, H4                                       239 Sumner Street, East Boston
                                  Engine 56, Ladder 21                                          1 Ashley Street, East Boston
                District 3 
                                  Engine 4, Ladder 24, Car 3                                  200 Cambridge Street, Boston
                                  Engine 8, Ladder 1                                              392 Hanover, North End
                                  Engine 10, Tower 1, Rescue 1,
                                  C-6 (Division 1 Chief),
                                  Scuba Unit, Collapse Truck                                 125 Purchase Street, Boston
                                  Engine 32, Ladder 9                                            525 Main Street, Charlestown
                                  Engine 50                                                           34 Winthrop Street, Charlestown
                                  Marine Unit                                                         Battery Wharf, Boston
                District 4
                                  Engine 7, Ladder 17, Car 4
                                  H5                                                                      200 Columbus Ave, South End
                                  Engine 3, H 2                                                      618 Harrison Ave, South End
                                  Engine 22, G25, H3                                             700 Tremont Street,  South End
                                  Engine 33, Ladder 15                                           941 Boylston Street, Back Bay
                District 6 
                                  Engine 39. Ladder 18, Car 6                                 272 D Street, South Boston
                                  Engine 2, Ladder 19                                             700 E. Fourth Street, South Boston
                District 11
                                  Engine 29, Ladder 11, Car 11                               138 Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton
                                  Engine 41, Ladder 14                                           460 Cambridge Street, Allston
                                  Engine 51                                                           425 Faneuil Street, Brighton

DIVISION 2 

                District 5
                                Engine 37, Ladder 26, Car 5                                560 Huntington Ave, Roxbury
                                Engine 14, Ladder 4                                             174 Dudley Street
                District 7
                                Engine 17, Ladder 7, Car 7                                  1 Parish Street, Dorchester
                                Engine 21                                                               641 Columbia Road, Dorchester
                                Engine 24, Ladder 23                                           36 Washington Street, Dorchester
                District 8
                                Engine 16, Car 8                                                    9 Gallivan Blvd, Dorchester
                                Engine 18, Ladder 6                                             1884 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester
                                Engine 20, H1                                                        301 Neponset Ave, Dorchester
                                Engine 54 (Fire Brigade)                                      Long Island Hospital, Dorchester
                District 9

                                Engine 42, Rescue 2, Car 9                                  1870 Columbus Ave, Roxbury
                                Engine 28, Ladder 10,
                                C7 (Division 2)                                                      46 Center Street, Jamaica Plain
                District 10
                                Engine 55, Brush Fire 55, Car 10                           5115 Washington Street, West Roxbury
                                Engine 30, Ladder 25                                           1940 Center Street, West Roxbury
                                Engine 49                                                               209 Neponset Valley Pkwy, Readville
                District 12
                                Engine 53, Ladder 16, Car 12                              945 Canterbury Street, Roslindale
                                Engine 48, Ladder 28, Brush Fire 48                      60 Fairmount Ave, Hyde Park
                                Engine 52, Ladder 29                                           975 Blue Hill Ave, Dorchester

Special Notes:

                C1           Fire Commissioner
                G25         Rehab Unit
                H1           Safety Chief
                H2           Lighting Plant
                H3           HAZMAT Truck
                H4/5        Tunnel Collapse Rescue Units
                K6           Arson Investigator
                K7           Department Photographer 

The HAZMAT truck is housed at Engine 22 in the South End. This unit is no longer staffed by the Rescue Companies, but is staffed by Engine 22. Rescue company personnel are still available for back up.

Unofficial Historian of the Boston Fire Department  

Boston College and University Public Safety Departments 

Most of the colleges and universities in the Boston area operate police departments on their campuses. The size and complexity of each department varies, with larger schools generally having larger and more active departments. The larger schools send their new officers to the same academy that municipal officers go to, while the smaller schools mostly send their officers to an academy for campus police officers run by the State Police. I’ve listed the frequencies for some of the larger departments below, along with notes where applicable. Campus officers are sworn in as special police and as such have full police powers. Their area or jurisdiction is all property owned by the institution and often includes surrounding property.
As I dig up more information, I plan to make this section larger and more detailed.  

In addition to their own frequencies, most of the departments are equipped to operate on the BAPERN channels, and some can operate on the frequencies of their municipal department.  

Boston College Police                         472.1375                         127.3 

Boston University Police                    472.1625                         131.8
B.U.P.D. covers the school itself as well as the medical school, which is located on the grounds of the Boston Medical Center. They also cover the BMC property, supplementing the hospital security department. They have several marked and unmarked cruisers, and a prisoner wagon.  

Harvard University Police                  484.0875  471.0625       131.8
Harvard is in Cambridge, however Harvard Medical School is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. H.U.P.D. covers the medical school and the university.  

MIT Police                                            867.4375                         146.2

Northeastern University                      464.975                           127.3 

Tufts University                                   463.325                           192.8 

Tufts University is located in Medford, however Tufts Medical School is located in Boston next to the New England Medical Center. As with the Harvard and Boston University PDs, TUPD covers the medical school.  

UMass-Boston                                     460.100                           141.3

from: The Eastern Mass Scanner Guide

This guide is available in both Word and Rich Text (.rtf) formats. It is distributed for free for use by radio monitoring enthusiasts. It may be distributed by anyone for non commercial use, provided that credit is given to me as author. Also, anyone may feel free to convert it to other formats, including HTML, again provided proper credit is given and that distribution remains free.  

Copyright © 1998-2002 by Gary Saffer

Thanks and credits

In addition to my work, this guide includes information from Peter Szerlag zerg90@webtv.net, Bill Dunn ecps92@tiac.net, Stephen Johnson stjohnso@lynx.dac.neu.edu, Scott Halligan, halligan@mediaone.net, Rob Belleville rob@acol.com, and Paul Shea Paul612@aol.com. My thanks for their contributions to the guide.  Thanks also to Mike Tiernan  (mtiernan@nomad.n-reading.ma.us) for reviewing the original and making some needed changes.  

I would also like to extend thanks to, Gordon Otis, Dan Matthews, Ed Hennesey, Pete Raposa, Chief David Rich, Alexander R Svirsky, Tom Pimental, and everyone else that has sent in additions and corrections.