Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
8.2 Communications: Operations
8.2.3 San Francisco Radio Channels (Revised: 5/23/23 )
UCSF Police Department marked and unmarked police vehicles, portable radios and ECC
Dispatch consoles are programmed to communicate with the San Francisco Police Department
(SFPD), San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), San Francisco Department of Emergency
Management (SFDEM) and local mutual aid. These channels are designated to communicate with
interacting agencies. The following guidelines s hall be used for incidents requiring mutual aid
and/or tactical situations that require the use of these channels.
A. The use of San Francisco radio channels is limited to the following situations:
1. A joint operation with the interacting agency(s) and UCPD
2. The immediate need for police backup w hen no other UCPD officers are available
3. Mutual aid situations.
B. When using SFPD -assigned radio channels, all members shall follow SFPD radio
operations guidelines. When calling the SFDEM, employees wil l:
1. Notify Dispatch that they are switching over to a different channel
2. Identify themselves with their assigned SFPD call sign
3. Use SFPD radio codes
4. Revert to the appropriate SFPD District channel when reporting an emergency
situation outside of their patrol jurisdiction.
C. The SFDEM requires that UCPD officers identify themselves with their pre -designated
SFPD call sign. In cases when a SFPD identifier has not been assigned, the UCPD officer
shall identify himself/herself as an UCPD officer with his/her badge number and the SFPD
channel they are on. This will help the SFDEM identify the agency and unit calling.
D. In situations where UCP D officers have switched over to a SFDEM channel , the UCSF
Police Department dispatcher will switch to the same channel to monitor and relay the
incident to other UCPD officers as needed. The incident should be documented in the CAD
system.
E. All routine communications between UCPD patrol officers and the SFPD will be
conducted through the ECC.
F. The TSD Director shall coordinate the issuance and updating of the SFPD call signs with
the SFDEM as sworn employees are hired or leave employment with the D epartment . The
UCPD and SFPD call sign list will be disseminated to sworn pers onnel when it is u pdated
and a copy posted in the ECC.