Introduction
The glossary contains several terms and acronyms used in emergency radio. If you come across anything that I have seemed to missed, please feel free to email me and let me know.
Numerics
- 12-codes
- Various informational codes used by OSP - see the "12-codes" section under OSP on the Radio Lingo page.
A through I
- AMA
- Against Medical Advice - generally when a patient refuses treatment.
- BFA
- Black Female Adult.
- BFJ
- Black Female Juvenile.
- BMA
- Black Male Adult.
- BFJ
- Black Male Juvenile.
- CAD
- Computer Aided Dispatch. Entire system of computer-based tools used by dispatch to search plate, warrant, want, and subject info, to track police and fire unit status, and ship calls to different unit's MDTs.
- Clear
- Unit has finished with last call or current situation and is generally available for inbound or waiting calls.
- ex:
Unit: Adam-89, clear from the crim misch
- Code
- 1. Usually a disposition or status code, see the "Disposition and Status Codes" for the department you are listening to under the Radio Lingo section for their general meaning.
- ex:
Dispatch: Adam-77, status?
Unit: 77, code 4, code 6
- 2. Short for "responding Code 3" (lights/siren).
- ex:
Unit: Charlie-90, I'll be code through traffic
- Copy
- 1. Transmission received and acknowledged.
- ex:
Unit: Sam-22, clear
Dispatch: Copy, Sam-22
- 2. To back another patrol as a second unit.
- ex:
Unit: Adam-91, I'll copy on 88 from 199 and Hubbard
- DB
- Dead Body.
- DCS
- Distribution of a Controlled Substance.
- Designator
- The number and letter preceeding a unit's ID number, representing the beat being covered and the unit type.
- DL
- Driver's License.
- DMV
-
Hear it
- 1. Unit requesting to run plate information; if requested with "no readback", info is appended to the existing call notes without the dispatcher reading the vehicle info to the unit.
- ex:
Unit: X-10, DMV
Dispatch: X-10, go ahead
Unit: Adam Boy Charles 1 2 3
Dispatch: Copy
- 2. Dispatch returning plate information to a unit; info usually returns registered owner(s) of vehicle, tag expiration, and vehicle type.
- ex:
Dispatch: X-10, DMV
Unit: Go ahead
Dispatch: Adam Boy Charles 1 2 3 returns no wants to a 2002 Toyota 4-door registered to Joe Public of 123 No Address Lane
Unit: Copy
- DOB
- Date Of Birth
- DOC
- Disorderly Conduct
- Doubling
- Hear it
- When two or more units in a 2-way conversation key up and try to speak at the same time. Transmissions usually come through garbled. On digital systems, depending on the setup, only one side may come through or no communication (only mic click) may come through. Dispatch will advise "units doubled" or "units are doubling" when this condition is detected and attempt to address each unit individually, if possible.
- If dispatch doubles with a field unit, generally you will only hear the dispatcher (they will cover the other unit's transmission completely) due to the way that most 2-way radio/repeater setups work. The dispatcher directly transmits on the "receive" (repeater output) frequency, and by locally keying up, drowns out the inbound signals being received by the repeater input from the field.
- DV
- Domestic Violence.
- DWS
- Driving While Suspended.
- EDP
- Emotionally Disturbed Person.
- EMS
- Emergency Medical Service.
- EMT
- Emergency Medical Technician.
- ETA
- Estimated Time of Arrival.
- FI
- Field Interview.
- FLSA
- Felony Leaving the Scene of an Accident.
- FST
- Field Sobriety Test.
- FTA
- Failure to Appear.
- FTO
- Field Training Officer.
- FTOTCD
- Failure To Obey Traffic Control Device.
- HBD
- Has Been Drinking.
- Green Card
- A note put on file for a specific subject requesting information from the subject, usually in the form of a field interview.
- GOA
- Gone on Arrival.
- HFA
- Hispanic Female Adult.
- HFJ
- Hispanic Female Juvenile.
- HMA
- Hispanic Male Adult.
- HMJ
- Hispanic Male Juvenile.
- IL
- Incident Location.
J through P
- JJC
- Juvenile Justice Center.
- JOINT
- JOsephine Interagency Narcotics Team.
- LEDS
- Oregon's Law Enforcement Data System.
- MDT (MDB/box, MDC/computer)
- Mobile Data Terminal - "Box" or "Computer" that allows dispatchers to send data to units, and vice versa. Often used for sensitive information or by units to type dispositions. Most MDTs allow messages to be sent between units as well, freeing up valuable air time on the radio.
- MIP
- Minor in Posession - Underage party in posession of alcohol and/or tobacco products.
- MVA
- Motor Vehicle Accident.
- Name Scan
- Search mechanism for persons with wants/warrants by name and DOB (generally when no ID or DL available).
- NCIC
- National Crime Information Center - National computerized history of criminal records, fugitive information, stolen property, and missing persons.
- NFI
- No Further Information.
- OD
- 1. Off Duty.
- 2. Drug OverDose.
- ODL
- Oregon Driver's License.
- OFA
- Oriental Female Adult.
- OFJ
- Oriential Female Juvenile.
- OMA
- Oriential Male Adult.
- OMJ
- Oriental Male Juvenile.
- OP
- 1. Observation Post.
- 2. Out of Position.
- OSP
- Oregon State Police.
- PBT
- Preliminary Breath Test.
- PC
- Probable Cause.
- PCS
- Possession of a Controlled Substance.
- PD
- Police Department.
- PO
- Parole Officer/Probation Officer.
- Portable
- Portable radio (hand-talkie).
- PPS
- Post Prison Supervision.
Q through Z
- RO
- 1. Registered Owner (of a vehicle).
- 2. Restraining Order.
- RP
- Responsible Party (of a home, business, or property)
- TA
- Traffic Accident. Generally followed with a number (TA1, TA2, TA3) to ascertain the severity of the accident and urgency for medic arrival.
- ex:
Dispatch: Adam-91, Adam-77, Medic-5 - TA2 traffic accident, cross of number 6 and F-Frank.
- TC
- Traffic Collision/Traffic Crash - Generally only used during a pursuit.
- Traffic
- Hear it
- PD Unit is performing a traffic stop on a vehicle - unit generally specifies location and plate information, if not entered into their MDT.
- ex:
Unit: Adam-66, traffic
Dispatch: Adam-66
Unit: California plate, Zebra 1 2 3 Adam 4 5, Agness at Foothill
- UEMV
- Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle.
- Units Doubled
- See Doubling.
- UTL
- Unable to locate.
- UUMV
- Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
- Valid
- Usually returned as part of a wants or driving status query - signifies that the DL for the subject is valid.
- ex:
Dispatch: Joe T. Anybody returns no wants, valid Washington, UTL Oregon
- VBR
- Violation of the Basic Rule (mandating that motorists drive at a speed safe for the current road and/or weather conditions).
- VIN
- Vehicle Identification Number - ID number assigned by vehicle manufacturer, unique to that specific vehicle.
- Wants
- Hear it
- Unit requesting dispatch search for local wants/warrants/license/ID info on one or more subjects, by name, DOB, ID number, License number, etc. Dispatcher will usually call the unit back to return wants based on name/DOB/DL# when information is obtained.
- ex:
Unit: Adam-77, wants on two, one by number, one by name and DOB
Dispatch: Adam-77, go ahead
Unit: By number, ODL 9999999 last of Doe, break
Unit: By name, last of Public, phonetically Paul Union Boy Lincoln Ida Charles, first of John, J-O-H-N
- WFA
- White Female Adult.
- WFJ
- White Female Juvenile.
- WMA
- White Male Adult.
- WMJ
- White Male Juvenile.
