Boston, August 20, 2025
News Summary
Boston City Councilors are calling for an investigation into a significant failure of the police department’s radio system during a night of violence after the Dominican Festival. The outage allegedly lasted nearly 30 minutes, hindering officers’ response to multiple shootings and a stabbing in Dorchester. While police stated that officers switched to a backup channel promptly, councilors are demanding clarity and accountability regarding the reliability of communication systems in critical situations.
Boston — Two city councilors have requested an investigation into an alleged failure of the Boston Police Department radio system that coincided with multiple violent incidents following the annual Dominican Festival in Franklin Park.
What happened
City Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn asked the police department to investigate an apparent breakdown of the department’s primary radio channel that they say lasted nearly 30 minutes while officers were managing crowd safety after reports of shootings. The request for an inquiry follows a night of violence that included multiple shootings and a separate stabbing in the Dorchester area around midnight.
Immediate public safety impact
According to the councilors, the radio outage occurred during a critical period when officers were responding to active incidents. The councilors raised concern that unreliable communications increased risk for officers and complicated response to the shootings.
Victims and incidents
Municipal reports indicate there were multiple shootings in Dorchester early Monday morning. Councilors referenced five people shot while managing crowd safety; police reports identified four separate shooting incidents that left four victims with non-life-threatening injuries. No charges have been filed in connection with the shootings. A separate stabbing was also reported that night. Details remain unclear about the exact timing of the radio channel disruption in relation to each of the violent incidents.
Police department response
The Boston Police Department noted that the primary channel was affected but stated the radio system itself was not fully offline. The department said officers were trained to switch channels and followed protocol by moving to an alternative, functional channel within approximately one minute. The Communications Division characterized the interruption as limited to a single channel and reiterated that officers have procedures for channel switching when problems arise.
Union and councilor reactions
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association criticized the Communications Division and described the episode as an inexplicable failure of the system. Councilors Murphy and Flynn expressed disappointment and emphasized that reliable communication is essential for officer safety during emergencies. They requested that any investigation findings be shared with both the city council and the public, and indicated plans to call for a council hearing on the matter later this month.
System upgrade and background
Earlier this month the Boston Police Department completed a transition from an analog radio system to a digital encrypted radio system intended to improve communication security and performance. The malfunction on the night in question followed that upgrade, prompting questions about the reliability of the new system under high-demand conditions.
Festival context and past incidents
The events occurred after the annual Dominican Festival in Franklin Park. Organizers reported collaboration with city departments to ensure safety for this year’s event and indicated that no problems were reported during the festival itself. The festival has seen violence outside the event in past years, including shootings in 2012 and 2022, which adds context to current safety concerns.
Next steps and transparency demands
Councilors are seeking an internal police investigation into the alleged radio channel failure and have requested that the investigation’s findings be made available to the city council and the public. They plan to pursue a formal hearing before the council later this month to examine the cause of the outage, the department’s protocols for communications failures, and any operational or technical shortcomings uncovered by the review.
What remains unclear
Officials have not provided a full timeline linking the radio channel disruption to each reported shooting or the stabbing. The duration and precise timing of the alleged nearly 30-minute failure reported by the councilors differ from the department’s description of a short interruption and a one-minute channel switch by officers. The investigation and the planned council hearing aim to clarify these discrepancies.
Public interest and safety
The combination of a recent system upgrade, competing accounts of the outage’s duration, and the nighttime violent incidents has prompted calls for transparency from city leaders and law enforcement stakeholders. The matter will be closely watched by residents, public safety officials, and those involved in event planning for large public gatherings.
FAQ
What triggered the investigation request?
Two city councilors requested an investigation after alleging the police department’s primary radio channel failed for nearly 30 minutes while officers were responding to shootings following the Dominican Festival.
How many people were shot?
Accounts vary: councilors referenced five people shot during crowd safety operations, while police reports describe four separate shooting incidents resulting in four victims with non-life-threatening injuries. No charges have been filed.
Did the entire radio system go offline?
The police department stated the radio system was not completely offline. Officials said one channel was impacted and that officers switched to an alternate channel within about a minute, following established procedures.
What actions will the city council take?
The councilors have requested the department’s investigative findings be shared publicly and with the city council and plan to call for a hearing to examine the incident later this month.
Was the radio system recently upgraded?
Yes. Earlier this month the department transitioned from an analog to a digital encrypted radio system meant to enhance security and communications.
Have similar incidents happened before at the festival?
Past years have seen violence linked to the festival, including shootings outside the event in 2012 and 2022. Organizers said this year’s festival itself had no reported problems and that they coordinated with city departments on safety.
Quick reference table
| Topic | Key information |
|---|---|
| Who requested investigation | City Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn |
| Alleged problem | Primary police radio channel failure reported; councilors said nearly 30 minutes |
| Police account | One channel impacted; system not fully offline; officers switched channels within about a minute |
| Violent incidents | Multiple shootings and a stabbing after Dominican Festival; four shooting incidents reported with four non-life-threatening injuries; no charges filed |
| Radio system status | Recently upgraded from analog to digital encrypted radio earlier this month |
| Next steps | Councilors seek full investigation, public reporting of findings, and will call for a hearing later this month |
| Past festival issues | Shootings outside the festival were reported in 2012 and 2022 |
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