911 Operator Test Call Prioritization and Decision-Making 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller reports a person with a knife threatening others in a parking lot. Which consideration should NOT influence dispatch priority?
- Whether the threat is ongoing
- The caller's opinion about the neighborhood being 'always like this' (Correct answer)
- Whether potential victims are still present
- The number of available units
Correct answer: The caller's opinion about the neighborhood being 'always like this'
Caller bias about a neighborhood is irrelevant; dispatch decisions must be based on the objective nature of the threat.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system in call prioritization?
- To record all calls for billing purposes
- To track incidents, manage unit availability, and assist in assigning priority (Correct answer)
- To automatically disconnect low-priority calls
- To connect callers directly to field officers
Correct answer: To track incidents, manage unit availability, and assist in assigning priority
CAD systems log incidents, display unit status, and help dispatchers assign and manage call priorities efficiently.
Question 3: You are managing three active calls. One involves a missing child, one is a car alarm, and one is a reported shooting. In what order should you prioritize dispatch?
- Car alarm, missing child, shooting
- Shooting, missing child, car alarm (Correct answer)
- Missing child, shooting, car alarm
- All three should be dispatched simultaneously with equal resources
Correct answer: Shooting, missing child, car alarm
Active violence (shooting) poses the most immediate life threat, followed by a vulnerable missing child, then a property-only car alarm.
Question 4: A caller describes a suspicious person 'just standing around.' How should this call be classified?
- Immediate high priority requiring multiple units
- Low to medium priority for a routine patrol check when available (Correct answer)
- Ignore the call as it describes no crime
- Transfer to the non-emergency line without logging
Correct answer: Low to medium priority for a routine patrol check when available
Suspicious person calls without specific threat indicators are typically low-to-medium priority, dispatched for routine officer check when units are available.
Question 5: During a shift, all available units are committed to calls. A new call comes in reporting a structure fire. What should the dispatcher do?
- Hold the fire call until a unit clears
- Immediately notify a supervisor and attempt to free or recall nearest available units (Correct answer)
- Ask the caller to contact the fire department directly
- Downgrade the fire call until resources free up
Correct answer: Immediately notify a supervisor and attempt to free or recall nearest available units
When resources are exhausted, a supervisor must be notified immediately to authorize recalls or mutual aid for a life-safety emergency like a structure fire.
Question 6: A caller reports a neighbor's barking dog at 2 AM. At the same time, a call comes in about a car crash with possible injuries. The dispatcher should:
- Handle the dog complaint first since it was the initial call
- Address the car crash with injuries first and queue the dog complaint (Correct answer)
- Handle both calls identically since both callers deserve equal service
- Disconnect the dog complaint caller without explanation
Correct answer: Address the car crash with injuries first and queue the dog complaint
Potential injuries in a crash represent a life-safety priority; the nuisance complaint is queued for later response.
Question 7: When a caller provides conflicting information about whether a weapon is present, the dispatcher should:
- Assume no weapon is present to avoid over-responding
- Treat the call as if a weapon is present until units can confirm otherwise (Correct answer)
- Disconnect and ask the caller to call back with accurate information
- Delay dispatch until the information is confirmed
Correct answer: Treat the call as if a weapon is present until units can confirm otherwise
When weapon presence is uncertain, dispatchers should default to the more dangerous assumption to protect officer and public safety.
911 Operator Test Call Prioritization and Decision-Making 4
A caller reports a person with a knife threatening others in a parking lot.
Which consideration should NOT influence dispatch priority?