PSD Legal Standards & Confidentiality Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which standard governs the security and access controls for the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data used by dispatchers?
- NFPA 1221
- FBI CJIS Security Policy (Correct answer)
- HIPAA Security Rule
- FEMA ICS-100
Correct answer: FBI CJIS Security Policy
The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy establishes minimum security requirements for agencies accessing NCIC and other CJIS data.
Question 2: A dispatcher queries a license plate in the NCIC system on behalf of a friend who wants to identify a neighbor's vehicle. This action violates which principle?
- The need-to-know and right-to-know doctrine required by CJIS policy (Correct answer)
- The Posse Comitatus Act
- The Stafford Act disaster relief provisions
- NFPA radio interoperability standards
Correct answer: The need-to-know and right-to-know doctrine required by CJIS policy
CJIS policy requires that NCIC queries are made only when there is both a legitimate law enforcement need-to-know and a legal right-to-know for that specific purpose.
Question 3: Under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), what obligation does it place on telecommunications carriers relevant to dispatch operations?
- Carriers must provide free radio channels to all PSAPs
- Carriers must build intercept capabilities into their systems so law enforcement can conduct lawful surveillance (Correct answer)
- Carriers must store all 911 call recordings for a minimum of 10 years
- Carriers must fund dispatcher training programs
Correct answer: Carriers must build intercept capabilities into their systems so law enforcement can conduct lawful surveillance
CALEA requires telecommunications carriers to design their systems to enable lawful electronic surveillance when served with proper legal authority.
Question 4: A dispatcher is testifying in court about a call they handled six months ago. They cannot recall the specific details. The most appropriate action is to:
- Testify from memory even if uncertain, to avoid delays
- Request to review the CAD record and audio recording to refresh their recollection before testifying (Correct answer)
- Decline to testify on grounds of confidentiality
- Provide only general information about standard dispatch procedures
Correct answer: Request to review the CAD record and audio recording to refresh their recollection before testifying
A witness may use recorded documents or prior statements to refresh their memory before or during testimony, which is legally permitted and improves accuracy.
Question 5: Which scenario best illustrates a violation of the Stored Communications Act (SCA)?
- A dispatcher retrieves CAD records pursuant to a valid warrant
- A supervisor reviews dispatcher performance on recorded calls for quality assurance
- A dispatcher accesses another agency's computer-aided dispatch system without authorization to obtain caller records (Correct answer)
- An agency archives 911 recordings to a secure off-site server
Correct answer: A dispatcher accesses another agency's computer-aided dispatch system without authorization to obtain caller records
The SCA prohibits unauthorized access to stored electronic communications; accessing another agency's systems without legal authority violates this federal statute.
Question 6: A dispatcher receives a call from someone identifying themselves as a state auditor requesting immediate access to all CAD incident logs. The dispatcher should:
- Provide access immediately to comply with state authority
- Verify the identity and authority of the requestor and refer them to the appropriate supervisor or records department (Correct answer)
- Deny access entirely since auditors have no authority over 911 data
- Share only calls from the past 24 hours as a compromise
Correct answer: Verify the identity and authority of the requestor and refer them to the appropriate supervisor or records department
Proper identity verification and routing through official channels prevents social engineering attacks and unauthorized disclosure of protected records.
Question 7: When a dispatcher is directed by a supervisor to purge specific CAD records before a scheduled litigation hold deadline, the dispatcher should:
- Comply immediately as supervisor instructions take precedence
- Refuse and document the directive, then report it to legal counsel, as this may constitute obstruction of justice (Correct answer)
- Purge the records but save a personal copy
- Transfer the records to a personal storage device before deletion
Correct answer: Refuse and document the directive, then report it to legal counsel, as this may constitute obstruction of justice
Destruction of records subject to a litigation hold constitutes spoliation of evidence and can result in criminal obstruction charges for all involved parties.
PSD Legal Standards & Confidentiality Compliance 3
Which standard governs the security and access controls for the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data used by dispatchers?