SIA Communication Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When writing an incident report, which of the following entries best demonstrates professional report writing?
- The bloke was well drunk and started kicking off at about midnight
- At approximately 00:05 hours on 15 March 2026, a male patron, approximately 6 feet tall with short brown hair, was observed to be heavily intoxicated and became verbally aggressive towards door staff at the main entrance (Correct answer)
- Some guy got aggressive and we had to remove him
- A patron was ejected for being drunk and disorderly — details to follow
Correct answer: At approximately 00:05 hours on 15 March 2026, a male patron, approximately 6 feet tall with short brown hair, was observed to be heavily intoxicated and became verbally aggressive towards door staff at the main entrance
Professional incident reports must include specific details: date, time (24-hour format), location, physical description of individuals, factual account of what was observed, and actions taken. Slang, vague language, and promises of 'details to follow' are unacceptable. Reports may be used as evidence in court.
Question 2: What does the NATO phonetic alphabet letter 'N' represent?
- Nancy
- November (Correct answer)
- Neptune
- Nero
Correct answer: November
In the NATO phonetic alphabet, 'N' is represented by 'November'. Door supervisors use this alphabet when communicating over radio to ensure clarity, especially when spelling names, registration plates, or descriptions in noisy environments.
Question 3: Which of the following is a key principle of radio communication protocol for door supervisors?
- Speak as quickly as possible to keep the channel clear
- Wait for the channel to be clear, press the transmit button, pause briefly, then speak clearly and concisely (Correct answer)
- Use personal nicknames and slang to build team rapport
- Keep the transmit button pressed throughout the entire shift to monitor all communications
Correct answer: Wait for the channel to be clear, press the transmit button, pause briefly, then speak clearly and concisely
Proper radio protocol requires waiting for the channel to be clear, pressing the transmit button, pausing briefly to ensure the beginning of the message is not cut off, then speaking clearly and concisely. This ensures messages are received accurately and the channel remains available for others.
Question 4: A door supervisor needs to write a statement about a CCTV recording they reviewed. Which of the following is the correct approach?
- Describe what they think happened based on their interpretation of the footage
- Describe only what is objectively visible on the footage, noting timestamps, and clearly distinguish between what is seen and any inferences drawn (Correct answer)
- Write a dramatic narrative to make the statement more compelling for court
- Only note the parts of the footage that support the venue's version of events
Correct answer: Describe only what is objectively visible on the footage, noting timestamps, and clearly distinguish between what is seen and any inferences drawn
A CCTV statement must describe only what is objectively visible on the footage, with accurate timestamps. Any inferences or interpretations must be clearly distinguished from observed facts. Selective reporting or dramatisation undermines credibility and could constitute a perversion of the course of justice.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of using the phonetic alphabet when communicating a vehicle registration number over the radio?
- To make the communication sound more professional
- To prevent mishearing of similar-sounding letters such as B, D, E, G, P, T, and V (Correct answer)
- To slow down the communication so it can be recorded
- To comply with a legal requirement under the Communications Act 2003
Correct answer: To prevent mishearing of similar-sounding letters such as B, D, E, G, P, T, and V
The phonetic alphabet exists to prevent confusion between letters that sound similar, especially over radio where audio quality may be poor. For example, 'B' (Bravo), 'D' (Delta), and 'P' (Papa) are easily confused when spoken normally but are distinct in phonetic form.
Question 6: In an incident log, what does the term 'contemporaneous notes' mean?
- Notes written by two or more people at the same time
- Notes made at the time of, or as soon as practicable after, the incident they describe (Correct answer)
- Notes written in modern English rather than legal terminology
- Notes that are typed rather than handwritten
Correct answer: Notes made at the time of, or as soon as practicable after, the incident they describe
Contemporaneous notes are records made at the time of the event or as soon as practicable afterwards. They carry greater weight as evidence because memory fades rapidly. Courts give more credibility to notes made shortly after an incident than to recollections written days or weeks later.
SIA Communication Skills 2
When writing an incident report, which of the following entries best demonstrates professional report writing?