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Question 1. When entering a caller’s address into the dispatch computer, which field should be filled first to ensure correct sorting? A) Street Number B) Street Name C) City D) ZIP Code Answer: A Explanation: Most dispatch databases sort alphabetically after the numeric street number, so entering the number first prevents mis-ordering. Question 2. A dispatcher receives a pop-up alert that reads “Fire – 2nd floor, commercial building.” Which agency should be dispatched first? A) Police Patrol B) Fire Engine 4 C) EMS Unit 12 D) Haz-Mat Team Answer: B Explanation: The description indicates a fire; the fire engine is the primary responder. Question 3. While on a call, the dispatcher must locate a business phone number in an alphabetical list. Which technique speeds the search most? A) Scan from the top down until you see the first “S” B) Use the “Ctrl+F” function to type the first three letters C) Flip the pages randomly until you find the name D) Count each entry manually Answer: B
Explanation: The search function directly jumps to the matching entry, saving time. Question 4. In audio comprehension, which piece of information is least likely to be considered “essential” for a violent-crime report? A) The suspect’s height B) The brand of the caller’s coffee mug C) The weapon used D) The exact street intersection Answer: B Explanation: The coffee mug brand does not affect response or investigation. Question 5. A caller says, “There’s a black sedan with a dent on the driver’s side, license plate 7XK-4B2, speeding east on Peachtree.” Which detail should be recorded first? A) Color of the vehicle B) Direction of travel C) License plate number D) Location description Answer: C Explanation: The license plate uniquely identifies the vehicle and is critical for follow-up. Question 6. Which of the following summaries best captures the essential facts of a call reporting a “person with a knife at the corner of 10th St and Marietta?” A) “Knife-related incident at 10th and Marietta.” B) “Caller heard a noise near 10th St.” C) “Person with a knife, location 10th St & Marietta, possible threat.”
B) “Male suspect, approx. 6’2”, 210 lb, black hoodie, fled on foot eastward on Peachtree.” C) “There was a male suspect.” D) “A suspect ran.” Answer: B Explanation: It provides specific, unambiguous details useful for identification. Question 10. Choose the correctly spelled term used in police reports. A) Suspect B) Victum C) Evidence D) Offencive Answer: C Explanation: “Evidence” is the proper spelling; the others are misspelled. Question 11. According to the Atlanta SOP, what is the minimum amount of time a dispatcher must wait before re-dispatching the same unit to a new call? A) 1 minute B) 3 minutes C) 5 minutes D) 10 minutes Answer: B Explanation: SOPs require a 3-minute buffer to prevent overload and ensure the unit is ready. Question 12. In a prioritization matrix, which call type ranks highest?
A) Noise complaint after midnight B) Structure fire with occupants inside C) Lost pet report D) Minor traffic accident with no injuries Answer: B Explanation: Life-safety incidents (occupied fire) outrank all others. Question 13. Two calls arrive simultaneously: a domestic violence incident and a minor property theft. Which unit should be dispatched first? A) Unit assigned to property theft B) Unit assigned to domestic violence C) Both at the same time D) Wait for supervisor direction Answer: B Explanation: Domestic violence often involves potential harm to persons, making it higher priority. Question 14. Which reasoning method applies when a dispatcher uses the rule “All fires require a fire engine” to decide dispatch? A) Inductive B) Deductive C) Abductive D) Analogical Answer: B Explanation: Applying a general rule to a specific situation is deductive reasoning.
Answer: B Explanation: Fuel used = 45 mi ÷ 15 mpg = 3 gallons; remaining = 10 – 3 = 7 gallons. Question 18. In the CAD system, what does the “Status: En-Route” indicator signify? A) Unit is on break B Wait— we need correct answer. Let's correct: In CAD, “En-Route” means the unit is traveling to the incident. Answer: B Explanation: “En-Route” displays that the unit has been dispatched and is heading to the scene. Question 19. Which Georgia NCIC data field contains a suspect’s prior convictions? A) 1A – Personal Identifiers B) 2B – Physical Description C) 4C – Criminal History D) 5D – Vehicle Information Answer: C Explanation: The Criminal History segment (4C) stores prior convictions. Question 20. On an Atlanta zoning map, Zone A typically includes which of the following? A) Residential neighborhoods only B) Commercial districts and major highways C) Industrial parks and warehouses
D) Airport property only Answer: B Explanation: Zone A is designated for mixed commercial use and major thoroughfares in Atlanta. Question 21. When typing a caller’s phone number, which format minimizes entry errors? A) 404- 555 - 1234 B) (404)555- 1234 C) 4045551234 D) 404.555. Answer: A Explanation: Hyphens separate groups, making it easier to verify each segment. Question 22. A dispatcher must decide whether to send a police car or a bike unit to a “minor traffic violation” on a one-way street. Which factor is most relevant? A) Weather conditions B) Time of day C) Traffic volume on the street D) Availability of a bike unit Answer: C Explanation: High traffic volume may impede a bike unit; thus traffic volume dictates the appropriate resource. Question 23. Which of the following is an example of “noise” that should be filtered out during an emergency call? A) The caller stating the suspect’s height
Question 26. The dispatcher hears a license plate “9ZK-3LM”. Which mnemonic helps retain the sequence? A) “9 Zebras Keep 3 Little Monkeys” B) “Nine Zeros Keep Three Llamas” C) “9 Z K 3 L M – easy as ABC” D) “9-Z-K- 3 - L-M” repeated slowly Answer: D Explanation: Repeating the exact characters preserves the precise order. Question 27. Which of these arithmetic operations is needed to calculate the ETA if a unit is 8 mi away traveling at 40 mph? A) Multiplication B) Division C) Addition D) Subtraction Answer: B Explanation: Time = Distance ÷ Speed; thus division is required. Question 28. A dispatcher must enter a caller’s name “O’Connor”. Which keystroke ensures the apostrophe is recorded correctly? A) Type O followed by space and C B) Use the “’” key directly after O C) Enter “O Connor” without punctuation D) Use double quotes around the name Answer: B Explanation: The apostrophe key stores the correct punctuation in the database.
Question 29. Which of the following statements best demonstrates deductive reasoning? A) “Most burglaries happen at night, so this burglary probably occurred after dark.” B) “All police officers wear badges; Officer Smith is a police officer; therefore he wears a badge.” C) “We have seen three car thefts on Elm St; the next one will likely be on Elm St.” D) “The suspect is tall; many tall people are athletes; therefore the suspect is an athlete.” Answer: B Explanation: The conclusion follows logically from two general premises. Question 30. In a scenario where a fire alarm sounds and the caller reports “no one is inside,” what is the appropriate dispatch priority? A) Low – treat as false alarm B) Medium – send fire engine for check-up C) High – send fire engine regardless of occupancy D) Cancel the call Answer: C Explanation: Fires can reignite; a fire engine must be dispatched even if no occupants are present. Question 31. Which map symbol indicates a one-way street on an Atlanta street map? A) Double arrow pointing opposite directions B) Single arrow showing permitted direction C) Dashed line D) Red circle
D) (120 – 80) ÷ 2
Answer: B Explanation: MAP = (2 × diastolic + systolic) ÷ 3 = (2 × 80 + 120)/3 = 93.3 mm Hg. Question 35. Which of the following is the most appropriate response when a caller is screaming and cannot be heard clearly? A) Ask the caller to repeat everything slowly. B) Immediately dispatch the nearest unit and request clarification later. C) Ask the caller to type the information into a text box. D) End the call and log a missed call. Answer: B Explanation: Safety is paramount; dispatch proceeds while seeking clarification. Question 36. In the NCIC system, what does a “Terror Alert” flag indicate? A) A routine traffic stop B) A suspect associated with a terrorism investigation C) A missing person report D) A vehicle registration renewal Answer: B Explanation: The flag alerts responders to a potential terrorism-related threat. Question 37. Which unit type should be dispatched first to a “medical emergency with cardiac arrest” when both EMS and police are available? A) Police Patrol B) EMS Cardiac Response Team
C) Fire Engine D) K-9 Unit Answer: B Explanation: Cardiac arrest requires immediate medical intervention; EMS is priority. Question 38. A dispatcher must calculate the time difference between 14:35 and 15:20. What is the result? A) 35 minutes B) 45 minutes C) 55 minutes D) 65 minutes Answer: B Explanation: 15:20 – 14:35 = 45 minutes. Question 39. Which of the following best illustrates inductive reasoning? A) “All traffic lights are red; this light is red; therefore it is a traffic light.” B) “Three robberies occurred on Oak St; therefore future robberies are likely on Oak St.” C) “If it rains, the streets become wet; it is raining; the streets are wet.” D) “All officers wear uniforms; Officer Lee is an officer; therefore he wears a uniform.” Answer: B Explanation: Specific observations lead to a broader generalization. Question 40. When a dispatcher receives a call about a “person with a firearm at the corner of 3rd and Peachtree,” which additional piece of information is most critical? A) The suspect’s shoe size
B) Assigning a priority level based on severity and resources needed C) Transferring the call to a supervisor D) Ending the call after the first question Answer: B Explanation: Triage is the process of ranking calls for appropriate response. Question 44. An officer reports a suspect’s height as “6-1/2 feet.” Which numeric entry is most appropriate for the CAD field? A) 6. B) 6’½ C) 6-1/ D) 6.5 ft Answer: A Explanation: Decimal format (6.5) is standard for numeric fields. Question 45. Which of the following is a legal requirement for dispatcher communication? A) Using slang to speed up conversation B) Maintaining a clear, concise, and accurate record of the call C) Adding personal opinions about the caller D) Speaking in a whisper to keep callers calm Answer: B Explanation: Accurate documentation is essential for legal and operational integrity. Question 46. When a dispatcher receives a call about a “minor vehicle collision with no injuries,” what is the appropriate dispatch decision? A) Send two fire engines and an EMS unit
B) Dispatch a police patrol unit only C) No unit dispatch; advise caller to move vehicles D) Dispatch a tow truck immediately Answer: B Explanation: Police are needed to manage traffic and complete reports; EMS is unnecessary. Question 47. If a caller says “There’s a strong smell of gas near the old warehouse on Ivy St,” which agency should be alerted first? A) Police Patrol B) Fire Engine with Haz-Mat capabilities C) EMS Unit 7 D) Animal Control Answer: B Explanation: Gas leaks pose fire and explosion hazards; Haz-Mat fire unit is primary. Question 48. Which of the following is the most efficient method for a dispatcher to verify a caller’s address when the street name is misspelled? A) Ask the caller to spell each letter slowly B) Use the GIS auto-complete function that suggests nearest matches C) Guess based on the ZIP code D) Cancel the call and request a callback Answer: B Explanation: GIS auto-complete quickly identifies the correct street despite misspellings.
D) Large crowd gathered Answer: A Explanation: Low traffic allows a bike to navigate quickly and quietly. Question 52. Which of the following is the correct way to log a suspect’s age when unknown? A) 0 B) N/A C) Unknown D) 99 Answer: C Explanation: “Unknown” clearly indicates the information is not available. Question 53. In the CAD system, the field “Call Type = 211” corresponds to which incident? A) Burglary B) Domestic Violence C) Traffic Accident – Injury D) Fire – Structure Answer: C Explanation: Code 211 is the standard designation for an injury traffic collision. Question 54. Which of the following statements is true regarding “one-way” streets? A) Vehicles may travel in either direction. B) The opposite direction is permitted during emergencies.
C) Only the indicated direction may be used unless a supervisor authorizes otherwise. D) One-way streets are always two lanes wide. Answer: C Explanation: Legal travel is limited to the posted direction unless special authorization is given. Question 55. A caller reports “multiple gunshots heard on the 500 block of Glenwood Ave.” Which piece of information should be obtained next? A) The color of the suspect’s shoes B) Whether anyone is injured C) The make of the nearest car D) The caller’s favorite sports team Answer: B Explanation: Determining injuries dictates the urgency and resources needed. Question 56. Which arithmetic operation is needed to determine the number of units required if each unit can cover 12 sq mi and the incident area is 48 sq mi? A) Subtraction B) Division C) Multiplication D) Addition Answer: B Explanation: 48 ÷ 12 = 4 units are required. Question 57. When a dispatcher hears a license plate “AB- 1234 ”, which mnemonic helps recall it?
