NYPD Police Communications Technician cheat sheet

Main idea: the sentence that covers the whole passage, not just one detail; test by asking 'what is the point?'

Inference: a conclusion logically required by the text; if it needs outside knowledge, it is not an inference.

Tone words: 'however', 'although', 'but' signal contrast; 'therefore', 'thus' signal conclusion; 'for example' signals illustration.

Fact vs. opinion: facts are verifiable; opinions use judgment words such as 'should', 'best', 'seems', 'likely'.

Active voice: 'The dispatcher logged the call' (clear) vs. passive 'The call was logged' (hides the actor).

Incident report order: time, location, caller identity, what happened, units dispatched, outcome.

Avoid ambiguity: replace 'he' or 'she' with the name or role when two people are in the sentence.

Numbers and times: write '2:15 a.m.' and '10-15' consistently; spell out numbers under 10 in narrative text.

Proofread for subject-verb agreement: 'The list of units is long' (subject 'list', not 'units').

Priority order: life-threatening emergencies first (crimes in progress, medical), then property crimes, then service calls.

Verify before recording: repeat names, addresses, and phone numbers back to the caller to confirm accuracy.

Record the five Ws: who, what, when, where, why; plus how and weapons involved if any.

Time-stamp each entry: note the exact time a call is received and each unit is dispatched.

Use objective language: record 'caller stated the man was yelling' not 'the man was angry'.

Source reliability: identify whether information is from the caller, a witness, or an officer on scene.

Flag missing data: if the caller cannot give a cross street, record 'location unconfirmed' and ask follow-up.

Dispatch log sequence: call received, nature of incident, location, units assigned, time en route, time on scene.

Stay calm and speak slowly: lower your voice and use short sentences when a caller is panicking.

Acknowledge feelings before facts: 'I understand you are frightened; I am sending help now.'

Ask one question at a time; do not interrupt a caller who is giving critical information.

If a caller is hostile, set a boundary: 'I want to help, but I need you to speak one at a time.'

Never promise outcomes you cannot control; say 'units are being sent' rather than 'they will be there in two minutes'.

Escalate to a supervisor when a call involves an officer-involved incident, a hostage situation, or media inquiry.

Protect confidentiality: do not confirm a caller's identity or location to an unverified third party.

Use closed-loop communication with units: 'Unit 12, confirm you copy the address' and wait for acknowledgment.

Chunking: group a 10-digit phone number as 3-3-4 and a license plate as 3 letters + 3 numbers.

Repeat-back technique: silently rehearse the address once before writing it down.

Prioritize recall: location and callback number are the two most critical items to retain.

Visualize the scene: associate the caller's description with a mental map of the street.

Note-taking shorthand: use standard abbreviations (apt, Ave, St, Blvd, N/S/E/W) to speed recording.

Avoid multitasking during critical details: stop typing while the caller gives the address.

Reconstruct sequence: after a call, review the log in time order to catch gaps.

Recency effect: the last item heard is often remembered best; confirm the first item (address) explicitly.

Map orientation: north is usually at the top; check the compass rose before reading directions.

Grid coordinates: read easting (horizontal) before northing (vertical), like 'x, y'.

Scale: a 1:24,000 map means 1 inch equals 24,000 inches (about 0.38 mile).

Street numbering: in most U.S. cities, numbers increase away from a central baseline; even/odd sides alternate.

Avenues vs. streets: in Manhattan, avenues run north-south and streets run east-west; numbers increase going north and east.

Cross streets: identify the nearest intersection by naming both streets, e.g., '5th Ave and E 42nd St'.

Distance estimation: use the scale bar to measure straight-line distance, then add for street grid detours.

Cardinal directions: N=0°, E=90°, S=180°, W=270°; a bearing of 135° is southeast.

Percent change: (new − old) ÷ old × 100; a drop from 80 to 60 is (60−80)/80×100 = −25%.

Average (mean): sum of values ÷ number of values; median is the middle value when sorted.

Unit rate: miles per hour = miles ÷ hours; 150 miles in 3 hours = 50 mph.

Time arithmetic: 2:45 p.m. plus 1 hour 30 minutes = 4:15 p.m.; borrow 60 minutes when subtracting.

Ratio and proportion: if 3 units cover 12 blocks, 5 units cover (5/3)×12 = 20 blocks.

Data checking: compare a transcribed number against the source digit by digit; a single transposed digit changes the value.

Coding accuracy: verify that a code (e.g., '10-4') matches the current authorized list; do not infer from memory.

Rounding: for dispatch times, round to the nearest minute only after all calculations are complete.