NYPD Police Communications Technician flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main idea

The central point that a whole passage supports; it is broader than any single detail and is often stated in the first or last sentence.

Inference

A conclusion that follows logically from stated facts without adding outside information; if it requires assumptions beyond the text, it is not a valid inference.

Active voice

A sentence structure where the subject performs the action, as in 'The dispatcher logged the call,' which is clearer and more direct than passive voice.

Incident report order

A standard sequence for written reports: time, location, caller identity, what happened, units dispatched, and outcome, so readers can follow the event chronologically.

Subject-verb agreement

The rule that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb, even when words come between them, as in 'The list of units is long.'

Priority order

The ranking of calls for service: life-threatening emergencies first, then property crimes, then non-urgent service calls, based on risk to life and safety.

Read-back verification

Repeating a caller's name, address, and phone number back to them to confirm accuracy before recording it in the dispatch log.

Five Ws

Who, what, when, where, and why; a checklist for gathering complete incident information, often extended with how and weapons involved.

Objective language

Recording only observable facts, such as 'caller stated the man was yelling,' rather than interpretations or judgments like 'the man was angry.'

Time-stamping

Noting the exact time each event occurs in a dispatch log, such as call received, unit dispatched, and unit on scene, to create an accurate timeline.

Source reliability

Identifying whether information comes from the caller, a witness, or an officer on scene, because each source has different knowledge and credibility.

De-escalation phrase

A calm, acknowledging statement used with an upset caller, such as 'I understand you are frightened; I am sending help now,' to reduce tension and gather information.

Closed-loop communication

A technique where the sender gives a message and the receiver repeats it back for confirmation, ensuring that dispatch instructions are correctly understood.

Boundary setting

A polite limit stated to a hostile caller, such as 'I want to help, but I need you to speak one at a time,' to maintain control of the conversation.

Escalation triggers

Situations that require a supervisor, such as officer-involved incidents, hostage situations, or media inquiries, because they exceed routine dispatcher authority.

Confidentiality

The rule that a dispatcher does not confirm a caller's identity or location to an unverified third party, protecting privacy and safety.

Chunking

A memory technique that groups information into small units, such as a phone number as 3-3-4 or a plate as three letters plus three numbers.

Critical recall items

The two most important pieces of information to retain from a call: the location of the incident and the caller's callback number.

Repeat-back rehearsal

Silently repeating a detail, such as an address, once before writing it down to strengthen short-term memory and reduce transcription errors.

Shorthand abbreviations

Standard shortened forms used in dispatch notes, such as Apt, Ave, St, Blvd, and N/S/E/W, to record information quickly and consistently.

Recency effect

The tendency to remember the last items heard best; because of this, a dispatcher should explicitly confirm the first critical item, such as the address.

Map orientation

The alignment of a map, usually with north at the top; always check the compass rose before giving or reading directions.

Grid coordinates

A pair of numbers locating a point on a map, read as easting (horizontal) first and northing (vertical) second, like x, y.

Map scale

The ratio of map distance to real distance; a 1:24,000 scale means one inch on the map equals 24,000 inches, or about 0.38 mile, on the ground.

Street numbering pattern

In many U.S. cities, street numbers increase away from a central baseline, and even and odd numbers alternate on opposite sides of the street.

Manhattan grid rule

In Manhattan, avenues run north-south and streets run east-west; street numbers increase going north, and avenue numbers increase going east.

Cross streets

The two intersecting streets that identify a location, stated together, such as '5th Avenue and East 42nd Street,' to give a precise dispatch point.

Cardinal bearings

Compass directions expressed in degrees: north is 0°, east is 90°, south is 180°, and west is 270°; a bearing of 135° is southeast.

Percent change

The formula (new value minus old value) divided by old value, times 100; a drop from 80 to 60 is (60−80)/80×100 = −25%.

Mean vs. median

The mean is the sum of values divided by the number of values; the median is the middle value when the data are sorted from least to greatest.

Unit rate

A ratio that compares a quantity to one unit of another, such as miles per hour, found by dividing miles by hours: 150 miles ÷ 3 hours = 50 mph.

Data checking

Comparing a transcribed number against its source digit by digit, because a single transposed digit changes the value and can send units to the wrong address.