NYPD Police Communications Technician Exam (DCAS)

Rule: Dispatch a Patrol unit for any report of a crime already completed with no injuries and no suspect on scene. Dispatch an Emergency Service Unit only when a person is trapped or a weapon is confirmed. A caller reports a bicycle stolen two hours ago; the thief is gone and no one is hurt. Which unit type should be dispatched under the rule?

• AEmergency Service Unit only
• BPatrol unit
• CNo unit — property crimes are never dispatched
• DEmergency Service Unit and Patrol together as required by the rule

Rule: If a caller reports an active assault with a weapon, mark the job Priority 1. If the assault has ended and the suspect fled more than 10 minutes ago, mark Priority 2. A caller says a man with a knife finished attacking someone and ran west about 15 minutes ago. What priority does the rule require?

• APriority 1
• BPriority 2
• CNeither priority applies
• DPriority 1 and Priority 2 at the same time

Rule: Transfer a medical-only call to EMS after confirming location and chief complaint. Keep a police unit only if a crime, traffic crash, or public-safety hazard is also reported. A caller states chest pain only, gives a full address, and denies any crime or crash. What does the rule require?

• AKeep a police unit as primary and do not contact EMS
• BTransfer to EMS after location and chief complaint are confirmed; do not keep a police un…
• CRefuse the call because police never handle medical complaints
• DSend both police and EMS only if the caller demands both

Rule: When two conflicting addresses are given, re-verify with the caller and use Automatic Location Identification (ALI) only as a backup if the caller cannot clarify. A caller first says 214 West 45th Street, then says 241 West 45th Street, and is still on the line. What is the correct next action under the rule?

• ADispatch immediately to 214 without checking
• BRe-verify the address with the caller before relying only on ALI
• CIgnore both addresses and close the call
• DUse only ALI and never ask the caller again

Rule: Broadcast a vehicle description only after you have color, body style, and either plate or unique damage. A caller reports a red four-door sedan with a large dent on the rear bumper but no plate. May you broadcast under the rule?

• ANo, because a plate is always required
• BYes, because color, body style, and unique damage are present
• CNo, because unique damage never counts
• DYes, only if the vehicle is still parked

Rule: If a Text-to-911 message includes a photo of an injured person and a street intersection, create a job at that intersection and note that multimedia was received. A Text-to-911 arrives with a photo of a bleeding person and the caption "Lexington & 86." What does the rule require?

• AIgnore the photo and wait for a voice call only
• BCreate a job at Lexington and 86th and note that multimedia was received
• CCreate a job only after the person types a full street address number
• DCreate the job but leave the multimedia undocumented because the photo is already stored…

Rule: Hold non-emergency noise complaints when Priority 1 jobs are pending in the same precinct. Release the noise job only when no Priority 1 jobs remain. Precinct 19 currently has two Priority 1 jobs and a new loud-music complaint. What should happen to the noise job?

• ADispatch it immediately ahead of Priority 1 jobs
• BHold it until no Priority 1 jobs remain in Precinct 19
• CCancel it permanently
• DUpgrade it to Priority 1 automatically

Rule: Request a Spanish-speaking unit only after the caller confirms Spanish is needed and no bilingual call-taker is available. A caller begins in English, then says "Español, por favor," and the only bilingual call-taker is on another line. What does the rule require?

• AContinue only in English and refuse any language note
• BRequest a Spanish-speaking unit because the caller confirmed Spanish is needed and no bil…
• CDisconnect until a bilingual call-taker is free
• DAssume English is fine because the caller first used English

Rule: For any report of shots fired, dispatch at least two units and keep the caller on the line until units are one minute away or the caller must hang up for safety. A caller reports two gunshots on their block and is still talking. Units are six minutes away. What must you do under the rule?

• ADispatch one unit only and hang up immediately
• BDispatch at least two units and keep the caller on the line for now
• CWait for confirmation from a second caller before dispatching
• DTell the caller to investigate the shots and call back

Rule: If a caller's stated age of a missing child is under 12, classify as Missing Child Immediate. Ages 12–17 are Missing Juvenile unless foul play is reported. A caller reports a 10-year-old missing for 20 minutes with no foul play. Classification under the rule?

• AMissing Juvenile
• BMissing Child Immediate
• CAdult missing person
• DNo classification until 24 hours pass

Rule: Enter a premise hazard flag only when the caller or a prior CAD note reports a known dog, weapon, or hazardous material at the location. A caller reports a burglary in progress and adds that a large unfriendly dog is inside. What does the rule require in the CAD entry?

• ANo hazard flag because dogs are never flagged
• BEnter a premise hazard flag for the known dog
• CEnter a hazard flag only after officers request it on scene
• DReplace the burglary type with animal complaint

Rule: If a caller cannot give a street address but can see a subway station name and borough, geolocate to that station entrance and note "approx — station landmark." A caller in Brooklyn can see the Prospect Park station entrance but has no street number. Correct action?

• ARefuse to create a job without a house number
• BGeolocate to the Prospect Park station entrance and note that the location is approximate…
• CEnter Brooklyn as the location with no landmark and let units search the area
• DAsk the caller to walk to the nearest street sign and call back with the number

Rule: Upgrade a domestic dispute to Domestic Violence Priority when any of the following is true: injury, weapon, violation of an order of protection, or children present during violence. A caller reports arguing with a spouse, no injuries, no weapon, no order of protection, and no children present. Classification?

• ADomestic Violence Priority
• BDomestic dispute without the Priority upgrade factors
• CAlways Priority regardless of factors
• DMedical-only call

Rule: When a unit marks "on scene" and later marks "unable to locate," recontact the caller once for updated location before closing the job as unfounded. A unit is unable to locate; the original caller’s number is still available. What is required?

• AClose immediately as unfounded without calling back
• BRecontact the caller once for an updated location before closing as unfounded
• CAssign a second unit to search the same address again before any recontact
• DClose the job as unfounded and note that the caller could not be reached

Three separate callers report: (1) screeching tires on Main Street at 9:02, (2) a blue car running a red light on Main at 9:03, (3) a blue car crashed into a hydrant on Main at 9:04. Which general conclusion best fits all three reports?

• AThree unrelated incidents on different streets
• BA single blue car likely involved in a short sequence of traffic events on Main Street
• COnly a hydrant problem with no vehicle involved
• DProof that the first caller fabricated the report

In one hour, four jobs from the same building include: smoke detector activation, smell of smoke on floor 3, occupant reporting haze in the hallway, and a person coughing from smoke. What is the best supported general conclusion?

• AA single faulty smoke detector is sounding with no actual smoke
• BThere is a developing smoke or fire problem in the building
• CAll four callers are describing a power outage with no smoke
• DOnly floor 12 is affected

Jobs logged this week for one intersection: two pedestrian-struck reports on Monday, one pedestrian-struck on Wednesday, and one pedestrian-struck on Friday, all during evening rush. What pattern is best supported?

• ANo pattern exists
• BThe intersection shows repeated pedestrian-injury risk during evening rush periods
• COnly Monday is ever a problem
• DPedestrian injuries occur only at midnight

A caller’s story changes: first "my neighbor is yelling," then "he might have a gun," then "I never saw a gun, I only heard a loud TV," then "send everyone with guns drawn." What is the best inductive assessment of the information quality?

• AEvery statement is equally reliable
• BThe account is inconsistent; treat weapon claims as unverified and keep clarifying facts
• CThe final statement must be true because it is last
• DNo emergency can exist if details change

Three units report: Unit A "subject left in a green van northbound," Unit B "green van turned east on 125th," Unit C "green van parked at 125th and Lexington." What conclusion is best supported?

• AThree different vans are involved with no connection
• BThe same green van likely moved north, then east, then stopped at 125th and Lexington
• CThe van never left the original scene
• DUnit C is describing a different van because a parked vehicle cannot be the one that was…

CAD notes for one phone number in a single night: hang-up, second call with crying only, third call whispering "he is back," fourth call disconnect. What general situation is best supported?

• AA prank with no risk indicators
• BA possible domestic or safety crisis with a caller who may be unable to speak freely
• CA confirmed commercial burglary
• DA weather-related power outage report

Five retail-theft jobs today share: same clothing description of the suspect, same shopping bag brand, and locations within three blocks. What is the best supported conclusion?

• AFive unrelated thieves with identical outfits by chance only
• BA single suspect or coordinated group may be working the same retail corridor
• CAll stores filed false reports
• DOne store was hit five times and the other locations are unrelated

A caller says the alarm is false every time it goes off, yet this activation includes a glass-break sensor, a motion alert in a closed store, and a neighbor reporting a broken window. What conclusion best reconciles the facts?

• AIgnore all sensors because the owner called it false once before
• BTreat this activation as a possible real break-in despite the owner’s general claim that…
• CDowngrade the job to a routine alarm because the owner is the account holder
• DHold the job until a second neighbor calls to confirm the broken window

Over 30 minutes: Caller A reports a smell of gas on floor 2; Caller B reports dizziness on floor 2; Caller C reports a hissing sound near the stove in apartment 2B. Best general conclusion?

• AUnrelated minor complaints with no common cause
• BA possible natural-gas hazard concentrated around apartment 2B / floor 2
• CConfirmed arson on floor 10
• DOnly a plumbing leak with no gas risk

Radio traffic shows: "10-85, need an additional unit," then "second unit on scene," then "subject now combative," then "request EMS for officer injury." What progression is best supported?

• AA routine administrative message with no field risk
• BAn escalating field event that grew from backup need to combativeness and an officer inju…
• CA training exercise only, because codes were used
• DProof that EMS was never needed

Four weekends in a row, Precinct X logs multiple loud-party jobs on the same block between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. What operational conclusion is most reasonable?

• ANoise issues on that block are random and never recur
• BThat block has a recurring late-night noise problem on weekends
• CThe problem only exists on weekday mornings
• DAll noise jobs citywide come from that one block

A license plate is reported as ABC-123 on call 1, ACB-123 on call 2, and ABC-123 on call 3 from a different witness who saw the plate clearly. What is the best supported plate to prioritize?

• AACB-123 only, because it is the middle report
• BABC-123, because two independent reports agree and one may be a transposition
• CNo plate can be entered until all three witnesses agree exactly
• DBroadcast both plates as equally likely without noting which is better supported