POST Dispatch Exam Study Guide
What does the term dispatcher mean? - Correct Answers -Means an employee of a
public safety agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions
What are the three primary duties of a dispatcher? - Correct Answers -1. Receive calls
for one or a combination of, emergency police, fire and medical services, and to
dispatch the appropriate personnel and equipment in response to calls
2. In response to emergency calls, make urgent decisions affecting the life, health, and
welfare of the public and public safety employees
3. Supervise dispatchers or direct a dispatch communication center
What are the requirements to take the dispatcher exam for applicants? - Correct
Answers -- Be a United States citizen
- Be 18 years of age or older at the time of employment as a dispatcher
- Be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D. equivalent
- Have not been convicted of a crime for which the applicant could have been punished
by imprisonment in a federal penitentiary or by imprisonment in the penitentiary of this
or another state
- Have demonstrated good moral character, as determined by a background
investigation
- Be free of any physical, emotional, or mental condition that might adversely affect the
performance of the applicant's duty as a dispatcher
Other requirements to take the Dispatcher exam? - Correct Answers -- Criminal History
Background Investigation
- Background Investigation
What additional requirements and certifications are necessary before one can become a
certified dispatcher? - Correct Answers -1. POST dispatcher application
2. Utah Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification
3. BCI proficiency certificate
4. ICS 100, ICS 200, NIMS 700 training
5. POST approved dispatch certification training
6. Pass POST dispatcher certification exam
Waiver Requirements for dispatcher course - Correct Answers -- Provide evidence the
applicant meets the requirements
,- Provide evidence applicant has completed an equivalent basic dispatcher course
- Pass a written examination
What is an inactive certification? - Correct Answers -Has not been engaged in the duties
of a dispatcher for 18 consecutive months
What is a lapsed certification? - Correct Answers -Has not been engaged in the duties
of a dispatcher for four continuous years
Video Relay - Correct Answers -A video telecommunication service that allows deaf,
hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video
telephones with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language interpreter.
VoIP - Correct Answers -Voice over Internet Protocol. A method of phone
communications that use broadband internet connections as opposed to traditional
phone circuits.
Wanton - Correct Answers -When an act, which causes injury, is done with a reckless,
malicious disregard of the rights or safety of other persons.
Warrant of Arrest - Correct Answers -A written order issued and signed by a judge or
magistrate, which allows the police to make a search or arrest a person.
Participation in dispatcher training and certification is at the option of whom? - Correct
Answers -The legislative body of each county or municipality that employs dispatchers
The minimum standards concerning dispatcher qualifications and training do not.. -
Correct Answers -Preclude counties or municipalities from establishing standards higher
than the minimum standards
How do you reinstate a lapsed certification? - Correct Answers -Completion of basic
training course and exam
How to reinstate an inactive certification? - Correct Answers -Written exam
What are the continuing education requirements for dispatchers? - Correct Answers -20
hours or more annually
Failure to obtain continuous training results in what? - Correct Answers -A lapsed or
inactive certification
What does POST need to be notified about when it comes to change of status? -
Correct Answers -1. Termination of employment
2. Reason for termination of employment
3. Name change
,What are the steps included for due process for revocation, suspension, or refusal of
certification? - Correct Answers -1. Notice of allegations
2. Opportunity for hearing before an Administrative Law Judge
3. Burden of proof for agency action is clear and convincing evidence
4. Burden of proof for affirmative defense is preponderance of the evidence
Cause for action on dispatcher's certification includes: - Correct Answers -1. Willfully
falsifies any information to obtain certification
2. Has any physical or mental disability affecting the dispatcher's ability to perform
duties
3. Is addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance, unless the dispatcher reports the
addiction to the employer and to the director as part of a departmental early intervention
process
4. Engages in conduct that is a state or federal criminal offense, but not including a
traffic offense that is a class C misdemeanor or infraction
5. Refuses to respond, or fails to respond truthfully to questions after having been
issued a warning based on Garrity v. New Jersey, 385 U.S. 493 (1967); or
6. Engages in sexual conduct while on duty
Responsibility for training rests on who? - Correct Answers -Individual or employing
agency. The division (POST) is not responsible for providing basic or in-service training
Who certify's the dispatcher's annual training? - Correct Answers -Head of the
employing agency
What are the types of law enforcement agencies/divisions? - Correct Answers -1. Local
2. County
3. State
4. Metropolitan/combined forces
5. Universities and school districts
6. Federal
What makes up a local agency? - Correct Answers -a. City Police
b. Town Marshal
What makes up a county agency? - Correct Answers -Sheriff's department
What makes up state agencies? - Correct Answers -a. Department of Public Safety
(DPS)
- i. Highway Patrol (UHP)
- ii. State Bureau of Investigations (SBI)
- iii. Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
b. Department of Natural Resources
- i. State Parks ii. Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR)
c. Department of Corrections
- i. Utah State Prison
, - ii. Adult Probation and Parole (AP&P)
d. Attorney General's Office
- i. Investigations
- ii. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
What makes up federal agencies? - Correct Answers -a. Department of Justice
- i. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- ii. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- iii. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- iv. U.S. Marshals Service
b. Department of Homeland Security
- i. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- ii. United States Secret Service (USSS)
- iii. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE)
- iv. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) v. U.S. Border Patrol (USBP)
- vi. Federal Protective Services (FPS)
- vii. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
- viii.Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMs)
c. Department of Agriculture
- i. Forest Service (USFS)/National Parks (NPS)
d. Department of the Interior
- i. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
What are divisions in law enforcement? - Correct Answers -1. Patrol
2. Traffic
3. Investigations
4. Specialty
5. Administration 6. Support Services
What is included under the specialty division? - Correct Answers -a. Special Weapons
and Tactics (SWAT/SERT)
b. K-9
c. Search and Rescue (SAR)
d. Narcotics e. Gangs
What are the law enforcement ranks? - Correct Answers -1. Chief of Police/Sheriff
2. Assistant Chief of Police/Undersheriff, Chief Deputy
3. Captain
4. Lieutenant
5. Sergeant
6. Corporal/Senior Patrol Officer
7. Officer/Deputy/Trooper/Agent
What are two essential functions for law enforcement agency? - Correct Answers -A.
Enforce the law
'B. Ensure the safety of the public
What does the term dispatcher mean? - Correct Answers -Means an employee of a
public safety agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions
What are the three primary duties of a dispatcher? - Correct Answers -1. Receive calls
for one or a combination of, emergency police, fire and medical services, and to
dispatch the appropriate personnel and equipment in response to calls
2. In response to emergency calls, make urgent decisions affecting the life, health, and
welfare of the public and public safety employees
3. Supervise dispatchers or direct a dispatch communication center
What are the requirements to take the dispatcher exam for applicants? - Correct
Answers -- Be a United States citizen
- Be 18 years of age or older at the time of employment as a dispatcher
- Be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D. equivalent
- Have not been convicted of a crime for which the applicant could have been punished
by imprisonment in a federal penitentiary or by imprisonment in the penitentiary of this
or another state
- Have demonstrated good moral character, as determined by a background
investigation
- Be free of any physical, emotional, or mental condition that might adversely affect the
performance of the applicant's duty as a dispatcher
Other requirements to take the Dispatcher exam? - Correct Answers -- Criminal History
Background Investigation
- Background Investigation
What additional requirements and certifications are necessary before one can become a
certified dispatcher? - Correct Answers -1. POST dispatcher application
2. Utah Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification
3. BCI proficiency certificate
4. ICS 100, ICS 200, NIMS 700 training
5. POST approved dispatch certification training
6. Pass POST dispatcher certification exam
Waiver Requirements for dispatcher course - Correct Answers -- Provide evidence the
applicant meets the requirements
,- Provide evidence applicant has completed an equivalent basic dispatcher course
- Pass a written examination
What is an inactive certification? - Correct Answers -Has not been engaged in the duties
of a dispatcher for 18 consecutive months
What is a lapsed certification? - Correct Answers -Has not been engaged in the duties
of a dispatcher for four continuous years
Video Relay - Correct Answers -A video telecommunication service that allows deaf,
hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video
telephones with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language interpreter.
VoIP - Correct Answers -Voice over Internet Protocol. A method of phone
communications that use broadband internet connections as opposed to traditional
phone circuits.
Wanton - Correct Answers -When an act, which causes injury, is done with a reckless,
malicious disregard of the rights or safety of other persons.
Warrant of Arrest - Correct Answers -A written order issued and signed by a judge or
magistrate, which allows the police to make a search or arrest a person.
Participation in dispatcher training and certification is at the option of whom? - Correct
Answers -The legislative body of each county or municipality that employs dispatchers
The minimum standards concerning dispatcher qualifications and training do not.. -
Correct Answers -Preclude counties or municipalities from establishing standards higher
than the minimum standards
How do you reinstate a lapsed certification? - Correct Answers -Completion of basic
training course and exam
How to reinstate an inactive certification? - Correct Answers -Written exam
What are the continuing education requirements for dispatchers? - Correct Answers -20
hours or more annually
Failure to obtain continuous training results in what? - Correct Answers -A lapsed or
inactive certification
What does POST need to be notified about when it comes to change of status? -
Correct Answers -1. Termination of employment
2. Reason for termination of employment
3. Name change
,What are the steps included for due process for revocation, suspension, or refusal of
certification? - Correct Answers -1. Notice of allegations
2. Opportunity for hearing before an Administrative Law Judge
3. Burden of proof for agency action is clear and convincing evidence
4. Burden of proof for affirmative defense is preponderance of the evidence
Cause for action on dispatcher's certification includes: - Correct Answers -1. Willfully
falsifies any information to obtain certification
2. Has any physical or mental disability affecting the dispatcher's ability to perform
duties
3. Is addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance, unless the dispatcher reports the
addiction to the employer and to the director as part of a departmental early intervention
process
4. Engages in conduct that is a state or federal criminal offense, but not including a
traffic offense that is a class C misdemeanor or infraction
5. Refuses to respond, or fails to respond truthfully to questions after having been
issued a warning based on Garrity v. New Jersey, 385 U.S. 493 (1967); or
6. Engages in sexual conduct while on duty
Responsibility for training rests on who? - Correct Answers -Individual or employing
agency. The division (POST) is not responsible for providing basic or in-service training
Who certify's the dispatcher's annual training? - Correct Answers -Head of the
employing agency
What are the types of law enforcement agencies/divisions? - Correct Answers -1. Local
2. County
3. State
4. Metropolitan/combined forces
5. Universities and school districts
6. Federal
What makes up a local agency? - Correct Answers -a. City Police
b. Town Marshal
What makes up a county agency? - Correct Answers -Sheriff's department
What makes up state agencies? - Correct Answers -a. Department of Public Safety
(DPS)
- i. Highway Patrol (UHP)
- ii. State Bureau of Investigations (SBI)
- iii. Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
b. Department of Natural Resources
- i. State Parks ii. Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR)
c. Department of Corrections
- i. Utah State Prison
, - ii. Adult Probation and Parole (AP&P)
d. Attorney General's Office
- i. Investigations
- ii. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
What makes up federal agencies? - Correct Answers -a. Department of Justice
- i. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- ii. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- iii. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- iv. U.S. Marshals Service
b. Department of Homeland Security
- i. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- ii. United States Secret Service (USSS)
- iii. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE)
- iv. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) v. U.S. Border Patrol (USBP)
- vi. Federal Protective Services (FPS)
- vii. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
- viii.Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMs)
c. Department of Agriculture
- i. Forest Service (USFS)/National Parks (NPS)
d. Department of the Interior
- i. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
What are divisions in law enforcement? - Correct Answers -1. Patrol
2. Traffic
3. Investigations
4. Specialty
5. Administration 6. Support Services
What is included under the specialty division? - Correct Answers -a. Special Weapons
and Tactics (SWAT/SERT)
b. K-9
c. Search and Rescue (SAR)
d. Narcotics e. Gangs
What are the law enforcement ranks? - Correct Answers -1. Chief of Police/Sheriff
2. Assistant Chief of Police/Undersheriff, Chief Deputy
3. Captain
4. Lieutenant
5. Sergeant
6. Corporal/Senior Patrol Officer
7. Officer/Deputy/Trooper/Agent
What are two essential functions for law enforcement agency? - Correct Answers -A.
Enforce the law
'B. Ensure the safety of the public
