1|Page
APCO TEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
List the combined verbal and nonverbal elements that communicate to the
telecommunicator the situation being reported - ✔✔Comfortable tone
Encourages conversation
Demonstrates interest
Signals understanding
Message format
List and describe the six components of the communications cycle - ✔✔The sender: the
person who initiates the conversation
Receiver: The target of the conversation. Can be a person or group.
Message: THe idea/purpose of the conversation
Medium: The form in which the message is transferred between the sender and
receiver.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
,2|Page
Context: The situation in which the exchange takes place, this includes the relationship
between the sender and receiver.
Feedback: The response from the receiver to the sender as perceived by the receiver
Define active listening - ✔✔Showing interest and understanding in the conversation
through a means of physical and verbal cues
Define open-ended questions and give an example - ✔✔Questions that require a
response beyond a "yes" or "no" forcing the receiver to provide more information. Ex:
"How did this happen?"
Define "in progress" calls. - ✔✔Those with an imminent threat to life or property and
require an immediate dispatch
Define "just occurred" calls. - ✔✔There is no immediate threat to life or property
Define "delayed" calls. - ✔✔When the time of occurrence is unknown and the incident
requires a report or investigation
Define "abduction/kidnapping" - ✔✔The forcible taking of a person or persons against
their will, sometimes with the goal of demanding a ransom or other type of
compensation for their return.
Explain what the word telematics refers to - ✔✔The technology and industry involved
in delivering location based services to consumer driven vehicles.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
,3|Page
Explain the AMBER Alert system and how it works. - ✔✔A nationwide system that is
organized under state or regional plans for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of
abducted or endangered children. It uses the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to
broadcast a description of the missing child and the suspected abductor throughout the
affected community and neighbouring areas.
Define paraphrasing and give an example. - ✔✔A short restatement of a previous
statement showing understanding. Ex: Sender: "He has a gun!" Receiver: "So you say he
has a gun?"
Define reflecting feelings and give an example. - ✔✔A short statement restating the
feelings or emotions of the sender. Ex: "I understand that you're feeling scared"
List the common traps that may prevent or discourage active listening. -
✔✔Conversation overload
Personal preoccupation
Rate of thought
Noise
Assumptions
Explain why it is important that telecommunicators use clear speech and proper diction.
- ✔✔It allows for a better understanding of the situation for both the receiver and the
sender.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
, 4|Page
Explain the difference between an observation and an inference. - ✔✔An observation is
the act of recording true facts and events whilst an inference is the coming to a
conclusion based on something known or assumed.
Describe how a telecommunicator can provide good customer service. - ✔✔Focussing
on the caller, receiving the call, being approachable, expressing empathy, being
responsive, being friendly, flexible, reliable, and fast.
List the technologies telematics integrates - ✔✔Emergency key press , automatic crash
notification calls and vehicle location assistance.
Describe the important dispatch factors for motor vehicle accidents/wrecks -
✔✔Apparent injuries, the presence of flames, smoke visible or fuel spill, and if anyone
is trapped or pinned inside the vehicle.
Define "hit and run" - ✔✔Motor vehicle accidents where at least one party has left the
scene
Describe the difference between an assault and a battery - ✔✔An assault typically does
not involve any physical contact, while battery infers some type of physical contact has
occurred
State how the telecommunicator should record the wording of a bomb threat -
✔✔Record the EXACT wording of the threat
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
APCO TEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
List the combined verbal and nonverbal elements that communicate to the
telecommunicator the situation being reported - ✔✔Comfortable tone
Encourages conversation
Demonstrates interest
Signals understanding
Message format
List and describe the six components of the communications cycle - ✔✔The sender: the
person who initiates the conversation
Receiver: The target of the conversation. Can be a person or group.
Message: THe idea/purpose of the conversation
Medium: The form in which the message is transferred between the sender and
receiver.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
,2|Page
Context: The situation in which the exchange takes place, this includes the relationship
between the sender and receiver.
Feedback: The response from the receiver to the sender as perceived by the receiver
Define active listening - ✔✔Showing interest and understanding in the conversation
through a means of physical and verbal cues
Define open-ended questions and give an example - ✔✔Questions that require a
response beyond a "yes" or "no" forcing the receiver to provide more information. Ex:
"How did this happen?"
Define "in progress" calls. - ✔✔Those with an imminent threat to life or property and
require an immediate dispatch
Define "just occurred" calls. - ✔✔There is no immediate threat to life or property
Define "delayed" calls. - ✔✔When the time of occurrence is unknown and the incident
requires a report or investigation
Define "abduction/kidnapping" - ✔✔The forcible taking of a person or persons against
their will, sometimes with the goal of demanding a ransom or other type of
compensation for their return.
Explain what the word telematics refers to - ✔✔The technology and industry involved
in delivering location based services to consumer driven vehicles.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
,3|Page
Explain the AMBER Alert system and how it works. - ✔✔A nationwide system that is
organized under state or regional plans for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of
abducted or endangered children. It uses the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to
broadcast a description of the missing child and the suspected abductor throughout the
affected community and neighbouring areas.
Define paraphrasing and give an example. - ✔✔A short restatement of a previous
statement showing understanding. Ex: Sender: "He has a gun!" Receiver: "So you say he
has a gun?"
Define reflecting feelings and give an example. - ✔✔A short statement restating the
feelings or emotions of the sender. Ex: "I understand that you're feeling scared"
List the common traps that may prevent or discourage active listening. -
✔✔Conversation overload
Personal preoccupation
Rate of thought
Noise
Assumptions
Explain why it is important that telecommunicators use clear speech and proper diction.
- ✔✔It allows for a better understanding of the situation for both the receiver and the
sender.
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
, 4|Page
Explain the difference between an observation and an inference. - ✔✔An observation is
the act of recording true facts and events whilst an inference is the coming to a
conclusion based on something known or assumed.
Describe how a telecommunicator can provide good customer service. - ✔✔Focussing
on the caller, receiving the call, being approachable, expressing empathy, being
responsive, being friendly, flexible, reliable, and fast.
List the technologies telematics integrates - ✔✔Emergency key press , automatic crash
notification calls and vehicle location assistance.
Describe the important dispatch factors for motor vehicle accidents/wrecks -
✔✔Apparent injuries, the presence of flames, smoke visible or fuel spill, and if anyone
is trapped or pinned inside the vehicle.
Define "hit and run" - ✔✔Motor vehicle accidents where at least one party has left the
scene
Describe the difference between an assault and a battery - ✔✔An assault typically does
not involve any physical contact, while battery infers some type of physical contact has
occurred
State how the telecommunicator should record the wording of a bomb threat -
✔✔Record the EXACT wording of the threat
Katelyn Whitman© 2025, All Rights Reserved.
