Dispatch Pro 2020-2024 Lesson Summaries

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as articles and links to additional resources to expand the lesson taker’s knowledge base. This lesson consists of the following:

Lesson: She Shot Him

Key points:

1. Determining exact locations of places and people.

2. Effective use of calming techniques.

3. Clarifying conflicting information.

4. Following the standard guideline for gathering information.

5. Addressing caller, officer, and scene safety.

Learning Point Articles

1. Domestic Violence: A Frequent Threat

2. Dispatchers Mitigating the Risk of Domestic Violence

3. You Called 9-1-1 to Order a Pizza?

Psychology Snapshot and Dispatcher Mental Health

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing. – By Katy Burno JD, MBA, LMSW

2. Understanding Domestic Violence – Dr. Stella Benami, Clinical Psychologist

Medical Objectives

1. How to Treat a Gunshot Wound until Help Arrives

2. Stop the Bleed

3. How to Make an Improvised Tourniquet

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following:

9-1-1 Call
Man shoots six and then himself.

Key Points

1. Interviewing a caller reporting secondhand information.

2. Identifying all involved parties and obtaining full descriptions.

3. Using the standard questioning format to gather information.

4. Determining exact locations of places and people.

5. Providing assurances early and often.

Learning Point Articles

1. How to Survive an Active Shooter: The FBI’s Run, Hide, Fight Method.

2. How 9-1-1 Dispatchers Can Help in an Active Shooting.

Psychology Snapshot and Dispatcher Mental Health

1. TBI and CTE – Dr. Stella Benami, Clinical Psychologist

2. Do Absolutely Nothing – Katy Burno JD, MBA, LMSW

This lesson addresses what 9-1-1 dispatchers need to know about:

• Intellectual disabilities

• Autism spectrum disorder

• Cerebral palsy

• Epilepsy

• Traumatic brain injury

• Prader-Willi Syndrome

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

This lesson addresses what 9-1-1 dispatchers need to know about human trafficking investigations, including:

• What is Human Trafficking?

• Federal Laws Against Human Trafficking.

• Misconceptions about Human Trafficking.

• Tactics of Human Traffickers.

• Signs of Human Trafficking.

• Methods of Curbing Supply and Demand.

• Investigation Tips.

• Victim’s Rights and Resources.

This lesson addresses the First Amendment rights of Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Speech including the subtopics listed below:

• What are the recognized limits on a person’s constitutional right to assemble?

• When may law enforcement officers use force against protesters?

• What is symbolic speech?

• Does the First Amendment protect all speech, including fighting words and true threats?

• Are there limits on what people can say to law enforcement officers?

• Do people have the right to record police activities?

• What are the First Amendment rights of law enforcement officials?

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller reporting that he found a baby in a dumpster.

Key Topics:

1. Gaining and maintaining control of the interview.

2. Proper use of repetitive persistence.

3. Proving assurances early and often.

4. Obtaining the caller’s exact location

5. Identifying all individuals involved.

Learning Point: Safe Haven Boxes

Call 2: A man reporting he was ready to kill his wife.

Key Topics:

1. Determining the extent of injuries.

2. Obtaining mental health information.

3. Providing instructions for officer arrival.

4. Gathering information on weapon involvement.

5. Separating individuals involved in violent events.

Learning Point: Managing Telephone Electronic Feedback

Additional Resources:

1. Why Do Parents Abandon Their Children?

2. What Causes Low Body Temperature in Babies?

3. The Long-Term Effects of Abandonment.

4. What to Know About Alcohol and Mental Health.

5. Facial Trauma.

6. Tips for Using a Phone with Hearing Aids.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 call:

Call 1 – A caller reporting his brother shot his parents.

Key points:

1. Importance of addressing caller safety.

2. Necessity of calming techniques and assurances.

3. Determining the locations of all involved parties.

4. Listening for red flags.

5. Following standard questioning format.

Medical Objectives & Additional Articles

1. How to Handle a Gunshot Wound

2. What is Schizophrenia?

3. 21 Common Reactions to Trauma

Learning Point: How Quickly House Fires Burn.

Dispatcher Mental Health: The Power of Attention

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1 – A caller reporting that someone shote into her home and her two-year-old son has been hit.

Key points:

1. Ensuring safety information is gathered.

2. Following the standard questioning guideline.

3. Conducting an interview with compassion and empathy.

4. Listening to background conversations.

5. Maintaining control of the interview.

Learning Point: Dispatcher Wellness

Medical Objectives & Additional Articles

1. The difference in treating child victims of gun violence versus adults.

2. How to handle a gunshot wound.

3. What a bullet does to a human body.

4. Guns in the home: How to keep kids safe.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller who says he is going to turn himself in for killing a woman.

Key Topics:

1. Listening for red flags.

2. When to employ empathy.

3. Remaining neutral in difficult situations.

4. Following the standard questioning format.

5. Obtaining weapon information.

Learning Point: Swatting – A Public Safety Threat

Call 2: A caller reporting that she just found her son shot to death.

Key Topics:

1. Using the caller’s name.

2. Paying attention to background voices.

3. Gaps of silence.

4. Providing assurances.

5. Addressing caller safety.

Learning Point: Establishing an Accurate Timeline

Additional Resources:

1. The Effects of Crack Cocaine.

2. Skull Fractures.

3. Do the Job Right.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller reporting that his wife is missing.

Key Topics:

1. Crime scene preservation.

2. Using calming techniques.

3. Following up on necessary topics.

4. Gathering information on multiple locations.

5. Establishing timelines.

Learning Point: Find My App & Workout Trackers.

Call 2: A caller reporting that his neighbor has been shot by her husband.

Key Topics:

1. Following the standard questioning format.

2. Maintaining the caller’s attention.

3. Addressing caller safety.

4. The importance of assurances.

5. Obtaining detailed descriptions.

Learning Point: Crisis Negotiation Teams

Additional Resources:

1. What You Should Know About Attention-Seeking Behavior in Adults.

2. Attention Seeking Behavior: Examples & How to Stop.

3. What is self-inflicted injury?

4. Domestic Murder-Suicide: A Compound Tragedy.

5. Treatment and Recovery for a Severed Finger.

6. Why Do Head Injuries Bleed so Much?

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller reporting that a woman was being chased by a bear.

Key Topics:

1. Obtaining address information.

2. Gathering weapon details.

3. Following the standard questioning format.

4. Preventing gaps in the interview.

5. Anticipating a change in circumstances.

Learning Point: Bears and Humans – Coexisting in a Crowded World.

Call 2: A caller reporting that her friend killed his girlfriend and wants her to meet him at a lake to dispose of the body.

Key Topics:

1. Ways to obtain an address.

2. Addressing caller safety.

3. Avoiding tunnel vision.

4. Gathering complete descriptions.

5. Providing assurances early and often.

Learning Point: Obtaining Locations from Mapping Applications.

Additional Resources:

1. Strangulation Injury - Emergency Management.

2. The Dangers of Strangulation

3. Initial Management of Trauma in Adults.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller reporting that he just stabbed a man who attacked him.

Key Topics:

1. Confirming the location first.

2. Obtaining complete injury information.

3. Asking open-ended questions.

4. Providing officer contact instructions.

5. Gathering weapon information.

Learning Point: Importance of Inflection and Tone

Call 2: A caller believes he has killed someone in his home after waking up covered in blood.

Key Topics:

1. Keeping emotions in check.

2. Determining when to provide medical aid.

3. Addressing caller safety.

4. Listening for red flags.

5. Anticipating a change in circumstances.

Learning Point: Disorientation

Additional Resources:

1. Shock

2. Adrenal Hormones

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller is reporting that he just watched his girlfriend get kidnapped from in front of his house.

Key Topics:

1. Establishing accurate timelines.

2. Obtaining detailed descriptions.

3. Maintaining control of the interview.

4. Conveying compassion and keeping the caller engaged.

5. Gathering weapon information.

Learning Point: Using Technology to Locate a Caller

Call 2: An off-duty Sheriff's Lieutenant shot a man after the subject jumped on his truck and broke his windshield.

Key Topics:

1. Listening to background conversations.

2. Obtaining weapon information.

3. Determining the exact location.

4. Handling officer involved incidents.

5. Addressing caller safety.

Learning Point: Stand Your Ground

Additional Resources:

1. What a Bullet Does to a Human Body.

2. Dispelling the Myth of Violence and Mental Illness.

3. Coping In the Aftermath of a Shooting.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A young female is hiding in the basement after seeing someone break into her home.

Key Topics:

1. Confirming Addresses

2. Proper questioning techniques.

3. Managing young callers.

4. Obtaining full suspect descriptions

5. Addressing caller safety.

Learning Point: Providing Non-Audible Response Safety Instructions to a Concealed Caller

Call 2: A caller is reporting that an airplane dropped fuel on an elementary school.

Key Topics:

1. Following the standard questioning technique.

2. Obtaining the caller’s name and phone number early.

3. Determining the best response route.

4. Providing assurances early and often.

5. When to transfer a caller.

Learning Point: Mass Casualty Incidents

Additional resources:

1. Effects of Jet-Propulsion Fuel 8 on the Nervous System.

2. A Geospatial Analysis of the Effects of Aviation Gasoline on Childhood Blood Lead Levels.

3. Medical Management Guidelines for Gasoline.

This one-hour online training will walk the taker through each of the major components of call taking while breaking down and analyzing a real 9-1-1 call. The lesson will challenge the taker to think critically while providing tips and techniques to enhance their skillset. In addition, it will provide the background and resolution of the incident as well as links to additional resources to expand the taker’s knowledgebase. This lesson consists of the following 9-1-1 calls:

Call 1: A caller thinks her mother has been murdered after finding her covered in blood.

Key Topics:

1. Addressing caller and scene safety.

2. Identifying all involved parties.

3. Establishing timelines.

4. Controlling the interview.

5. Obtaining exact locations.

Learning Point: Calming Techniques.

Call 2: A caller is reporting an unwanted person at his house.

Key Topics:

1. Clarifying vague information.

2. Remaining on the line until officers arrive.

3. Tone and demeanor.

4. Addressing caller and scene safety.

5. Providing instructions promptly.

Learning Point: Tactical Thinking and Identifying Verbal Clues.

Additional Resources:

1. How to Control Anger: 25 Tips to Help You Stay Calm.

2. The Role of Emotion in Predicting Violence.

3. How Your Brain Copes with Grief, and Why It Takes Time to Heal.

Part 2 addresses courtroom procedures, the three fundamental purposes for which prosecutors use dispatcher-witness testimony, case studies, and a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in which a dispatcher handled a domestic violence call.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to be the most effective, competent, and confident witness they can be in the event they are called to testify in a court of law regarding a call they handled. When a dispatcher testifies effectively, several important things occur: a) the public (jurors and media) becomes better informed and more appreciative of the role a dispatcher plays in the public safety system of their community; b) the integrity of the criminal case is enhanced; and c) the personal and professional pride and self-esteem of the dispatcher is fortified.

Part 1 of the Testifying lesson addresses: vocabulary terms, credibility, witness preparation, Memorandum of Understanding between the PSAP director and the DA’s office, and day of court checklists.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving drones.

Upon completion of this lesson, the participant will be able to:

• List multiple applications/uses for drones.

• Identify who is responsible for regulating drone use, drone registration, and pilot certification.

• Know where to access the Federal Aviation Administration “Drone Response Playbook for Public Safety.”

• List at least three prohibited drone operations.

• Explain the rules for drones “flying over people” or at night.

• Understand whether FAA, local, or state governments regulate any type of aircraft operations, including but not limited to: flight paths, altitudes, or navigable airspace.

• Recognize that Federal law prohibits drone flyers from knowingly or recklessly interfering with law enforcement or emergency response efforts.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving eyewitness identifications. It addresses:

• How stress or fear can negatively affect a person’s ability to provide accurate descriptions/identifications.

• The importance of following the recommended guideline when attempting to obtain the description of a suspect – especially when a caller is in distress.

• How the visible presence of a weapon during an encounter negatively affects memory for faces and identification accuracy because witnesses tend to focus their attention on the weapon instead of on the face or appearance of the perpetrator.

• The need to avoid using suggestive wording and leading questions during an interview and to make sure that inquiries are specific, direct, and clearly worded.

• Factors about a witness or a witnessed event that might contribute to a witness misidentification.

• Factors that might increase or decrease a witness’s reliability.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving residential burglaries and infants who are not breathing. In the first section, an elderly woman reports suspects breaking into her home.  Section one addresses:

• Safety for nonmobile people on the scene of a burglary.

• Obtaining a layout of a residence to aid responders.

• Determining if callers are armed.

• Obtaining suspect descriptions.

• Advising callers not to confront suspects.

• Aiding callers in disarming before law enforcement arrives.

In the second section, a caller reports than an infant is not breathing. The lesson addresses:

• Aiding callers who are providing first aid.

• Establishing why an infant is not breathing.

• Using persistent repetition to maintain a caller’s attention.

• Using active listening skills to recognize dangerous instructions given by bystanders.

• Using “action with reason” statements.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for suicides and drug deals involving shootings. In the first section, a woman reports that her husband—a law enforcement officer—just shot himself in the head. Section one addresses:

• Determining the victim’s exact location.

• Recognizing special considerations when the victim is a law enforcement officer.

• Identifying potential signs of foul play.

• Conveying empathy to distressed callers.

• Protecting the integrity of a crime scene.

• Avoiding gaps of silence.

In the second section, a caller reports participating in a drug deal that resulted in a shooting on a college campus. The lesson addresses:

• Gathering information from callers who have committed crimes.

• Determining if the participants have been drinking or using drugs.

• Identifying exact locations on college campuses.

• Following the location of a mobile caller.

• Instructing a mobile caller on how to present himself to law enforcement.

• Obtaining injury information for all parties.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls in which a person reports that his mother was stabbed outside her home. The lesson addresses:

• Speaking with callers who have witnessed traumatic events.

• Establishing a timeline of the emergency.

• Recognizing and clarifying a caller’s conflicting statements.

• Responding to “red flags” in an interview.

• Avoiding leading questions.

• Identifying possible caller deception.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls in which an elderly person reports that he just witnessed his daughter’s boyfriend shoot her. The lesson addresses:

• Obtaining location information from callers who are struggling to provide it.

• Keeping callers safe when a shooter is still on the scene.

• Determining the exact location of weapons.

• Using “action with reason” statements to encourage callers to cooperate.

• Providing repeated assurances to distraught callers.

• Determining when to ask a caller to give the phone to another person present.

• Requesting to speak with suspects.

• Asking callers to step away from the scene.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving domestic incidents with stabbings and drive-by shootings. In the first section, a caller is reporting that her brother has stabbed his ex-wife. The lesson addresses:

• Being alert to possible suicide by cop scenarios.

• Using the established standard guideline to obtain a full suspect description.

• Acknowledging when a caller requests specific resources.

• Dispatchers conditioning themselves to not overreact to things a caller says.

• Avoiding leading questions.

• Determining if anyone on scene is using drugs or alcohol.

In the second section, a caller is reporting that another motorist shot into her car. The lesson addresses:

• Obtaining suspect vehicle descriptions.

• Avoiding the use of phrases that callers may find dismissive.

• Recognizing “red flag” statements.

• Providing emergency medical instructions.

• Using the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving domestic disturbances involving guns. In this lesson, a 73-year-old reports getting into an argument with his wife’s grandson, then shooting him. The lesson addresses:

• Officer safety.

• Keeping the suspect on the phone.

• Obtaining exact location information for weapons.

• Properly gathering names, dates of birth, and descriptions for everyone present at a scene.

• Instructing suspects on how to present themselves when law enforcement arrives.

• Handling information about third parties approaching a shooting scene.

• Providing assurances that help is on its way.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving homeowners shooting intruders and home abductions. In the first section, a caller reports that people are trying to break into her home and that she is armed. The lesson addresses:

• Obtaining a detailed floorplan for the house.

• Caller safety.

• Identifying updated suspect and caller location information.

• Using technology available to the caller, such as video surveillance, to obtain more detailed information.

In the second section, two callers report that a 19-year-old family member who is non-verbal and wheelchair bound has been abducted from their home. The lesson addresses:

• Determining how much time has passed since a person has gone missing.

• Speaking with child callers.

• Conveying empathy to callers.

• Obtaining identifying information about missing persons.

• Gathering information about potential suspects.

• Utilizing calming techniques.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving mental health emergencies and assaults with stab wounds. In the first section, a caller reports that a police car is chasing him. The lesson addresses:

• Identifying clues that a caller is experiencing a mental health emergency.

• Building rapport with a caller experiencing a mental health emergency.

• Observing changes in a caller’s tone and behavior.

• Determining what medications or substances a caller might be taking.

In the second section, a caller reports finding a woman shot and stabbed in their home. The lesson addresses:

• Officer, caller, and scene safety.

• Preserving a crime scene.

• Determining when to speak with others on scene.

• Identifying all people who are present.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving active shooters in busy public facilities. The lesson includes three calls from different people inside a shopping mall where a shooter opened fire. The lesson addresses:

• Identifying exact locations (caller, suspects, victims).

• Addressing caller safety.

• Being familiar with active shooter protocols and instructions regarding evacuations and lockdowns.

• Speaking with callers who want to help others evacuate.

• Obtaining information about gunshots a caller has heard.

• Using calming techniques.

• The of handling traumatic calls on 9-1-1 dispatchers.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving an assault against a doctor and callers who shoot their girlfriends. In the first section, a patient reports that his doctor has been assaulted by a patient and then shot the patient. This section addresses:

• Transfer handoffs.

• Scene safety.

• Identifying the location of any weapons involved.

• Listening closely to what a caller says – or doesn’t say – and behaviors that suggest they are not being as forthcoming as possible.

• Preserving a crime scene.

In the second section, a caller reports that he had an argument with his girlfriend, then shot her in the head, and is now holding a rag to her injuries. The section addresses:

• Obtaining a specific home layout.

• Obtaining a caller’s narrative.

• Issues involved in asking a person who has injured another to provide aid to the victim.

• Recognizing and following up on red flags during an interview.

• Establishing who/how many people are at a scene so that responding personnel can prepare accordingly.

• Updating responders when a caller’s demeanor changes significantly.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers for calls involving assaults in hotel rooms and suicides by gunshot. In the first section, a caller reports a woman screaming for help from a hotel room. The section addresses:

• Establishing if the number a caller provides is their cell phone or a business line.

• Helping callers identify the address of the emergency when the caller is unfamiliar with it.

• Using minimal encouragers (uh-huh, okay, etc.).

• Avoiding public safety “jargon” when speaking to a caller.

• Hotel security and law enforcement needs.

In the second section, a caller reports that a person just shot himself in the head while sitting in a truck outside. The section addresses:

• Why asking a caller to select police, fire, or EMS can be problematic.

• Making sure a caller understands what is happening before transferring a caller.

• Liability for delaying life-saving support.

• Using Geographical Information System (GIS) data and/or mapping applications.

This one-hour training helps prepare dispatchers to handle 9-1-1 calls involving father-son domestic disputes and break-ins of occupied homes. In the first section, a woman reports that her husband and son are brawling inside a home. The section addresses:

• Getting callers to safety.

• Obtaining control of the interview at the outset.

• Obtaining weapon information.

• Providing assurances.

• Exercising repetitive persistence.

• Determine if anyone at a scene is under the influence of drugs, alcohol, etc. and/or is experiencing a mental health issue.

In the second section, a woman with two children in the home reports that a man broke into her home and is now lying on her bedroom floor. The section addresses:

• The recommended salutation.

• Helping callers who are struggling to provide a street address.

• Caller safety.

• Utilizing calming techniques.

• Determining who else at the scene the caller is interacting with.

• Acknowledging a caller’s emotions.

This one-hour lesson helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle calls involving bloodborne pathogens. It addresses: 

• The need to advise public safety personnel immediately if a caller divulges the presence of – or exposure to – a bloodborne pathogen.

•  Following agency guidelines regarding the method by which the information is relayed to the responders (CAD, MDC, radio, phone, etc.).

• The bloodborne pathogens of greatest concern to law enforcement officers.  

• Identifying situations where law enforcement officers may face exposure to bloodborne pathogens. 

This one-hour lesson helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle calls involving mental illness. It addresses: 

• The significance of mental illness to the public safety community.

• Strategies for first responders.

• Depression.

• Bipolar Disorder.

• Anxiety Disorders.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

• Schizophrenia.

• Personality Disorders.

• Non-Suicidal Self-Injury.

This one-hour lesson helps prepares 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle calls involving hazardous materials. It addresses: 

• Department of Transportation (DOT) warning placards. 

• The Emergency Response Guide.

• Personal protective equipment and decontamination

• OSHA Hazard Communication Standards.

• Safety Data Sheets.

This one-hour lesson helps prepares 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle calls involving hazardous materials. It addresses:

• Hazardous materials incidents.

• Routes of exposure and physical characteristics of hazardous chemicals.

• Railroad, highway, agriculture containers used for transporting hazardous materials.

This one-hour training helps prepare dispatchers to handle 9-1-1 calls involving abandoned newborns and people who have fallen from ladders. In the first section, a grocery store employee finds an abandoned newborn baby in a shopping cart. The section addresses:

• Risks involved with providing callers information and asking them to confirm the information.

• Obtaining direct callback information.

• Transferring calls.

• Obtaining information from other witnesses.

• Scene safety.

• Safe Baby Haven laws.

• Avoiding gaps of silence.

In the second section, a child caller reports that his father fell off a ladder and is nonresponsive. The section addresses:

• Salutation best practices.

• Adjusting questioning techniques for child callers.

• Why giving a caller information before asking them to provide it is discouraged.

• Using open-ended questions rather than closed-ended questions.

• Informing callers when a gap of silence is necessary.

• Obtaining a caller’s acknowledgement of a direction or instruction.

• Avoiding stacked questions.

This one-hour training helps prepare dispatchers to handle 9-1-1 calls involving a gunshot to the face and a brother who has murdered his sister. In the first section, a father reports that his daughter has been shot in the face. This section addresses:

• Gathering information from distressed callers.

• Best practice for beginning the interview.

• Scene, caller, and law enforcement safety.

• Recognizing “red flags” during an interview and relaying them to law enforcement.

• Crime scene integrity.

• Problems that occur when talking to others during the interview.

In the second section, a caller reports discovering her sister’s beaten body and her belief that her brother is the perpetrator. This section addresses:

• Caller safety.

• Obtaining vehicle descriptions.

• Establishing a timeline.

• Problems with verbally calling out vital information in a communications center.

• Employing calming techniques.

• Crime scene preservation.

• Interrupting callers.

• Dispatcher empathy and compassion.

This is a one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle a caller who reports he is suicidal and armed. In this lesson, the caller reports that he has antisocial personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, he has a gun and a knife on him, and he is walking down a street towards a high school stadium. The lesson addresses:

• Being direct when speaking to a suicidal caller.

• Avoiding putting a suicidal person on hold.

• Carefully selecting words when speaking with a suicidal caller.

• Using a caller’s name to build rapport.

• Keeping a caller talking.

• Noticing red flags.

• Using active listening techniques.

• Obtaining descriptions and locations of weapons.

• Determining if the caller intends to harm himself or others.

• Suicide by cop.

• Effectively using “action with reason” statements to obtain a caller’s voluntary compliance.

This one-hour training helps prepare 9-1-1 dispatchers to handle calls involving a preschool on lockdown and a psychical domestic incident.  In the first section, a caller reports that a man just took a rifle out of his car in the parking lot of a preschool and then walked to a nearby house. The section addresses:

• Visualizing the scene and gathering scene details (landmarks, businesses, parks, etc.) for callers who have difficulty with cardinal directions (N, S, E, W).

• Determining the jurisdiction and discipline being requested (LE/Fire/EMS) when the PSAP answers calls and dispatchers for multiple agencies.

• Addressing caller, law enforcement, and scene safety.

• Obtaining direct callback numbers when a call has been routed through a Centrex telephone system (or something similar).

• Obtaining lockdown policy information.

• Following the recommended questioning guidelines.

In the second section, a caller at an apartment complex repots hearing a woman screaming for help and saying that she can’t breathe. The emergency results in an officer-involved shooting.  This section addresses:

• Determining precise location information in an apartment complex.

• The risks of domestic violence incidents for responders.

• Controlling the interview to obtain necessary information.

• Addressing caller safety.

• Establishing rapport with distressed callers.

This one-hour training prepares 911 dispatchers to handle calls in which a person reports an attempted kidnapping and a roommate homicide. In the first section, a caller reports that she just stabbed and killed her boyfriend because he was cheating on her. This section addresses:

• The importance of first obtaining the location information before moving on to other aspects of the emergency.

• Obtaining the layout of a residence to aid responders.

• Keeping emotions under control when a caller reports something shocking or offensive.

• Determining how many weapons are present, their types/descriptions, and where they are located.

• Obtaining clarification regarding a caller’s contradictory statements.

• Phrasing questions in a non-accusatory manner when the caller is a suspect.

• Preserving crime scene integrity.

• Officer safety.

In the second section an elderly couple calls to report they are the victims of a home invasion robbery by escapees from a local prison. This section addresses:

• Verify location information and asking for a callback number.

• Identifying safe places for callers to wait for responders.

• Obtaining suspect/vehicle descriptions.

• Obtaining a suspect’s direction of travel.

• Obtaining and relaying weapon information to law enforcement officers.

• Asking questions to prompt a caller’s memory.

This 9-1-1 dispatcher training course:

• Defines “implicit bias.”

• Explains how  implicit bias can exist in everyone, including members of the public, dispatchers/call-takers, and individual law enforcement officers, and is not a personal defect.

• Addresses how the brain can produce biased decision-making, even when one does not intend to be biased.

• Examines the concept of “profiling by proxy.”

• Addresses how bias-motivated calls can pit the police against the public in potentially dangerous confrontations.

• Considers how implicit bias could affect the perceptions of witnesses and callers.

This one-hour training helps prepare dispatchers to handle calls in which a person reports an attempted kidnapping and a roommate homicide. In the first section, a caller reports she was just escaped from her kidnapper and is now on a city bus. The section addresses:

• Best practices for 9-1-1 salutations.

• Following the questioning technique guideline.

• Controlling Interviews.

• Obtaining the caller's attention.

• Scene safety.

In the second section, a male 9-1-1 caller reports that his roommates just murdered someone. This section addresses:

• 9-1-1 callers who have difficulty providing a precise address.

• Obtaining callback numbers.

• Scene safety.

• Asking one question at a time.

• Utilizing calming techniques on distressed 9-1-1 callers.

• Visualizing the scene of the emergency.

This is a one-hour course helps prepare dispatchers to handle calls involving trespassers and people passed out in cars. In the first section, a caller reports a trespasser inside her home who her boyfriend subsequently shoots. This section addresses:

• Obtaining location information for multiple subjects.

• Scene safety.

• Gathering weapon information.

• Obtaining suspect descriptions.

• Determining if fire/EMS are needed at a scene.

• Situational awareness.

• Threats of suicide.

• Controlling the interview.

In the second section, a male caller reports his mother is passed out in her car in front of the house. The section addresses:

• Best practice for determining what a caller is reporting.

• Agitated 9-1-1 callers.

• Offering assurances to distressed callers.

• Using action with reason statements.

• De-escalating 9-1-1 callers.

• Callers who use provoking language.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports that she woke up and found a man sitting in her kitchen. As the call progresses the caller tells the man to leave the house. The caller’s husband follows the man (who is an acquittance) outside, where a confrontation occurs, and husband shoots the man. The lesson addresses: the need to obtain suspect description information and routes of travel; providing medical instructions; and controlling the interview. Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such incidents.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to two 9-1-1 calls. Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such incidents.

In the first call, a caller reporting that a man has fallen from a rock while hiking and is injured. The lesson addresses the importance of determining the victim's exact location; scene safety; determining the severity of the victim's injuries; and checking on the caller's well-being.

In the second call, the caller reports that a man pulled a gun on him and his girlfriend. The caller is searching for the suspect while he reports the incident. The lesson addresses obtaining weapons information; the need to obtain suspect description information and routes of travel; the importance of determining the caller's exact location and the location of other involved parties; caller safety; and controlling the interview.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports that he came home, and as he walked into his house, he interrupted an in-progress burglary. As the suspects were leaving, they shot the caller in the face. Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such an incident. The lesson addresses the fact that caller safety was paramount and the need to address it throughout the call was of the utmost importance. It highlights the need to follow the established guideline when trying to obtain a suspect description to avoid missing important descriptors. Lastly it shows the importance of giving assurances early and often during an interview, especially when a caller is terrified, and their safety is in jeopardy.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller is reporting that two men have passed her fence line and are breaking into her house while she hides in a closet. Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such an incident. The lesson addresses caller safety and the importance of obtaining suspect location information throughout a call and relaying that information to the responders. It highlights the need to follow the established guideline when obtaining a suspect description to avoid missing important descriptors. It addresses the importance of providing instructions to the caller as officers arrive on scene and make entry into a home. Lastly, it provides an example of the importance of giving assurances early and often during an interview, especially when a caller is terrified and her safety is in jeopardy.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to two 9-1-1 calls, the first involves receiving a 9-1-1 call reporting that several people are stranded and injured after a flash flood suddenly came over a waterfall into a popular state park wading area. The second 9-1-1 call involves a resident waking up to a strange car in his driveway. Once he goes outside he notices that his car is gone, and the strange car has an infant inside it.  Both 9-1-1 calls present a challenging scene that the dispatcher must work through.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such incidents. The lesson addresses the need to determine the exact location of the victim; transferring the caller to a secondary PSAP for Fire/EMS if within agency guidelines; caller, responder, and scene safety; ascertaining if weapons were present; the need to obtain suspect description information and routes of travel; and controlling the interview.

This lesson addresses state and federal prohibitions against sexual harassment. It defines what conduct constitutes sexual harassment and explains the difference between quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment. The lesson explores the role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in sexual harassment cases. The lesson defines retaliation and provides examples of retaliatory conduct. The lesson explains when an employer may be held liable for sexual harassment committed by an employee and what an employer can do to avoid or limit liability. The lesson explains where and how to file a sexual harassment complaint and what damages may be available for victims of harassment. 

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to two 9-1-1 calls.

In the first call, a mother reports to 9-1-1 that she just shot her infant daughter. The caller Is extremely distressed. The lesson addresses the need for the dispatcher to maintain her composure; methods for obtaining Information from a distressed caller; addressing the child's Injuries; and dispatcher mental health after handling such a challenging call.

In the second call, an adult son reports that he found his dad and stepmom dead in their home. The lesson addresses the need to determine the exact location of the victims; determining how a caller knows the victims are deceased; caller, responder, and scene safety; ascertaining if weapons are present; treating crime scenes with care to avoid destroying evidence; and controlling the interview.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller is reporting that she and her boyfriend have been drinking for several days and that she needs help. As the call progresses the dispatcher learns that an ambulance is needed because of the caller's alcohol consumption and possibly because the caller has been assaulted by her boyfriend. The caller does not answer some questions posed by the dispatcher. The scene quickly becomes chaotic, and the caller tells the dispatcher that her boyfriend has several weapons. When officers arrive, they try to get the caller and her boyfriend to exit the house, but they refuse. In the end, the boyfriend exits the back of the house and shoots a responding officer. He is then shot and killed by law enforcement.

The lesson examines how to recognize red flags in calls, strategies for handing domestic calls where the caller is not forthcoming with details, methods to promote cooperation, and more.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to two 9-1-1 calls. In the first call, a car was driven into the front of a bar. In the second call, a person reports an armed home invasion robbery.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such incidents.  The lesson addresses the need to determine the exact location of the victim; transferring the caller to a secondary PSAP for Fire/EMS if within agency guidelines; caller, responder, and scene safety; ascertaining if weapons are present; obtaining a suspect description and travel route; and controlling the interview.

This is a one-hour lesson where the dispatcher will listen to two calls. The first call in the lesson is a report of a subject who has fallen from a window; and in the second call the reporting party is reporting that he just came home and has found an intruder in the house with his grandma.

In both calls, the scenes are chaotic, and the lesson reinforces the need for situational awareness and the importance of adhering to established questioning techniques to keep the call flowing with information. The lesson examines both what the dispatchers did what and how a dispatcher could improve the handling of the calls. 

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a fight is occurring at a popular bar in their city.  As a result of the fight at least one person is stabbed, and the scene is chaotic.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses the need to determine the exact location of the victim; transferring the caller to a secondary PSAP for Fire/EMS if within agency guidelines; caller, responder, and scene safety; ascertaining if weapons are present; obtaining a suspect description and travel route; and controlling the interview.

This is a one-hour lesson analyzing two calls. 

In Part I, the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports that he has been flagged down by a person who has been stabbed.    Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses: identifying the victim's exact location and if he was literally “on the street”; determining if the victim and caller were in harm’s way; providing scene safety directions; and gathering information about the suspect (description, direction of travel, weapon). The lesson also analyzes the need to address the caller’s injuries. Finally, the lesson stresses the need to obtain a callback number and the reporting party’s name early in an interview and the need to avoid stacking questions so that critical information is not overlooked.

Part I further brings to light the vital need for a PSAP to identify the relevant issues and scenarios regarding transfers and develop appropriate protocols so that when calls are transferred to other agencies there are established procedures in place to identify everyone's respective role.

In Part II, the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a man reports that he just killed his co-worker.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practices in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses the need to obtain a location immediately after answering a call and the consequences of moving on with an interview before that has been accomplished. It provides a good example of how utilizing a mapping application could have assisted in identifying the location or the street address. The lesson examines how stating, “Tell me exactly what happened,” could have been beneficial in quickly obtaining critical information about the incident. The lesson demonstrates the need to follow the established questioning technique guideline to conduct a more effective interview. Further, the lesson analyzes how the caller's statements, combined with the fact that he dialed 9-1-1 to self-report a homicide, indicated that responders may have been en route to a "suicide by cop" situation. It was crucial for the dispatcher to recognize that possibility and inform responders. 

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports a trespasser on her back porch who breaks in while she hides in the bathroom.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practice in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses the fact that caller safety was paramount and the need to address it throughout the call was of the utmost importance.  It also demonstrates the need to obtain updated suspect location information and relay it to the responders.  It highlights the need to follow the established guideline when trying to obtain a suspect description to avoid missing important descriptors. The lesson examines how providing instructions to the caller as officers arrived on scene and made entry into her home was vital. Lastly it is an example of how important it is to give assurances early and often during an interview, especially when a caller is terrified and their safety is in jeopardy.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to three 9-1-1 calls where callers report an active shooter at a college campus. Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practices in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses the fact that campus shootings are a tragic reality and the calls in this lesson offer an excellent training opportunity for dispatchers. Further, it highlights the importance of being familiar with a campus and the buildings located there.  It examines the need to establish: the caller’s exact location inside the building by confirming the caller's room number; the exact location of the shooter; and the type of weapon(s). It addresses how to remain professional while controlling an interview and considering scene safety. 

This is a one-hour lesson that anlayzes two calls. 

In Part I, the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports that “Somebody just broke into our door.”  During the break in, the suspect attempts to kick in the bedroom door and is shot by the resident.  The lesson addresses how to: ensure caller safety; obtain all relevant information; determine whether the suspect is armed; and secure pets at a scene. The call provides a good example of how jumping from topic to topic during an interview can have a negative impact on gathering information.  The lesson also emphasizes the significance of coordinating with LE when issuing directions to callers regarding where to secure a weapon and how to make initial contact with responders. Finally, the call analysis provides a reminder to make an effort to conduct every interview in an engaging, caring, and empathetic manner, regardless of what is being reported.

In Part II, the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports that he has found three missing men that appear deceased in their vehicle.  The lesson addresses: gathering precise location information in a remote setting; obtaining the victims' names and ages to run through missing persons databases; establishing how many victims are present;  and advising responders of difficult terrain. Lastly, the lesson examines caller safety and the need to advise the caller against placing himself in harm's way. The call provides a great example of how remaining patient and showing compassion to a distraught caller can have a positive impact on a difficult interview.

This is a one-hour lesson in which the dispatcher will listen to a 9-1-1 call where a caller reports an imminent fight at a restaurant.  Someone draws a gun and the scene quickly becomes chaotic.  Dispatchers will use a computer to read through the lesson and learn best practices in interrogating callers reporting such an incident.  The lesson addresses: determining the exact location of the person with a gun; ascertaining the weapon type and a description; remaining professional; controlling the interview; addressing scene safety, and determining how many people are present.