Police Dispatcher Practice Test

For which type of incident should the question "Was anyone hurt?" be asked?

1. Online reporting of crimes

2. Priority 1 emergencies

3. Priority 3 incidents

4. Call about a loud party

The correct answer is: Priority 1 emergencies

The question "Was anyone hurt?" is crucial specifically in the context of Priority 1 emergencies, which often involve situations that pose immediate danger to life or require urgent response from emergency services. In these high-stakes incidents, understanding whether there are injuries is essential for dispatchers to prioritize resources effectively, ensure that medical assistance is dispatched rapidly, and provide accurate information to first responders. In contrast, other scenarios such as online reporting of crimes or lower-priority incidents may not necessitate an immediate concern about injuries. Online reports typically involve less urgent situations, while Priority 3 incidents are also less critical, indicating that injuries are less likely to be a present concern. A call about a loud party similarly does not typically raise immediate safety concerns that warrant asking about injuries, as it is usually a noise complaint rather than a life-threatening situation.