Entry Formatting
About this lesson
Overview
This lesson covers the correct formatting of the fields in the pending event
screen. It will also introduce participants to the DRGs – District Response
Guides on the intranet.
Learning
At the end of this lesson participants will be able to
objectives
recognise the approved abbreviations
enter names in the correct format
enter phone numbers in the correct format
locate DRG’s on the intranet.
Assessment
Formative assessment will take place during the course as the functions are
used in practical sessions.
Summative assessment will take place during the practical assessment.
Resources
CARD training terminals. .
References
Comms Intranet - Standard Operating Procedures
District Response Guides
Trainers practical guide
Duration
2 hours
Delivery
This lesson is delivered in three stages:
strategy and
formatting names, addresses and phone numbers
lesson stages
approved abbreviations
district response guides (DRGs).
It is delivered using the explain, demonstrate and practice strategy.
Trainer’s notes
Introduction
Welcome
Welcome participants and introduce the topic.
Revision and
Question participants to recall learning from the 6 steps lesson.
entry level
Lesson
We now know that there is an approved format for entering the text of any
overview
event and that we need to get the information in a particular order. There is
also a need to enter the information so that everyone can understand it. We
have approved abbreviations so that dispatchers, supervisors and district staff
can read and understand what has been written.
Stage 1 – Formatting Names, addresses and phone numbers
Introduction to
Throughout Police, we use the same manner of formatting a person’s name.
formatting
This eliminates any confusion from surnames that can also be used as first
names. It also helps when searching or querying a name, we know exactly
how it has been entered into any one of our computer systems.
Resources
CARD training terminals
Duration
30 minutes
Information
Review the fields in the event information screen. Ask participants to tell you
screen
what the Go To field is
Bring the focus down to the line containing the name, address and phone
number fields.
Name format
The name field always contains the informant’s name.
The format used is in reverse order, separated with a / (forward slash) symbol.
E.G. surname/first name/middle name. This is the format that is used
throughout police and is always the same. To ensure that our information is
accurate ask for the correct spelling using the phonetic alphabet as
appropriate.
Address
The address field contains the contact address for the informant, which is not
necessarily the same as the Go To field. If the address is the same, copy and
paste the address from the Go To field. If it is different, always verify the
address where possible.
In the case where an informant is calling in a work capacity as part of an
organisation or company, their address should be their job title as business
name. eg Store Manager, Glassons
Phone number
The phone number listed is the immediate contact for the informant. The
format
format used is:
1 for dialling an outside line
Area code for the applicable area, or
Prefix for the service provider (for mobile phones)
Actual phone number for the home, business, or cell
Do not use any spaces or gaps when entering this information. This format
allows for anyone to copy and paste into Solidus and then dial the number.
Using a standard format ensures staff can search the CARD system on the
phone number in the case of a No Speech Emergency Call.
Recap
The informant’s name, address, and phone number are to be formatted in a
particular way. This needs to be done in every case to ensure consistency
across the organisation. The formatting of these fields is just as important as
following the six steps for the event text.
Stage 2 – Approved abbreviations
Introduction to
The ability to understand what has been written in an event is vital. The
approved
Communications Centres have set in place formatting standards to ensure that
abbreviations
everyone is writing things the same way, all the time.
Ask: Can we all understand text speak or Shakespearian English?
We can’t afford to have information “lost in translation” so let’s look at the
approved abbreviations that we can use.
Resources
Trainers Practical Guide
Duration
30 minutes
Headline
Discuss the abbreviations for headlines as listed (refer to page 84 of the
abbreviations
practical guide).
Description
Discuss the abbreviations for people, groups, organisations, and descriptions
abbreviations
as listed (refer to page 85 of the practical guide). Ensure that abbreviations for
gender and race are used together not used in a sentence on their own.
Direction
Discuss the abbreviations for directions or movements, activities or incidents,
abbreviations
and vehicles as listed (refer to page 86 of the practical guide).
Comms
Discuss the abbreviations for Comms functions and places as listed (refer to
abbreviations
page 87 of the practical guide).
Recap
We have looked at the format of the information by using six steps, and now
we have discussed the approved abbreviations that ensure that the correct
message is conveyed.
Stage 3 – District Response Guides (DRGs)
Introduction to
We have already talked about how NZ Police is made up of 12 districts and
the DRGs
how within those districts, there are areas. In an ideal world, each of those
districts and areas would do everything exactly the same way.
Different requirements due to factors such as geography, socio-economic
demographics, and issues, mean different processes and policies may apply.
DRGs or District Response Guides give us a reference to these differences
between districts.
Resources
CARD training terminals
Duration
1 hour
SOPs button
Explain that the SOPs button will populate with different information
depending at which stage the participant is at when they refer to them.
Have participants press the create button to ensure that the event information
window is blank.
Draw the participants focus to the SOPs button.
Explain what SOPs stands for (standard operating procedure).
Explain the difference between the intranet and the internet.
Get the participants to click on the SOPs button and discuss where this action
takes them.
Locating the
Explain that there is a lot of information available from this page and that we
DRGs
will look at the difference areas in depth.
Draw participants attention to the central column titled “Topical/ Useful
Links”
Ask participants to click on the District Response Guide link.
1640 example
Ask participants to click on their own Comm Centre, select any dispatch
group and select 1640 – minor assault. Give participants time to read the
information on screen.
Historic - CRL
Direct participants to the “Click Here” button located to the right of the
“select an offence” drop down box.
Ask them to click on it and allow time for the participants to read the
information on the screen.
Exploration
Allow time for all participants to explore the DRGs before closing down
SOPs.
DRGS during
Refer back to the event information screen and have participants enter a street
event entry
or intersection in the Go To field and a 1D in the event type field.
Get the participants to click on the SOPs button and discuss where this action
takes them.
Have participants close SOPs and click create> abandon to clear the
information from the event information screen.
Ask participants to repeat the process again using a different street and event/
incident code to see what the results are.
Practice
Repeat as required to allow all participants to practice.
Recap
There are twelve districts nationwide and the processes and policies differ
between them. You are not expected to memorise what they all do for every
scenario. DRG’s are there to assist you to give the correct advice to our
callers.
Conclusion
Review
Today we have discussed and practiced
entry formatting
approved abbreviations
DRG’s.
Summary
Correct entry, formatting and approved abbreviations are key to ensuring that
the information contained in the event is understood by all parties involved
and that the event is dealt with appropriately.
Correct entry and formatting allows for accurate searching of events if
required.
The DRGs are there to help you provide good customer service by giving
guidance on response to enable you to give correct advice to your caller.
Look forward
Explain the next lesson include:
topic
Who the trainer is
Where the lesson will take place
time due back
what time the lesson will start
