999 Call Handler
Assessment
Every force runs its own control room recruitment. Here is what each force says its assessment involves, what each kind of test is really checking and how to practise for it.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 18 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Most forces test typing (copy typing, audio typing or both), then how you handle a call (a simulation or a role play with an assessor as the caller), then hold a competency interview. Some add computer literacy, problem solving or a written report from information you are given. The exact mix differs by force: check the table below and your invitation.
The usual stages
- Application, sometimes with competency questions to answer in writing.
- Online or in-person tests: typing, listening, sometimes a call simulation or a judgement test.
- Assessment day at some forces: role plays, problem solving, computer skills.
- Interview: usually competency based, against the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework.
- Checks: references, vetting, medical; some forces add a hearing test or a substance misuse test.
Of the 18 forces in our list, 4 mention audio typing or audio clips, 3 mention a call simulation, mock call or role play and 14 mention an interview on the pages we read.
What each force says it tests
As published on each force's own careers page or advert, read on 18 October 2026. Pages change: always check your invitation.
| Force and role | Tests described | Typing |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire ConstabularyContact Management Operator (call handler or dispatch controller) | Typing requirement published; no detailed test list on the careers page | At least 25 words per minute |
| PSNICall Handler | Online through SHL: a customer service phone simulation (about 20 minutes), a typing test and a pre-recorded video interview | A typing test score of at least 26 words per minute (spelling and punctuation errors count) |
| Thames Valley PoliceContact Management (999/101 Call Handler) | Online awareness session, online typing test, then an interview with competency-based questions and a REID test (extracting information and report writing) | At least 27 words per minute with 75% accuracy |
| Northamptonshire PoliceForce Control Room Operative (answers calls and dispatches) | Copy-typing test, an audio typing test (a 1 minute 50 second recording, with 30 seconds to make changes), computer literacy, a 5-minute problem-solving exercise and a mock call role play; then a five-question interview | Average typing speed of 30 wpm and 90% accuracy, typed word for word in capital letters with no spell check |
| West Midlands PoliceContact Officer (dispatchers are a separate role) | Online application, in-person assessment centre, in-person interview | The page gives both "at least 35 words per minute" and "minimum 25 wpm" |
| Police ScotlandService Advisor (C3 Division) | Half-day selection centre: call taking, prioritising information, identifying locations, numeracy, general and geographic knowledge and an audio typing test; then a competency-based interview | Minimum typing speed of 35 words per minute |
| Metropolitan PoliceCommunications Officer (999 and 101) | Assessment centre at Hendon: a simulated customer service call handling assessment and a competency interview | No figure published |
| Nottinghamshire PolicePolice emergency call handler | In-person skills assessment of typing speed, listening skills, memory skills and spelling; then a formal interview | No figure published |
| Avon and Somerset PoliceEmergency call handler and dispatcher (one recruitment for both) | Assessment centre with typing speed and multi-tasking tests; competency-based interview (online video when checked) | No figure published |
| Devon and Cornwall PoliceContact Officer | Online situational judgement test, virtual assessment centre with two simulated calls typed into a system, then a Teams interview on the CVF at level 1 | No figure published |
| British Transport PoliceCommunications Officer (London) and Contact Handler (Birmingham) | Telephone interview, then prioritisation, typing and listening tests, then a face-to-face competency-based interview (London advert) | No figure published |
| Sussex PoliceControl and Contact Handler | Multi-skills assessment: twenty pieces of audio typed into a document, with basic maths and English questions between clips; then a face-to-face CVF interview | No figure published |
| Essex PoliceContact Centre Officer | In-person assessment (up to an hour): a typing test and a CVF-based interview; a hearing test is among the pre-employment checks | No figure published |
| South Wales PoliceContact Resolution Officer (dispatch: Incident Risk and Resolution Officer) | Online sift with multiple-choice questions and audio clips, then an audio and type test | No figure published |
| Lancashire ConstabularyPolice Control Room Operator | CV with two competency questions, paper sift, selection day with a typing exercise, an intermediate computer quiz and role plays, then an interview; a substance misuse test before vetting | No figure published |
| Gloucestershire ConstabularyForce Control Room Call Handler and Radio Dispatcher (dual role) | "Excellent typing skills"; interview, vetting, then a hearing test | No figure published |
Copy typing tests
You copy a passage for a set time and the test works out your speed and accuracy. Forces that publish a figure ask for 25 to 35 words per minute. Some add rules that make it harder than an everyday typing test: Northamptonshire's is typed word for word in capitals with no spell check. PSNI counts spelling and punctuation errors.
- Get accuracy above 90% before chasing speed. Errors usually come off your net speed.
- Practise text full of addresses, times, registrations and names: that is what incident logs are made of.
- Practise in capitals with spell check off if your force tests that way.
Try it now with the free 999 call handler typing test.
Audio typing
You listen to a recording and type it word for word. Northamptonshire describes a recording of 1 minute 50 seconds with 30 seconds afterwards to make changes. Sussex describes twenty pieces of audio with maths and English questions in between. South Wales uses audio clips in its online sift and an audio and type test.
You cannot look back at the text. You have to hold a few words in your head while typing the last ones. The only way to get better is to practise typing from speech.
Free ways to practise: type from a radio news bulletin or a podcast, then check against a transcript. The prep pack includes six audio dictation tests typed in capitals and marked for accuracy.
Call simulations and role plays
Some forces test you on a call before you ever take a real one. PSNI uses an online customer service phone simulation of about 20 minutes. Northamptonshire uses a mock call role play. Lancashire's selection day includes role plays. In a role play an assessor plays the caller, often upset or difficult. They watch how you handle it.
What assessors look for:
- Control. You lead the call with short, clear questions. A frightened caller needs someone to take charge.
- Location first. If the line drops, you can still send help. See the questions call handlers ask.
- Accuracy. Read back addresses, names, numbers and registrations. Use the phonetic alphabet to spell.
- Risk. Spot danger even when the caller doesn't mention it first: weapons, children, someone vulnerable.
- Manner. Calm, polite and patient, even when the caller isn't.
- Honesty. Tell the caller what happens next. Never promise a time.
Other tests
- Information and report writing. Thames Valley describes a REID test: extracting information and writing a report. Practise turning a long, messy account into a short, ordered log.
- Problem solving. Northamptonshire describes a five-minute problem-solving exercise.
- Computer literacy. Northamptonshire and Lancashire describe computer skills tests. Expect to switch between windows and fill in forms quickly.
- Maths and English. Sussex puts basic maths and English questions between its audio clips.
- Video interview. PSNI uses a pre-recorded video interview.
The interview
Most forces interview against the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework at level 1. Expect questions about dealing with upset people, owning a mistake, working in a team under pressure and making decisions with limited information, plus why you want a control room job on a 24/7 rota.
Our guide to 999 call handler interview questions covers each type in detail.
Common mistakes
- Chasing speed and losing accuracy. Errors are usually taken off your speed, so a fast, messy test can score worse than a steady, accurate one.
- Asking for the caller's name before the location. In a role play, assessors notice if the address comes late.
- Not reading details back. A wrong house number or registration is a serious error in a control room.
- Promising a time. "Someone will be there in five minutes" is a promise you can't keep. Say help is being arranged.
- Missing the hidden risk. Role-play callers often mention a weapon, a child or a threat late in the call. Keep listening after you think you know what the call is about.
- Generic interview answers. "I'm a people person" scores poorly. Use a real example with what you did and what happened.
- Not knowing the job. Panels ask about shifts, nights and distressing calls. Read your force's own page on pay, shifts and training first.
On the day
Online tests:
- Use a computer with a proper keyboard, not a phone or tablet, unless the invitation says otherwise.
- Test your headphones or speakers before an audio test. Test your microphone and camera before a video interview.
- Find somewhere quiet where you won't be interrupted, with a reliable connection.
- Read the instructions for each test properly. Some ask for capitals or forbid spell check.
In person:
- Take the ID and documents your invitation lists.
- Plan the journey and arrive early. Control rooms are often on secure sites with a sign-in process.
- Ask if you can adjust the chair and keyboard before a typing test.
- In a role play, treat the assessor as a real caller from the first word to the last.
A week to prepare
- Day 1: read your invitation and your force's careers page. List the tests and any typing figure.
- Days 1 to 7: 15 minutes of typing a day. Check your speed and accuracy every other day on a passage you haven't just typed.
- Day 2: learn the phonetic alphabet. Spell your own name, address and car registration out loud.
- Days 3 to 5: practise logging calls while listening. Try audio typing from speech too.
- Day 4: prepare four or five real examples for the interview.
- Day 6: do a role play with a friend playing a difficult caller.
- Day 7: check your equipment for online tests, plan your journey and get a good night's sleep.
After you pass: training by force
Training lengths as each force publishes them (read on 18 October 2026). After the classroom, most forces have a tutored period taking live calls.
| Force | Initial training |
|---|---|
| Derbyshire Constabulary | Four-week classroom course, then four shift sets with a tutor |
| Thames Valley Police | 5 weeks, Monday to Friday, then shifts alongside a tutor; works towards an Emergency Service Contact Handler apprenticeship |
| Northamptonshire Police | 11 weeks: weeks 1 to 7 in the classroom, weeks 8 to 11 taking live calls in a model office |
| Surrey Police | 6 weeks in the classroom and 16 weeks of coaching; 12-month probation |
| Leicestershire Police | 11 to 13 weeks |
| Metropolitan Police | 12 weeks: 4 at Hendon, then 8 weeks of coaching with live calls from week 5; one-year probation |
| Nottinghamshire Police | Seven-week course, then six weeks of live calls with tutors; 12-month probation |
| Avon and Somerset Police | Four or six week programme (dispatchers do a further three weeks), then tutor support |
| Devon and Cornwall Police | Seven weeks in the classroom at Middlemoor, Exeter, then a tutor |
| British Transport Police | Contact Handler 16 weeks (6 classroom, 10 one-to-one); Communications Officer 11 weeks (3 and 8); 12-month probation |
| Sussex Police | 11 weeks (5 training, 6 tutoring); dispatch (controller) training usually at about 9 months |
| Essex Police | 12-week course with exams, tutorship in weeks 13 to 22, independent from week 23 |
| South Wales Police | 14 weeks; dispatch needs a further week-long course and tutored shifts |
| Gloucestershire Constabulary | Nine weeks initial training; about 3.5 months to train in both roles |
Pay and shift patterns for each force are in our guide to becoming a 999 call handler.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tests are in a 999 call handler assessment?
It depends on the force. The tests forces describe on their own pages include copy typing, audio typing (typing a recording word for word), a simulated call or customer service phone simulation, a mock call role play, computer literacy, problem solving, a test of extracting information and writing a report, then a competency interview. Some forces add a hearing test later in the process.
Is the call handler typing test hard?
The published minimums we found on 18 October 2026 run from 25 to 35 words per minute, some with an accuracy threshold (Thames Valley 75%, Northamptonshire 90%). Most people who type every day can reach that with practice. The harder part is accuracy under time pressure and typing while listening.
What is the call handler role play?
An assessor plays a caller and you take the call, often while typing a log. Forces that describe one include Northamptonshire (a mock call role play) and Lancashire (role plays on its selection day). Assessors look for control of the call, getting the location first, clear questions, accurate details and a calm manner.
Do call handlers need to know the law?
Not at the assessment. Forces train new call handlers for several weeks before they take live calls (Derbyshire four weeks of classroom training, Northamptonshire 11 weeks, Essex 12). The assessment tests the skills you bring: typing, listening, communication and judgement.
Is the call handler assessment online or in person?
Both, depending on the force. PSNI runs its tests online through SHL, including a pre-recorded video interview. Essex holds an in-person assessment of up to an hour with a typing test and an interview. Several forces put typing tests online and hold the interview or role plays in person.
How long is call handler training once you pass?
It varies by force. The figures forces publish run from a four-week classroom course followed by tutored shifts (Derbyshire) to 14 weeks (South Wales). Most then have a period of taking live calls with a tutor before working on their own.
How can I practise for the call handler assessment?
Use the free PolicePay typing test for speed and accuracy and its two mock calls for logging details. The 999 Call Handler Prep Pack adds ten more mock calls, audio dictation in capitals, a phonetic alphabet drill, call grading practice, phone-handling scenarios and 15 practice interview questions.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 18 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Force careers pages and adverts (each linked in the table above) : tests and typing requirements as published, read 18 October 2026 (accessed 18 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Contact centre officer profile : the competencies and values the role is assessed against (accessed 18 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Public focused contact management : national contact management principles, THRIVE (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Police FOI: recruitment decision making (June 2024) : how the Met assesses contact handler candidates (accessed 18 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Practice, pay and roles
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any police force, the College of Policing or the Police Staff Council. Recruitment processes, tests, pay and eligibility are set by each force and change, so always check the current advert and candidate pack for the force you are applying to. Practice questions, example answers and exercises on this site are original PolicePay material, not real or recalled test or interview content. Details are as checked on 18 October 2026.