NIST, ITL, Public Safety Communications First Responder Information Collections

OMB Control #: 0693-0043

Expiration date: 12/31/2018

PSCR Law Enforcement In-depth Interview

Interview Questions

Context and Beliefs of Work

1. If you were describing your job to someone who knew nothing about being a law enforcement officer, how would you describe it?

2. Can you tell me about a typical day on your job, or is there even such a thing?

   1. Can you “paint a picture” for me of a typical day?

3. How would you describe your primary tasks as a law enforcement officer?

   1. Can you “paint a picture” for me of one of these calls?

4. In a typical day on your job, what kinds of information do you need when responding to calls?

   1. Are there other kinds of information you need for situations that aren’t so typical—and if so, what is it?

Communication and Technology

5. How would you describe the current state or condition of communication equipment in your field, and specifically in your own work situation?

6. How (if at all) have things changed in terms communication since you became a law enforcement officer?

   1. What do you think about these changes?

7. If you think about the incidents you’ve responded to over the last few months, or even in the past year, is there information that could have helped “paint a better picture” of the incident, or that would have helped you to respond better?

   1. What kind of information would be the most helpful, either for typical or for more complicated calls?

   2. How could information have been delivered more effectively?

8. Have there been times when you [or someone you know] have been overwhelmed by too much going on during a call?

   1. What, if anything, could have helped in these situations?

9. What, if anything, do you think causes communication problems in your work?

10. What kinds of technology do you use to do your job as a law enforcement officer?

    1. What do you think about the technology?

11. Besides your radio and a computer, if you use one, what other kinds of technology do you think would be the most useful when responding to calls.

    1. Why do you think these would be useful?

    2. Are there things you would change or improve for the things you listed?

12. In a perfect world, where technology could do whatever you wanted, describe your wish list, or describe what you would like technology to be able to do for you in your job.

13. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your job, related to communication or technology, that you think is important for us to know?

This collection of information contains Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to be 45 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Attn: Mary Theofanos, maryt@nist.gov, (301) 975-5889.

OMB Control No. 0693-0043

Expiration Date: 12-31-2018

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