Police Call Handler and Contact Officer (999 and 101): free practice test
Call handlers answer 999 emergency and 101 non-emergency calls and online reports, assess threat, harm and risk, record the information accurately and decide what response is needed, often while typing and talking at the same time. Each force runs its own selection, usually a typing test, listening and call-handling exercises and a competency-based interview scored against the College of Policing values, followed by vetting and a medical. Training lasts several weeks before you take live calls with a tutor.
Premium: 3,000 practice questions, 6 full mock exams, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes, topic by topic. See the study path ·
About the Police Call Handler exam
Call handlers answer 999 emergency and 101 non-emergency calls and online reports, assess threat, harm and risk, record the information accurately and decide what response is needed, often while typing and talking at the same time. Each force runs its own selection, usually a typing test, listening and call-handling exercises and a competency-based interview scored against the College of Policing values, followed by vetting and a medical. Training lasts several weeks before you take live calls with a tutor.
What's on the exam
Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →
How to pass the Police Call Handler exam
- Get your typing speed comfortably above the force's minimum with accuracy: Thames Valley asks for 27 words per minute at 75% accuracy. Practise typing what you hear, not just copying text.
- In listening and mock-call exercises, capture the essentials first: where, what, when, who is involved, is anyone injured or at risk, are weapons involved. Location is always the first priority.
- Learn THRIVE (threat, harm, risk, investigation, vulnerability, engagement) and use it to explain your decisions in the interview and in prioritisation tests.
- Prepare STAR examples showing calm under pressure, empathy with distressed people, accuracy and dealing with challenging callers, mapped to the CVF values courage, respect and empathy, and public service.
Save your results and get your Readiness Score
Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the UK Public-Service Hiring Process Cheat Sheet.
What's in the premium Police Call Handler prep
Premium Police Call Handler prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1The Call Handler Role and Eligibility8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Typing, Data Entry and Spelling Tests8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Listening, Information Extraction and Call Simulation8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Prioritisation and Risk Assessment (THRIVE)8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5Vetting, Medical and Pre-Employment Checks7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Competency-Based Interview7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 7Application Strategy and Timeline7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 8Training and Your First Year in the Control Room7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams999 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
Read the complete Police Call Handler study notes for “The Call Handler Role and Eligibility”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 10 minutes of reading: What the job involves · Two real examples · Common eligibility rules · 999 or 101: what callers are told, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
Study tools included
3,000 practice questions
3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.
6 full mock exams
6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.
Exam Readiness Score
One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.
800 flashcards + spaced repetition
800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.
60 comprehensive key notes
60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.
Mind maps
See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.
Sample questions with answers
These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.
1. In a typing test you type 1,500 characters in 5 minutes. Using the standard of 5 characters per word, what is your gross typing speed?
2. Which sentence is written correctly for an incident log?
3. A caller says: 'I'm at 14 Elm Road. My neighbour at number 16 is shouting and I heard glass smash about two minutes ago. There's a child in there.' What is the most important information to confirm first?
4. From the same call, which detail most raises the level of risk?
5. You have four calls waiting. Which should normally be dealt with first?
6. In the THRIVE model used by many UK forces to assess calls, what does the 'V' stand for?
7. A caller dials 999 from a mobile, says nothing, and you hear only muffled breathing. What do you know about the Silent Solution?
8. A caller describes a suspect: 'white male, about 30, tall, wearing a red hoodie and black jeans, ran towards the station two minutes ago'. Which detail will be most useful to officers searching the area right now?
9. A control room records 12,000 calls in a month; 30% are 999 calls and the rest are 101 calls. How many are 101 calls?
10. A caller is shouting abuse at you because police have not yet arrived at a disturbance. What is the most effective response?
11. You notice a colleague has closed a call about a missing teenager without completing the risk assessment. What should you do?
12. During a long night shift you make an error in an address you passed to officers, but they found the right house. What should you do?
13. When should a member of the public call 999 rather than 101?
14. Which eligibility rule is common to the Thames Valley and Avon and Somerset call handler roles?
15. In the Thames Valley 999/101 call handler process, which stage comes after the online typing test?
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- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
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- 5 bonuses: hiring process cheat sheet, STAR interview answer builder, vetting and checks guide and more
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- One career of your choice: any Civil Service, police, armed forces, fire, prison, border or intelligence career on this site
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: hiring process cheat sheet, STAR interview answer builder, vetting and checks guide and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Certification guide
UK police entry tests and promotion exams explained: Since 17 March 2026, every police force in England and Wales must recruit constables through the same [four-stage process](https://www.college.police.uk/article/police-constable-recruitment-regulations-change), scored against the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework. Once you're in, the College's online law exams decide promotion to sergeant and inspector and entry to detective work. Here is how each stage and exam works, with the published formats and pass marks.
Police Call Handler exam FAQ
How many questions are on the Police Call Handler exam?
Varies by force. Typically a timed typing test plus spelling, grammar, listening and information-extraction exercises and mock 999 calls; Thames Valley, for example, uses an online typing test and an interview with a REID test (information extraction and report writing), with a time limit of varies by force; the typing test is usually a few minutes and assessment centres are commonly a half day or less. Format: no study materials are provided by forces beyond their own guidance. typing and listening tests are taken under timed conditions; interviews are often by video.
What is the passing score for Police Call Handler?
Set by each force. Thames Valley publishes a minimum typing standard of 27 words per minute with 75% accuracy; most forces do not publish other pass marks.
How much does the Police Call Handler exam cost?
No application or test fee. Most UK public-service applications are free. The police promotion and investigators' exams are arranged through your force, and degree routes may have tuition costs, so check the job advert or your force before you start.
Which languages is the Police Call Handler exam offered in?
English (Welsh language skills are valued, and sometimes required, in Welsh forces).
Where do I take the Police Call Handler exam?
Force-run: online application, then online or in-person tests (typing, spelling, listening, multi-tasking, mock calls) and a competency-based interview, followed by vetting, references and a medical.
Is this Police Call Handler practice test free?
Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full Police Call Handler prep is Premium at £45 a month for this exam.
What's in the premium Police Call Handler prep?
3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (The Call Handler Role and Eligibility: 375; Typing, Data Entry and Spelling Tests: 375; Listening, Information Extraction and Call Simulation: 375; Prioritisation and Risk Assessment (THRIVE): 375; Vetting, Medical and Pre-Employment Checks: 375; Competency-Based Interview: 375; Application Strategy and Timeline: 375; Training and Your First Year in the Control Room: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 999 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.
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Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. The recruiting organisation changes formats and fees, so confirm with Each police force recruits its own control room staff before you book. UKCivilServicePrep is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.