Name: APCO Communications Training Officer
Start: 2026-04-20T08:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-23T16:00:00-04:00
Location: Rockland County Fire Training Center

APCO Communications Training Officer
About this Event

THIS IS A FREE CLASS FOR ALL. FOR ATTENDEES WHO ARE NOT SPONSORED BY A ROCKLAND COUNTY PSAP, PURCHASE OF CLASS TEXTBOOK ($99 + SHIPPING) REQUIRED.

NOTE: In response to feedback from students and instructors, this course has been lengthened to four days, to allow additional time for class discussion and practice.

The Communications Division of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to present APCO Communications Training Officer (CTO). This course focuses on the development and maintenance of an agency’s one-on-one training program and provides the training necessary to foster levels of consistency for CTOs as they provide on-the-job training to new hires.

Topics include

Performance-based training
Preparing, motivating, and communicating with trainees
Customer service in public safety communications
Counseling
Stress management
Meeting the needs of the adult learner
Training strategies
Performance evaluations
Record-keeping and documentation
Total quality management (TQM)
Liability and standards

Students will receive a CTO workbook and reference guide filled with sample forms, templates and best practices to use in creating their own CTO program, or enhancing an existing program. Existing staff may be eligible for up to twenty-four (24) hours of continuing dispatch education (CDE).

Required pre-requisites

APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST) (or any equivalent, formal, 40-hour basic telecommunications training program)

Class size is extremely limited and preference may be given to Rockland County agencies.

If you will need to pay by check/purchase order, you will be contacted after registration to finalize reservation and payment. Do NOT mail payments.

FAQs

Dress Code

Day 1-3: “Business casual” dress, suitable for office environment (absolutely NO jeans, shorts, sweat clothes, or sneakers) --OR-- you may wear your agency’s daily uniform

Day 4: Formal business attire, such as a jacket and tie for men; appropriate, conservative business wear for women --OR-- you may wear your agency’s formal uniform (long sleeve, tie, etc.)

Cellular Telephones

Please place cellular telephones on vibrate mode, or turn them off, while attending class. Please make calls from your cellular telephone outside the building and away from windows where conversation will be heard indoors. Do not use your cellular telephone in the hallways or near the entrances to the Fire Training Center, as conversation noise disrupts other classes.

Smoking

In accordance with County regulations, there is no smoking permitted in the Fire Training Center, including any area within 25 feet of building entrances, except for those smoking areas designated by the County. This includes both traditional tobacco products, as well as simulated smoking devices, such as “e-cigarettes”, “electronic cigarettes”, and “vapes”. Non-smoking activities such as chewing tobacco, “dipping”, and “snus” are permitted to the extent that such activities do not interfere with training. Cigarettes, matches, and other associated waste must be placed in the appropriate fire-safe receptacle.

Breaks

Breaks are given at the discretion of the instructor(s). While on break, please consider the other classes that are in progress, and do not block the hallways, classrooms, or other areas.

Inclement Weather

Changes to class schedules due to inclement weather will determined by the Chief of the Communications Division. Students can obtain closing information by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 845-364-8600.

Course Participation

All students are expected to complete the requirements of all course sessions as instructed; to achieve the minimum passing score on exams and evaluations; to participate in the learning process; to ask appropriate questions and provide input, if such information would enhance or improve the student’s training; to give feedback on training to instructors; to be reasonably receptive to feedback received from instructors and evaluators; and to report for training on time, prepared and ready to participate.