CritiCall Dispatcher Test Guide: Modules, Agency Setup & Scoring

CritiCall is a modular pre-employment assessment used by some public-safety agencies for dispatcher, call-taker, and emergency-communications hiring. It is published by Biddle Consulting Group as part of the TestGenius suite. Agencies choose which modules to run, set their own cut scores when they use them, and may deliver the battery remotely or onsite.

Key takeaway: CritiCall is configurable. Not every dispatcher agency uses it, and no single national CritiCall module list, duration, typing threshold, or passing score applies to every invitation.

This page explains vendor versus agency roles, possible skill areas supported by current CritiCall and Biddle materials, and how CritiCall differs from a full dispatcher hiring process. For broader emergency-communications pathways, see the 911 Dispatcher Test. Return to the Police and Dispatcher Tests hub. A separate CritiCall skills preparation guide covers transferable dispatcher skills without presenting a home-made test as an agency replica.

Vendor versus hiring agency

What CritiCall controls versus what your hiring agency controls

Topic	Usually controlled by
Assessment platform	Biddle Consulting Group / CritiCall (TestGenius)
Which modules appear	Hiring agency configuration
Cut scores and retest rules	Hiring agency policy and invitation
Remote versus onsite delivery	Hiring agency and invitation instructions
Later hiring stages	Hiring agency (interview, background, medical, training, and related steps)

CritiCall is one early screening tool when an agency selects it. It is not the entire public-safety telecommunicator hiring process.

Current product naming

Official CritiCall and Biddle materials describe CritiCall as part of TestGenius and market CritiCall 3D as a version that can combine operational hard-skill modules with behavioral and situational components. Classic CritiCall-style operational modules remain relevant. Your invitation controls whether you encounter classic operational modules, CritiCall 3D dimensions, or another agency-configured mix. Do not assume every agency has upgraded to the same package.

Official applicant pages state that CritiCall software is built for agencies. Biddle does not sell applicants a full consumer copy of the live testing platform. Use the agency invitation, the CritiCall applicant resources, and the CritiCall Candidate Test Preparation Guide (2023) for current testing conditions.

Possible modules, not a universal battery

Biddle’s CritiCall dispatcher materials list skill areas agencies may select. Treat the following as a menu of possibilities, not a promise that your session includes every item:

Possible CritiCall skill areas described in vendor materials

Skill area	Candidate focus
Data entry	Transfer names, addresses, phones, plates, and similar fields accurately
Decision making	Apply only the on-screen emergency-message rules within the stated time
Call summarization	Capture essential details without inventing facts
Cross-referencing and character comparison	Match or spot differences across directory-style records
Memory recall	Retain short details after a brief delay
Prioritization	Rank urgency using the information shown
Map reading and position locating	Use grid directions and nearby-location logic
Reading, spelling, proofreading, sentence clarity	Apply written rules and clear workplace wording
Mathematics and probability	Complete basic arithmetic or simple probability items if assigned
Multitasking and audio tasks	Combine listening or interruptions with active computer work when the agency assigns them
Typing or keyboarding	Meet the agency's stated speed and accuracy rules if typing is selected
Behavioral or situational components	May appear under CritiCall 3D or related agency setups; follow invitation wording

Delivery may be timed. Official candidate materials describe emergency-message decision items with a short response window and note that skipped questions may be penalized unless that portion says otherwise. Case-entry and navigation rules, including UPPERCASE entry when stated, belong to the on-screen instructions for your session.

Scoring, typing, and retesting

There is no universal CritiCall passing score, WPM or KPH threshold, session length, or retest waiting period published here. Agencies configure modules and standards. If your invitation or personnel contact publishes a typing measure, cut score, or retest rule, use that official figure only for that process.

Biddle materials state that specialized dispatcher training is not required to understand the assessed work skills. That does not mean every agency uses CritiCall, and it does not replace later agency hiring stages.

How CritiCall differs from other dispatcher testing

Other agencies may use California POST dispatcher batteries, National Testing Network or related emergency-communications exams, civil-service clerical or communications exams, Public Safety Testing products, or agency-built tools. Those formats are not interchangeable with CritiCall. Confirm the named assessment in your announcement or invitation before you practise.

How to prepare

Confirm that your invitation names CritiCall, TestGenius CritiCall, or a clearly related CritiCall package. Read the official candidate preparation guide and any agency packet. Practise accuracy-first data entry, cross-referencing, map grids, concise summarization, and keyboard accuracy if typing is assigned. For decision items, use only the rules shown on screen. Do not seek leaked CritiCall software content, bots, or another person to take the test for you.

Before test day, check whether the invitation specifies remote or onsite delivery, headset requirements, a typing requirement, practice portions, identity or browser rules, retest conditions, and accessibility instructions.

Optional third-party CritiCall practice

After you confirm the modules named in your invitation, additional timed practice for related dispatcher skills may help with pacing and format familiarity. JobTestPrep offers a free CritiCall practice resource and may also present optional paid preparation on the same page. It is an independent commercial provider, not official CritiCall software, and cannot reproduce every agency configuration or promise your modules or cut scores. Compare the free sample and any paid coverage with your agency invitation before relying on either.

Test-day strategy

Read the instructions and complete available practice items when they help you understand the response method. Use only a single left mouse click when instructed to select an answer. Confirm whether the testing screen uses UPPERCASE entry. For emergency-message tasks, apply only the supplied decision rules and respond within the stated time. Use Tab and Shift+Tab deliberately when navigating data-entry fields. Do not skip an item unless its instructions say skipping is allowed without penalty. Protect accuracy: a fast but incorrect entry is still incorrect.

Official resources

Use current vendor and agency materials, not third-party summaries, as the controlling source for your session:

• CritiCall Candidate Test Preparation Guide (2023)
• CritiCall TestGenius applicant resources
• CritiCall TestGenius agency information
• Biddle Consulting Group CritiCall dispatcher testing overview
• Biddle CritiCall 3D product page

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