Legal Standards & Confidentiality Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real PSD practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Legal Standards & Confidentiality Compliance flashcards as text
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which category of information shared during a 911 call is most likely protected?
Answer: Caller's medical condition described to the dispatcher
HIPAA protects individually identifiable health information, including medical conditions disclosed during emergency calls when the agency is a covered entity or business associate.
A dispatcher receives a subpoena for a recorded 911 call. What is the correct first step?
Answer: Notify the agency's legal counsel or supervisor before releasing any records
Subpoenas require legal review before compliance; counsel must verify the subpoena is valid and determine if any protective orders or exemptions apply.
Which federal law specifically governs the privacy of criminal history records maintained by public safety agencies?
Answer: 28 CFR Part 20 (Criminal Justice Information Systems regulations)
28 CFR Part 20 establishes regulations for the collection, storage, and dissemination of criminal history record information maintained by criminal justice agencies.
A caller reports a domestic violence incident and requests that their identity not be disclosed to the suspect. Under most state confidentiality statutes, the dispatcher should:
Answer: Note the request and follow agency policy, as absolute anonymity cannot always be guaranteed
Dispatchers should acknowledge the request and follow agency policy; while caller identity may be protected from the public, officer safety needs can sometimes require disclosure to responding units.
Which action by a dispatcher would constitute a violation of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)?
Answer: Intercepting and disclosing private electronic communications without authorization
The ECPA prohibits the unauthorized interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications without proper legal authority.
A media outlet submits a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for all 911 call recordings from a specific date. The agency may lawfully withhold recordings that:
Answer: Contain ongoing investigation details that could compromise law enforcement operations
FOIA exemption 7 protects law enforcement records whose disclosure could reasonably interfere with ongoing enforcement proceedings.
A dispatcher accidentally sends a CAD incident report containing a juvenile victim's name to an unauthorized external email address. Under most state laws, the agency is required to:
Answer: Notify the affected individual or guardian and report the breach per data breach notification statutes
Most state data breach notification laws require agencies to notify affected individuals and sometimes regulatory bodies when personally identifiable information is inadvertently disclosed.