Step 1: Payment and access to application

Payment is non-refundable and non-transferrable (not transferable outside of an agency, if agency POC needs to be changed, please contact atpc@apcointl.org as soon as possible). If certification is denied, additional application fees may be required to resubmit for certification.

Step 2: Application and Supporting documentation

In order for your application to be complete, you must fill out the applicable fields in both the application and the chapters, as well as provide current related documentation.

Areas of responsibilities

Under the application tab, there are areas of interest. These are related to different responsibilities (Public Safety Calltaking, Law Enforcement Dispatch, Fire Services Dispatch, and/or Emergency Medical Services Dispatch) within the Agency and related training areas within the standard. The areas of responsibilities (disciplines) selected within the application will automatically populate the required chapters needed for the agency to complete. If you provide these services and do not see the information under the appropriate chapters, please go back to the application tab and ensure you checked the area of responsibility that is missing.

Save & Continue and Submit options

Once you begin completing the application and chapters, you can save it and access it later. You do not have to complete it all at once. Applications are valid for a period of one year from the date of purchase. The application and uploaded documentation will not be complete until you go to the "Final Submit" tab and submit your application. Failure to do so will mean that your training program will not be received by APCO for certification consideration.

Chapter tabs

Chapters 1-10 are drawn directly from the APCO American National Standard (ANS) 3.103.1-2015: Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Telecommunicators. In order for your agency to receive this certification, the training program must meet or exceed these requirements. Within each tab, you will be able to upload current curriculum and supporting documentation demonstrating how your training program meets or exceeds this standard. If the standard asks to "demonstrate comprehension", you will need to provide the testing methodology used. Testing methodology is the mechanism used to demonstrate comprehension or application related to training objectives. Documentation that may meet this requirement include written exams, completed daily observation reports, documented practical testing, etc.

You will be able to upload related material for each standard under the "attached files" field. The program accepts various file types, including: gif, jpg, pdf, zip, txt, doc, xls, ppt, rtf, docx, xlsx, and pptx. Click "select files" to show the file attachment window. Documents can be uploaded using the "upload" tab and dropping them on the upload area. If needed, multiple documents can be uploaded and selected per standard. As you proceed through the standards, you can select a previously uploaded document or upload different documents using the "Document Library" tab.

Supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to:

Curriculum Materials

• Current lesson plan
• Current version of training materials
• Audio/Visual aids and their descriptions
• Performance examinations/instruments
• Class Evaluation Form
• Instructor Support Materials

Additional Materials

• Agency Policy Manuals
• Agency Training Policies
• Employee Orientation Documents

As you upload documents through the “browse and upload” function, if you do not see the document name in the file listing, press the “refresh list” button and check the list again.

The correlating “explanation” field must contain information to direct the reviewer where to look for the specific information meeting the requirement and provide additional information. The explanation box should contain details including exact locations of supporting information. If multiple documents support the standard, please specify which document and where the information is located within the document.

If you choose to leave the application and want to save your progress, click the Save and Quit button at the bottom of the page. If you are finished, navigate to the Final Submit tab to save and submit.

Remember that within the standard “should” is a recommendation and “shall” is a requirement. All requirements must include supporting documentation and explanation. If a standard is recommended and not required, it is optional for the agency to meet the standard. If the agency chooses not to meet the recommendation, please state “N/A” in the explanation and provide a reason.

Icons in the sidebar chapter list will assist in identifying the application's progress:

• All questions in the chapter are complete.
• One or more questions in the chapter is missing answers or attached documentation.
• One or more questions in the chapter requires revision.

Step 3: Final Submit and deadlines

All fields must be completed before the application can be submitted. It is the agency’s responsibility to submit the application by the deadlines contained in the Agency Training Certification Program Business Rules.

Applications are accepted year round. Submissions received after December 1st will be considered for recognition at the following APCO Annual Conference & Expo.

Please review the application, checklist and supporting documentation for completeness before final submission. NOTE: The reviewers can only approve the program based upon the materials submitted. This requires strict reliance upon the applicant to submit all necessary documentation and materials. The initial review by APCO International Staff is designed to detect missing documentation or materials; however, it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all materials are included.

The application will not be received by APCO until the “final submit” has been completed. It is the agency’s responsibility to ensure the application has been submitted. The agency POC should receive an email confirmation once the application has been received by APCO. If you do not receive an email after submitting the application, please contact APCO staff at atpc@apcointl.org to verify submission.

Once your application is completed, please remember to go to the final tab and submit your application to have your agency considered for the APCO Agency Training Program Certification.