35,955
members
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4,000+
FCC license applications processed & submitted annually
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37,015
students trained in FY 2021 & 2022
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New! 9-1-1 Staffing Crisis Summit

May 17-18, 2023 | Herndon, VA

Join public safety professionals, state and local government leaders and innovative companies from the private sector to explore ways to improve retention, innovate recruiting, streamline the hiring process, implement creative staffing strategies and build a culture of excellence.

May/June 2023 PSC Magazine

The latest edition of PSC magazine is out. Key articles include:

  • Why We Leave 9-1-1
  • How 9-1-1 Changes You
  • Physical Fitness
  • Trauma Transference

PSC magazine, in either print and digital form, is a benefit of APCO membership.

Webinar: The State of 9‑1‑1 Staff Performance and Retention

May 24, 2023 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
Worth 1 CDE. Free for APCO members

Is your 9-1-1 center struggling with staff performance and retention? You’re not alone. Issues like these are putting a strain on 9-1-1 centers everywhere, and there are many contributing factors. NICE’s recent benchmark study on the current State of 9-1-1 Staff Performance and Retention pulls back the covers to examine why 9-1-1 telecommunicators are leaving and best practices you can put into practice to close the revolving door to do more with less.

Register Now for APCO 2023

Join us in Nashville, Tennessee, at APCO 2023, the premier event for public safety communications officials! Earn CDEs at educational sessions, get involved at committee and association meetings, and enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new ones at our special events. You will also have the opportunity to meet with vendors during our two full days of exhibits.

Having an APCO membership has provided our staff with key membership benefits, including the excellent networking opportunities, such as attending APCO conferences and access to PSConnect, and offering direct access to high-quality training and career advancement opportunities provided through the APCO Institute.


Grayson Gusa, RPL
Training Supervisor, Davie County 911 Communications | APCO Member since 2003

Keeping You Up to Date

APCO is your source for public safety communications news that affects you, your job and your community.

APCO International Announces 2023 Award Winners
The award recipients demonstrated the highest levels of professional conduct and outstanding performance in the line of duty.
May 26, 2023

APCO Statement on FCC Nominations

President Biden announced the nomination of Anna Gomez to serve as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the renominations of current Commissioners Carr and Starks.

May 22, 2023

First Staffing Crisis Event Examines Proven Approaches to Staffing, Retention and Culture

On May 17-18 more than 250 attendees from public safety communications gathered for the first-ever 9-1-1 Staffing Crisis Summit in Herndon, VA. Sessions varied in topic from an overview of the staffing situation in the U.S. to more specific recruitment and retention strategies from ECCs across the country.

May 18, 2023

Silent Key: Mary Katherine Messamore

APCO Life Member Mary Katherine Messamore of Marion, Kansas, passed away May 10 at the age of 75. She worked for improvements to the state and national association as well as the public safety communications industry until her retirement in 2011.

May 18, 2023

Young Professional Spotlight: Jennifer Savely, Kenai Police Department

Jennifer Savely is a dispatcher for the Kenai Police Department in Alaska. Jennifer has always been interested in dispatch, and when the opportunity presented itself, the Alaskan native didn’t hesitate to apply. Jennifer’s interest in public safety was cultivated at a young age. “Growing up in my household, it was not uncommon for us to have a police scanner on. Just as background noise, and I always found it intriguing. I loved the excitement and wanted to be the voice behind the radio.” Acting on that interest, Jennifer joined the Kenai Police Department. “I had no previous experience, so I…

May 18, 2023

Why We Leave 9-1-1
[Originally published in the May/June 2023 issue of PSC magazine.] By Matt Berg Most of us know that not many people can handle working in an emergency communications center (ECC). We have all heard numbers thrown around such as, “only 1% of the general public can do this job” and “less than 1 in 10 of those hired make it.” A quick Google search shows updated average dispatch tenure is now one to two years, down from three years previously listed. Frequently when discussing this topic we focus on keeping new hires, training them appropriately and acquiring the skills to…

May 11, 2023

Thank You to Our Partners

Corporate Partner Spotlight

Comtech Safety & Security Technologies designs, develops, and deploys public safety grade 9-1-1 products and services aligned with current and evolving industry standards, federal regulations, and customers’ needs. We are your industry expert in emergency call routing and critical location data delivery and offer end-to-end NG9-1-1 in-house technical capabilities.


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