We seek articles of direct relevance to comm center managers and directors, telecommunicators, IT personnel and engineers. We prefer practical, hands-on articles drawn from real-world experiences; we do not accept articles that are promotional in nature.

All accepted submissions will be edited, and some may require rewrites; the editor will seek author approval for any substantive changes. Should the need arise, postponement or, in rare cases, exclusion of an accepted article is at the discretion of the editor.

Before you begin writing, please see our general submission guidelines below, as well as our in-depth PSC Writing Tips. 

2025 Submission Deadlines
Issue Theme Unsolicited
Content Due		 Solicited
Content Due
Jan./Feb. 2025 Technology Oct. 15, 2024 Oct. 21, 2024
March/April 2025 The Telecommunicator Dec. 16, 2024 Dec. 20, 2024
May/June 2025 Staffing, Retention & Wellness Feb. 17 2025 Feb. 20, 2025
July/Aug. 2025 Professional Development / Conference April 9, 2025 April 14, 2025
Sept./Oct. 2025 Safety & Security June 23, 2025 June 27, 2025
Nov/Dec 2025 High Priority/Low Frequency Events Aug. 20, 2025 Aug. 25, 2025


If you have accepted an assignment directly from the editor, please submit it to the editor by the “Solicited Content Due” deadline.

If you have accepted an assignment via a member of the editorial committee, please submit it to that committee member by one week prior to the “Solicited Content Due” deadline; they will ensure your article receives any necessary approvals before they submit it to the editor on your behalf.

If you have an idea for PSC, please submit it to the editor by the “Unsolicited Content Due” date so we have time to consider its place in our editorial calendar.

Because we prefer to discuss content and related issues before you submit a completed unsolicited manuscript, we request that you first send a query; however, on occasion we accept manuscripts. Please include the following information in your email:

  • Your name, email address and phone number
  • Your qualifications for writing the proposed article
  • What specifically are you going to tell PSC readers?
  • Why do PSC readers need to know this information?
  • How will you make your case (e.g., case studies, interviews, literature review, research, etc.)?
Submission Guidelines

Please send your article in an editable word-processing document such as Microsoft Word (no PDFs). Do not use any special formatting (e.g., hyperlinks or embedded footnotes) or other design elements (e.g., text boxes or pictures); simply note in the text where any such features belong. We prefer size 11 Calibri font, single-spaced, without indentations.

Please include a two- or three-sentence bio with your contact information (if desired) at the end of the article. All sources must be properly attributed (for more information, see PSC Writing Tips).

Page Length/Word Count

Bulletins (images optional)
APCO-specific announcements, updates or reflections.
0.5 page: 300 words with image/400 words plain text
1 page: 600 words with image/800 words plain text

Spotlights & Columns (images optional)
Spotlights help readers get to know an APCO telecommunicator or committee; columns explore APCO standards or other areas of industry interest.
1 page: 600 words with image/700 words with small headshot (Spotlights)/750-800 words plain text

Articles (images required; editor will supply if needed)
Concise reporting of association and industry news; provocative commentaries; lessons-learned, “how it’s helped us,” how-to or other narrative approaches.
1.5 pages: 850–1,000 words
2 pages: 1,200–1,400 words

CDEs (images required; editor will supply if needed)
Informational, educational or how-to articles with exams for continuing education credit.
3 pages: 1,200-1,400 word article + 1 page quiz
3.5 pages: 1,500-1,800 word article + 1 page quiz

Features (images required; editor will supply if needed)
Accurate, in-depth features on comm center operations, regulatory issues and technical topics; comprehensive analysis of new procedures, technology and products.
3 pages: 2,000 words
3.5 pages: 2,500 words
4 pages: 3,000 words

Images
Images are required for articles, CDEs and features. The editor can supply images, or you are welcome to send images that you own or that you have permission to print.

Images must be sent as individual files; do not place them within your document. We accept the following formats: EPS, JPG, PDF, PNG and TIFF. We require 300 dpi resolution at the size intended for publication, so send high-resolution digital images saved to at least a 5×7 format.

CDE Exams
Every CDE article must include a 10-question exam. The exam questions can be all multiple choice, all true/false or a mixture. When using multiple choice, be sure to provide four choices (three distractors and one correct answer). Stay away from using “all of the above” and “none of the above.”  When you are using true/false questions, be sure the statement is clearly true or false; remove any grey area in the statement.  Include the answer key to the exam when submitting to APCO Institute.

PSC eNews
Additional opportunities to get published are also available through PSC eNews, APCO’s official weekly eNewsletter. Distributed to over 25,000 professionals, this electronic newsletter provides industry updates and public safety communications news from around the globe.

Articles can be submitted to the editor at any time for consideration within the weekly newsletter. We accept reviews of recent industry events, stories from your local comm center, updates on new technology or products, spotlights on industry professionals and other timely articles. This is your opportunity to submit a brief article (approximately 800 words) that can be easily and quickly disseminated to industry colleagues.