911 Dispatcher

Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department; Meridian (MS); On-site; USD 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department is hiring for a Telecommunicator role in Mississippi. New hires start at $13.86/hr during training, with a $0.30/hr increase for overnight work.

After training, day shifts pay $14.89/hr and night shifts $15.19/hr, with raises based on performance and anniversaries. Employees are eligible for sick and vacation time, retirement through PERS, and various progression opportunities within the Communications Center.

Qualifications

• Willingness to work rotating shifts including days and overnights.
• Completion of an in-house training program prior to full assignment.
• Ability to perform dispatch duties accurately and responsibly.

Responsibilities

• Operate the communications dispatch system and coordinate with responders.
• Respond to calls and relay information to field units promptly.
• Maintain proper shift coverage and follow scheduling guidelines.

Job description

Pay Rate:

New hires with no prior experience are hired at $13.86/hr while training. If you work an overnight shift, you will earn an additional $0.30/hr. Once you have completed our in-house training your pay will increase to $14.89 for day shift and $15.19 for night shift. You are then eligible for an annual increase based on your performance, as well as an increase on your first anniversary, and every 3 years after that, for years of service.

Benefits:

Lafayette County provides both Sick and Vacation time for you. Sick time starts to accrue after you have been employed for 6 months and works out to 1 day off per month. Vacation time does not start until you have been employed for 1 year and accrues at the rate of 10 days off per year, or 2 weeks paid vacation. Your earned time will be noted on each pay stub.

Several types of Medical Insurance are available to you. Options and costs will be reviewed with you if you are hired.

As a county employee you will be required to participate in the State retirement program known as PERS. The County will send 9% of your earnings to your Retirement account. The County also remits an additional %, not only meeting but exceeding your contributions.

Positions and opportunities for growth:

Our organizational structure has several opportunities for advancement. While you will be trained to be a Telecommunicator you could then work towards becoming a Shift Trainer, Shift Lead, Shift Supervisor, or perhaps one day the Communications Center Manager or 911 Director. Each either has an additional increase to your hourly pay or compensated using a whole different pay scale.

Shifts:

5:45a - 5:45p (days)

5:45p - 5:45a (nights)

This type of schedule offers (1) 36-hour work week and (1) 48-hour work week.

During training, you will first be placed with an available trainer. After you complete training the Communications Center Manager will work with you to place you on what will be your regular shift and schedule. Although we strive to place you on a shift that best suits your preference, we do not, however, guarantee any shift placement.

Part-Time Employment:

We only hire part-time dispatchers who are already fully trained and have experience of working at our department. The part-time roles are as-needed, not guaranteed weekly hours. For example, a part-time dispatcher may be needed for 20 hours one week and no hours for the next several weeks. Because of this variability, we do not hire individuals for part- time who require any training or who need consistent hours. New dispatchers require a minimum 3-month training program, which consists of 36 mandatory hours one week and 48 mandatory hours the following week. This training provides only the basic skills needed to work safely. Becoming fully proficient in dispatching to qualify for part-time status takes significantly longer than the training period.