Communication Operator III - Next Academy 1/18

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office; Sarasota (FL); On-site; USD 81,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Signing bonus

Paid training academy

Job summary

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office seeks a Communications Operator III (Call Taker) to answer 9-1-1 and non-emergency lines, collect and relay critical information, and support responders. Training begins with a 6-week academy, plus 1 week EMD/EFD and 16 weeks field training, with 8-hour shifts during the academy and 12-hour shifts after.

Eligible applicants receive a $2,000 signing bonus if submitted by Sept 30, 2026, with $1,000 after field training and $1,000 after one year of service.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Associate's Degree or pass Wonderlic Basic Skills Test.
• Complete the 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicator Training Program and pass Florida Certification within 11½ months.

Responsibilities

• Answer emergency and non-emergency telephones and relay information accurately.
• Maintain professional demeanor and multi-task under stress.
• Work as part of a team to support responders and ensure public safety.

Skills

Desire to be helpful

Think clearly under pressure

Speak clearly

Inquiring mind

Geography knowledge

Customer service

Courtesy

Public safety mindset

Education

High School Diploma

Associate's Degree or equivalent

Wonderlic Basic Skills Test

Job description

NEXT ACADEMY STARTS January 18th, 2026

Newly hired applicants who submitted their application by September 30, 2026, will be eligible to receive a $2,000 hiring bonus. Those eligible will receive $1,000 after successful completion of the field training program and $1,000 following one year of employment.

Answer emergency and non-emergency telephones. Operators must listen accurately and record the information provided by citizens, police, fire, and medical personnel and be able to accurately relay this information to the appropriate person often called upon to make decisions quickly, accurately, and effectively. When a call is taken, the first concern is that of the caller. Each situation must be analyzed and evaluated individually, always keeping in mind the importance of the information imparted and treating each caller impartially and fairly. Call takers must be self-motivated and work well as a part of a team. To be successful you must be able to perform multiple tasks, at times under stressful conditions.

Tasks

1. Desire to be helpful. This includes not only people who are a pleasure to help, but also individuals who may be unreasonable, demanding, rude, unpleasant, and uncooperative.
2. Ability to think clearly and act promptly in emergencies and under pressure. EOB personnel shall maintain a professional demeanor.
3. Ability to speak clearly and distinctly. Along with this, the ability to reduce rambling and formulate disconnected information into concise and accurate messages.
4. An inquiring mind, a desire to learn, and a desire to do a good job.
5. Thorough knowledge of the geography of the jurisdictions covered by the public safety agencies the EOB serves.
6. Customer service, including the initiative to do more than just what is required when a usual procedure does not provide a solution to a problem.
7. Recognition of the importance of the job. The communications operator is the only link between the responder and help and is often the only link between the citizen and help. The communications operator is the department's representative most often contacted by the public.
8. Courtesy: All sections of the emergency operations bureau are essentially business offices and must be operated in a businesslike manner. Like any other business that deals with the public, all employees are expected to be courteous.
9. Predisposition towards public safety work: A communications operator must learn to think like a field unit and anticipate the type of information they will require for effective handling of their duties.

• High School Diploma
• At least 18 years of age
• Associate's Degree or equivalent OR must successfully complete the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test.
• As a condition of continued employment, the 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicator Training Program must be completed, and the Florida Certification exam must be passed within 11 ½ months of appointment to the position. Training: Communications Operator III (Call Taker) training will begin with a 6-week classroom style academy to include 1 week of EMD/EFD certification training and 16 weeks of field training. Operators will work 8-hour shifts during the agency paid training academy, and upon completion move to 12-hr shifts. Certifications: During the first year of employment Operators will receive certifications in the following:
  • 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicator Florida Certification
  • Emergency Medical Dispatch Certification (EMD)
  • Emergency Fire Dispatch Certification (EFD)
  • CPR Certification
• Note: 8-hour shifts/40-hr work week during the 6-week paid training academy.

PG 02

Annual Work Hours: 2184

Long-Term Salary Cap: $89,781

Shift Work – The Emergency Operations Bureau (EOB) operates 24 hours per day/7 days per week. Shifts assignments include weekends, holidays, on call, hurricanes, evacuations, or other state of emergencies. Shifts are not rotating; you must be flexible and able to work 12-hour shifts including day shift (0700-1900) or night shift (1900-0700). There is no guarantee of shift assignment, it is based on the need once you graduate from the academy. You will be able to bid for a desired shift assignment every 6 months, based on seniority.