Communications Dispatcher (Entry-level and Lateral)

City of Milpitas; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Milpitas operates a 24/7 Communications Center within the Police Department, serving as the PSAP for police, fire, and medical services. Dispatchers manage calls, coordinate units, and ensure rapid response to emergencies across Milpitas and surrounding areas.

Applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent and current experience as a public safety dispatcher. The role requires shift work and offers additional pay incentives such as night differential and tactical

Qualifications

• Experience as a public safety dispatcher is required for lateral applicants.
• Equivalent education to the twelfth grade is required.
• Strong multitasking and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Receive emergency calls and determine priority for dispatch.
• Maintain contact with all units and update statuses in real time.
• Answer non-emergency calls and coordinate with other agencies as needed.
• Enter and retrieve information from relevant databases for quick decisions.
• Screen calls and route to appropriate personnel.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Skills

Public safety dispatcher

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Recruitment Status

***THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME.**

Review Date

The first application review date is Friday, September 18, 2026.

Base Salary

$114,889.84 - $139,647.30 Annually
Dispatchers receive 6% Holiday In-lieu pay

Total Salary

$121,783.23 - $148,026.14 Annually (Range includes holiday in-lieu pay only)
In addition, Dispatchers are eligible to receive the following additional pay:

• Up to 5% Night Differential
• 5% Tactical Dispatcher Pay

The Department

The Police Department is committed to protecting lives and property by working with our community and providing professional and responsive police services. Our Communications Center serves as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for accessing police, fire, and medical services within the City of Milpitas and is staffed 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, providing the highest quality of service to a population of over 80,000. Working with us is an opportunity to join a tight-knit group of professionals dedicated to public safety.

The Position

The Milpitas Police Department seeks committed and compassionate candidates with strong multi-tasking skills to join an amazing team. You will be at the heart of our operations, orchestrating the movement of resources and working with a diverse team that includes dispatchers and dispatcher supervisors.

Why Milpitas?

Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Milpitas is a progressive community that is an integral part of Silicon Valley. As a full-service city of 452 full-time employees with water utility, sewer utility, police and fire services, Milpitas serves a diverse population of nearly 80,000. Milpitas is the eighth-fastest growing city in the United States according to the US Census, and the second fastest in California. The homeownership rate is close to 70%, and the Milpitas housing market remains relatively affordable in Santa Clara County. Milpitas is often called the "Crossroads of Silicon Valley" with most of its 13.63 square miles of land situated between two major freeways (I-880 and I-680), Route 237, and a County expressway.

The City Government

Incorporated in 1954, the City of Milpitas is a bustling general-law city supervised by a council-manager form of government. Milpitas is a full-service city that includes Police, Fire, and a water utility and sewer utility. The Council makes planning and policy decisions for residents, and oversees the City’s $253.2 million budget. Issues currently challenging the City include development, quality of life, and traffic. We encourage you to check us out at: https://www.milpitas.gov/

Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Receive emergency calls from the public requesting police, fire, or other emergency service; determine nature and location of emergency, determine priority, and dispatch emergency units as necessary and in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintain contact with all units on assignment; maintain accurate status and location of police field units and fire units.
• Answer non-emergency calls for assistance; answer maintenance service emergencies on weekends and holidays.
• Prioritize and coordinate emergency calls and relay information and assistance requests involving other law enforcement agencies.
• Answer incoming phone calls; screen calls and route to the appropriate person or office.
• Enter, update, and retrieve information from various databases relating to wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, stolen vehicles and other information.
• Quickly evaluate emergency situations and develop logical working solutions.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Please note: This position requires shift work, depending on the operational needs of the department.

Experience and Education

Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Experience

• Entry-level: None
• Lateral: Requires current experience as a public safety dispatcher.

Required Documentation

The following documents must be uploaded in the Attachments Section of your application. Failure to attach the required documents below will be considered an incomplete application, and will result in disqualification from the recruitment process.

Entry-Level Applicants:

1. Copy of typing certification with 35 wpm, completed with one year of application submission. Typing Certificates must be obtained from an employment center or adult education center. Online typing certificates will not be accepted.
2. Copy of California POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery with a T-Score of 50 or above OR copy of the successful completion of the Criticall test

Lateral Applicants: (Candidates who are currently working for a law enforcement agency as a public safety dispatcher)

1. Copy of California P.O.S.T. Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Certificate or MUST be eligible to obtain P.O.S.T. Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Certificate by the time of hire.

Failure to submit all documents will result in disqualification from the recruitment process.

Selection Process

Applicants whose qualifications best meet our current needs will be invited to participate in the selection process that will consist of an oral board interview, polygraph test, background investigation, psychological exam, and medical exam. Meeting the minimum requirements listed in this job description does not guarantee advancement in subsequent phases of the selection process.

Police Department Contact: If you have questions regarding this recruitment or the lateral incentive program, please contact Lisa Beaulieu, Management Analyst, at: [e-mail].

Certificate and Testing Information

• For information regarding the CritiCall test, please visit https://theacademy.ca.gov/tests
• For information regarding the California POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery visit https://post.ca.gov/public-safety-dispatcher-entry-level-test-Battery-Applicant-FAQs

Supervision Received and Exercised

• Receives general supervision from the Communications Supervisor.
• May provide technical supervision to less experienced staff in the communication center.

Special Requirements

Essential duties require the following physical abilities and work environment: General office environment; sit and/or stand for long periods of time; repetitive keyboarding; reach, squat, lift, and carry up to 25 pounds; able to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Milpitas.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Milpitas will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the Human Resources Department.

The City of Milpitas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.