COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER II

Cityofbrandon; Brandon (MS); On-site; USD 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Cityofbrandon in Brandon, MS is seeking a Communications Officer II to manage incoming emergency calls and dispatch personnel for public safety. The role requires calm decision-making in stressful environments while ensuring accurate record-keeping and communication with various safety agencies.

The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma or GED, with at least 2-4 years of dispatch experience. Essential functions include training junior staff and maintaining operational records, contributing significantly to public safety efforts.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of dispatch service experience required.
• Ability to work in a loud environment and handle stressful situations.
• Maintain confidentiality of information received.

Responsibilities

• Dispatch public safety personnel in response to calls.
• Monitor and log information in the CAD system.
• Assist in training Communication Officer I employees.
• Answer emergency 911 and non-emergency calls.

Skills

Emergency communication

Multitasking

Calm under pressure

Record keeping

Education

High school diploma or GED

64 semester hours in communication or related technology

Job description

SUMMARY

Under regular supervision, the Communications Officer II communicates with and dispatches public safety personnel. Incumbents respond to emergency and distress calls, dispatch personnel in response to public and agency inquiries, interact with city, county, state, and federal public safety personnel, and maintain records of all dispatches. The officer assists in on‑job training of Communication Officer I employees, advises on daily activities, and acts as Team Lead in the absence of the Supervisor.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING DUTIES. ADDITIONAL ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE CITY AND LISTED AS SUCH IN THE INCUMBENT’S PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL ELEMENTS. VARIOUS TASKS MAY BE ASSIGNED UNDER EACH ESSENTIAL FUNCTION. THOSE THAT ARE LISTED UNDER THE EXAMPLES OF WORK ARE NOT ALL INCLUSIVE; THEY ARE EXAMPLES ONLY AND MAY BE AMENDED OR ADDED TO AS NEEDED BY THE CITY.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

• Answer multiple incoming emergency 911 calls.
• Answer multiple incoming calls to the police department on non‑emergency lines and reroute calls to other personnel as needed.
• Recognize TTY calls and respond promptly.
• Understand and respond quickly and accurately to written and oral directions, instructions, inquiries, and requests.
• Quickly evaluate and prioritize the urgency of calls.
• Maintain communications with callers while remaining calm, resolve situations, prioritize, and make decisions in highly stressful situations.
• Question callers requesting dispatch to determine location, nature of call, suspect details, and required personnel.
• Utilize special techniques to handle erratic and hostile callers when necessary.
• Relay departmental SOP pre‑arrival instructions to the caller.
• Connect emergency callers to other agencies or coordinate with agencies outside jurisdiction.
• Identify the need to notify specialized resources such as Poison Control, American Medical Response, etc.
• Operate the phone system safely and report malfunction immediately to supervisor.

RADIO OPERATOR

• Monitor radio traffic on patrol, rescue, and countywide frequencies.
• Respond promptly to incoming incidents from radio traffic.
• Dispatch appropriate personnel to emergency incidents inside and outside the city as required by mutual aid agreements.
• Maintain a clear, monotone, professional tone over all radio frequencies.
• Recommend safety issues based on previous call history.
• Announce all bulletins and other messages over the radio.
• Conduct periodic welfare checks of field personnel during incidents.
• Notify specific persons or agencies in emergency situations.
• Operate radio equipment safely and report malfunctions immediately.

CAD (Computer‑Aided Dispatch) OPERATOR

• Log information received from callers into the CAD system.
• Verify CAD accuracy of street addresses, response patterns, and beat locations.
• If CAD cannot validate a location, use knowledge of jurisdiction and beat boundaries.
• Assign appropriate units when CAD does not provide an assignment.
• Add, update, or remove location alerts based on need and call history.
• Review call histories to improve officer safety and response efficiency.
• Check suspect or caller information in arrest/report records for violent history, warrants, or other details.
• Maintain accurate logs during emergency and non‑emergency incidents.

NCIC (National Crime Information Computer) OPERATOR

• Query vehicle registration, driver’s license, or person information for field personnel.
• Advise patrol officers of required information for entry of missing, wanted, or stolen persons or property.
• Enter missing, wanted, or stolen items into the NCIC database.
• Respond to hit requests from other agencies.
• Coordinate patrol, investigations, and administration to locate and recover persons or property.
• Maintain security and integrity of the NCIC computer and files.
• Keep records for all NCIC requests by officers and investigators.

DEPUTY COURT CLERK

• Witness and sign uniform traffic citations as sworn by police officers.
• Witness and sign affidavits as sworn by police officers and/or complainants.
• Receive cash bonds/fines after hours and issue receipts.
• Maintain security and accuracy of the cash drawer and received funds.
• Receive written bonds from bonds persons and send releases to holding facilities/jails.
• Request judges to assign bonds for arrestees and arrange housing of juvenile arrestees in appropriate facilities.
• Update bond information for inmates in holding facilities and advise those facilities of new information.
• Coordinate officers, investigators, and administrators to fulfill requests of holding facilities.

OTHER DUTIES

• Contact off‑duty personnel when directed by patrol supervisors for after‑hours incidents.
• Receive and dispatch after‑hours calls for public works and street department.
• Keep records of library conference room activity and release keys to renters.
• Assist field personnel with searches or management of arrestees within the police department.
• Advise supervisor(s) of any unsafe, illegal, or harmful activity that might compromise the department or public safety.
• Maintain flexibility and multitasking ability during any incident.
• Participate in scheduled training to maintain certification for state regulations.
• Maintain integrity and confidentiality of all persons and information received.
• Work any shift, holidays, and weekends; subject to on‑call status.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Maintain a valid Mississippi driver’s license.
• Present an honorable discharge from military service if applicable.
• Hold a high‑school diploma or GED.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

No supervisory responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The above essential duties and responsibilities are representative of the major obligations of the position. Specific duties may vary based upon departmental needs. Other duties may be assigned consistent with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the job. Not all the duties may be assigned to a position.

EEO STATEMENT

The City of Brandon, MS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the city will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• High school graduate or GED equivalent with completion of a minimum of two years (64 semester hours) of college work in an accredited junior college, college, or university. Coursework should be in communications or related technology subjects or involve honorable military dispatch service. 2–4 years of dispatch service.
• Physical requirements: the employee must regularly use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, sit for long periods, speak clearly and quickly, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Vision requirements include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

These physical requirements are not exhaustive and additional job‑related physical demands may be added by the city if the need arises. Corrective devices may be used to meet these physical requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in an officer environment and is occasionally loud with frequent interruptions and presentations of life and death situations.