Dispatcher Testing

City of Punta Gorda; Punta Gorda (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Punta Gorda is seeking a skilled Public Safety Dispatcher to receive 911 and non-emergency requests, determine urgency, dispatch police or fire units, and coordinate with field personnel.

Applicants must pass the CritiCall examination and be prepared for a 24-hour rotating shift in a fast-paced public safety environment.

Qualifications

• Public safety dispatcher duties and responsibilities.
• Ability to perform data entry accurately and quickly.
• Knowledge of local geography and police/fire operations.

Responsibilities

• Receives and transmits police/fire messages and records data.
• Acts as central switchboard operator for Police/Fire.
• Maintains central recording system and logs calls.
• Obtains information requested by officers (license plates, wanted persons, etc.).
• Prioritizes and dispatches units to calls.
• Communicates with towing services and utility crews as needed.
• Researches and updates warrants and missing reports.
• Monitors police scanner for officer safety and dispatches backup.
• Maintains security and confidentiality of information.
• Keeps informed of regulations and procedures.
• Announces messages via radio as required.

Skills

Public safety dispatcher

Multi-tasking

Data entry

Radio/telephone comms

Geography knowledge

English proficiency

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Skilled emergency service position that involves receiving emergency 911 and non-emergency requests for Police or Fire Department assistance, determining nature/urgency of calls, initiating Police, Fire or other emergency personnel action and maintaining close contact with field units to monitor response and needed support requirements.

Application Deadline: Application and all required documents must be received by Human Resources no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026.

The City of Punta Gorda utilizes the following assessment process in determining the qualifications for Dispatcher Candidates:

CritiCall Examination

This examination will be administered virtually and may be taken any time between Tuesday, October 20, 2026 and Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Candidates will be emailed an invitation and login credentials to the exam once their application has been processed. Candidates will have 7 calendar days to complete the testing process.

The CritiCall examination is comprised of 10 sections: Decision Making, Data Entry, Data Entry (Audio), Call Summarization, Character Comparison, Cross Referencing, Memory Recall (Numeric), Prioritization, Sentence Clarity, and a Personality Test. Candidates must receive a passing score on each of the graded sections to pass the exam. The Decision Making and Personality Test portions are not graded. This exam is meant to ensure basic skills needed for success as a Public Safety Dispatcher, but prior dispatch experience is not necessary.

Dispatcher Eligibility List

Candidates who successfully complete the pre-hire testing process will be placed on the Dispatcher Eligibility List and are not automatically employed. Those candidates who are on the Dispatcher Eligibility List may be considered for a dispatcher position as positions become available. Candidates will remain on the Dispatcher Eligibility List for a period of one year from the date of the assessment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES i nclude the following. Other duties may be assigned as dictated by operational necessity.

• Receives and transmits police and fire messages and calls, and records same by data entry.
• Acts as central switchboard operator for the Police and Fire Departments.
• Maintains central recording system.
• Obtains information requested by police officers (checks license plates, checks for wanted persons, checks driver license information etc.)
• Prioritizes, directs and logs police and fire calls and dispatches units accordingly.
• Communicates with towing services, utility crews, etc. as needed.
• Researches, enters, clears, cancels, and updates warrants, missing persons reports, runaway juveniles reports, stolen article descriptions or vehicles in designated computer database.
• Monitors police scanner radio to ensure safety of police officers, and dispatches backup units.
• Maintains appropriate security and confidentiality of information created or encountered in the performance of assigned duties.
• Keeps informed of departmental regulations, policies and procedures.
• Periodically makes routine announcements and relays messages via radio.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty or responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities; education and/or experience; and, certificates or licenses required in order to fill the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. In lieu of certain requirements listed below, Employee may accrue or acquire certain specified time in service, specialized skills, and/or certifications, thereby qualifying for this position through the City’s career progression policy.

KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES

• Knowledge of public service activity and methods of local government;
• Knowledge of computer technology and equipment;
• Knowledge of law enforcement terminology and procedures;
• Knowledge of geography for the City of Punta Gorda;
• Knowledge of English language for spelling and proper word usage;
• Skill in multi-tasking- coordinating simultaneous mental, manual and visual activities;
• Skill in observing situations analytically and objectively and relaying details accurately;
• Skill in communicating using two-way radio and telephone equipment;
• Skill in operating a variety of communications equipment effectively;
• Skill in reading and interpreting maps to determine locations and jurisdictional boundaries;
• Able to work rotating shift assignments and overtime in accordance with maintaining a fully operational 24 hour facility.
• Ability to speak clearly and concisely;
• Ability to think clearly and act quickly in emergencies;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Police and Fire Department personnel, other City employees, outside law enforcement or fire agencies and the public;
• Ability to meet attendance schedule with dependability and consistency.
• Able to data entry at 6200 keystrokes per hour with an accuracy rate of 95%.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Graduation from high school, or a GED from a properly accredited institution of learning.
• PC knowledge/experience, typing and telephone skills.
• Two (2) years clerical experience in a fast-paced, stressful office environment.
• Any combination of education and experience which provides the requisite mental and communication skills.
• Obtain and maintain the 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator certification as required by FSS 401.465.
• Obtain and maintain Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), Fire Service Dispatcher (FSD) and Law Enforcement Dispatcher (LED) certification by the completion of the Communications Training and Evaluation Program.
• Obtain and maintain FCIC/NCIC Full Access Certification within 6 months of employment.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• No direct supervisory authority

Essential Physical Abilities

Code: Constant = 2/3 or more of the time
Frequent = from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time
Occasional = up to 1/3 of the time
N/A = Not applicable

• Heavy lifting (45 lbs.. and over) - X
• Moderate lifting (15 to 44 lbs.) - X
• Light lifting (under 15 lbs.) - X
• Heavy carrying (45 lbs. and over) - X
• Moderate carrying (14 to 44 lbs.) - X
• Light carrying (under 15 lbs.) - X
• Reaching above shoulder - X
• Use of fingers - X
• Both hands required - X
• Climbing (use of legs and arms) - X
• Climbing (legs only) - X
• Good near vision - X
• Good distant vision - X
• Both eyes required - X
• Depth perception - X
• Distinguishing basic colors - X
• Distinguishing shades of colors - X
• Good hearing (with or without hearing aid) - X
• Straight pulling - X
• Pulling hand over hand - X
• Pushing - X
• Walking - X
• Standing - X
• Crawling - X
• Kneeling - X
• Bending - X
• Balancing - X
• Stooping - X
• Jumping - X
• Running - X
• Throwing - X
• Driving (cars, small vans, pick-ups, etc.) - X
• Driving & operating (heavy equip., trucks, etc.) - X
• Other - (none specified)

Environmental Conditions

Code: Constant = 2/3 or more of the time
Frequent = from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time
Occasional = up to 1/3 of the time
N/A = Not applicable

• Work Inside - X
• Work Outside - X
• In the Heat - X
• In the Cold - X
• In High Humidity - X
• In Dampness or Chilliness - X
• In Dry Conditions - X
• In or with Noisy Conditions - X
• In Darkness - X
• In or with Dusty Conditions - X
• With Silica, Asbestos, etc. - X
• With Fumes or Gases - X
• With Smoke or Flames - X
• With Chemicals - X
• With Solvents - X
• With Grease or Oils - X
• With Radiant Energy - X
• With Electrical Energy - X
• On Slippery Surfaces - X
• On Uneven Surfaces - X
• In or With Moving Objects - X
• In or With Ladders/Scaffolding - X
• At Heights above Ground Level - X
• Below Ground Level - X
• In Water - X
• With Explosives - X
• With Poor Ventilation - X
• With Odors - X
• With Unusual Fatigue Factors - X
• Other Relevant Information: - (none specified)

Disclaimers

All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Individuals who cannot perform some of the requirements because they pose health or safety risks to themselves, or other employees may be excluded from this position. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by this supervisor. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE STATEMENT

Every City employee has emergency response responsibilities, though not every position will require routine assignments during an emergency event. All employees may be subject to recall around the clock for emergency response operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the normal work location, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official job description. Assignments in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature, with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically and operationally challenging conditions.

It is the policy of the City of Punta Gorda to recognize and fulfill its commitment to the community in the area of Equal Employment Opportunity. The City will not knowingly permit discrimination in hiring, promotion, or other conditions of employment with regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.

Certain Service Members and Veterans, and the spouses and family members of such Service Members and Veterans, receive preference and priority, and that certain Service Members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements, and are encouraged to apply for the positions being filled.

The information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, environmental conditions, or qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.