Police Dispatcher

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Flexible health insurance

Paid holidays

Paid sick days

Retirement after 5 years vesting

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is seeking a Police Dispatcher to join the UWL Police Department. Under general supervision, you will operate radios, phones, and related equipment to support campus safety and coordinate communications for police and parking services.

This regular, full-time role requires staying calm under pressure, following policies, documenting incidents, and maintaining confidential records.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• WI DOJ Time certification required; background check.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Operate police radios, phone consoles, and various equipment to receive and process information.
• Schedule logistics and secure resources for emergency responses.
• Communicate clearly and provide instructions in high-stress situations.
• Troubleshoot and triage issues following policy and procedures.
• Document incidents accurately and maintain police records and logs.

Skills

Effective communication

Multitasking

MS Office (Word, Excel)

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

TIME Certified

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Position Title

Police Dispatcher

Job Category

University Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Police Dispatcher I

Job Duties

The Division of Administration and Finance is committed to providing quality campus services to faculty, staff, students and external constituencies in support of the university’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. The division includes Facilities Planning & Management, Business Services, Budget, Human Resources, Information Technology Services and Police & Parking Services.

Under general supervision of the Law Enforcement Dispatch Supervisor, this position works in a critical office on campus that serves as a hub of all alarms and notification systems that are crucial to the safety of the campus community. This position works independently to provide communications via two-way radios, telephones and computer for the university police, dispatch and telephone operations. It is a crucial position for coordinating internal as well as external communications for two departments and for the campus. This position works alone and is subject to occasional supervisory checks.

This position must be able to prioritize, multitask and remain calm in outwardly stressful incidents. This position must maintain an excellent understanding of Department/University policies and procedures. It is accountable for accurate police reports, dispatch logs and police records which are always sensitive and highly confidential in nature. This position plays a key role in the maintenance, creation and dissemination of legally required crime and activity statistics. The position will apply and maintain accurate records of Department grants.

Serves as a Campus Security Authority as defined by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).

Physical Demands

This position is in an office setting that may require sitting for long periods of time and repetitive motion using computers.

Working Conditions

This position works designated shifts and may be required to work nights, weekends and holidays based on the shift schedule.

The review of applications starts on October 1, 2026. Applications received on or before October 1st are prioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/are filled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, with shortlisted candidates invited to campus.

UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources at 608-785-8013.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Operates police radios, phone consoles, and various equipment and technologies to receive and processes requests and information from institutional affiliates, law enforcement, and other public safety agencies
• Schedules logistics and secures resources for response to emergency incidents for the institution
• Communicates effectively and provides accurate and detailed instructions to all types of audiences in high stress emergency situations
• Troubleshoots, triages, and escalates issues according to established policies and procedures
• Documents incidents accurately and adheres to all applicable policies, rules, and regulations

Department

UWL Police Department

Compensation

$20/ hour

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of high school diploma or equivalent.
• Required to become certified and maintain certification with WI DOJ Time system. This certification requires an extensive background and criminal history check.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of computer software including Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel)
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• The ability to multi-task when necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of policies and procedures of a public safety unit.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures of a public safety unit.
• TIME Certified.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials

UWL is a state agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWL will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC & Reference Check Policy

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see http://www.uwlax.edu/student-life/student-resources/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9000.

Informationaboutyourbenefits

Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.

Highlights Include

• Paid vacation for 12-month positions.
• Excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
• Paid holidays and paid sick days.
• After 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
• Benefits atUWLare highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.

Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.