Police Dispatcher Trainee/Police Dispatcher

City of Chula Vista; Chula Vista (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Salary Range

Police Dispatcher Trainee (5179): $5,330.91 - $6,479.74 Monthly
Police Dispatcher (5181): $5,864.00 - $7,127.71 Monthly

Newly-hired employees in this position may receive up to $5,000 relocation allowance for expenses incurred for the relocation of the employee and their immediate family to San Diego County. Additionally, this position is eligible for the Employee Referral Program. Eligible employees that make a successful referral will receive either 16 hours of leave or a referral payment of up to $3,000.

Police Dispatcher Trainee

To receive, evaluate, and transmit emergency and routine voice radio messages via telephone, teletype and automatic alarm; to dispatch required equipment and personnel in accordance with standard policies and procedures; to maintain records; and to do related work as required. This is the entry-level class in the Police Dispatcher series. This class is distinguished from the journey by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within this series. Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters allocated to the journey level. Since this class is typically used as a training class, employees may have only limited or no directly related work experience. Employees work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Police Dispatcher

To receive, evaluate, and transmit emergency and routine voice radio messages via telephone, teletype and automatic alarm; to dispatch required equipment and personnel in accordance with standard policies and procedures; to maintain records; and to do related work as required. This is a full journey level class within the Police Dispatcher series and has the ability to perform a full range of duties assigned with only occasional instruction or assistance as unique situations arise. This class is distinguished from the Police Dispatcher Trainee in that the latter is an entry-level position that works under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Please Note:

The City of Chula Vista has a vacancy to be filled at either the Police Dispatcher Trainee or Police Dispatcher level, based on the evaluation of the candidate's qualifications and other factors. If hired at the Police Dispatcher Trainee level, movement to the Police Dispatcher level is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Essential Functions:

Functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: receive service requests by telephone on 911 emergency and business lines; obtain information on the nature of the request/emergency, the location, and telephone number of caller, name of caller and other pertinent information, remaining on the line with victim in emergency, as appropriate and create a record of the information; analyze requests for police service, determine priority ranking of each request and the kind and level of service to be dispatched in initial response; determine available units to dispatch; dispatch personnel and equipment according to standard operational procedures, instructions from a superior or by individual judgment as required; refer difficult or extremely serious calls to supervisor; listen to each radio transmission from police personnel in the field, acknowledge and comply with request for action or information; keep superiors informed as to emergency situations and general activities; place telephone calls to other police jurisdictions, City departments, City emergency crews, vehicle tow companies, ambulance services, coroner, relatives of victims, telephone and utility companies, alarm company, traffic signal maintenance and other services concerning an emergency; maintain detailed Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) records of the time and nature of each call; operate computer aided dispatch system equipment, TDD and other office equipment; operate teletype and computer terminal to check for registered owners of vehicles and other information; refer to maps and reference materials to secure information needed by personnel in the field and for the dispatch function; take reports and relay messages by radio or telephone or CAD messages; type, issue case numbers, log departmental activities and perform routine clerical work; assist in monitoring activity in jail cells via a closed circuit TV system; maintain law enforcement resource status and activity log in the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) computer; may instruct other personnel in the techniques and use of communications equipment; may perform minor or routine upkeep and maintenance of equipment; and perform other duties related to this position.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of education and/or experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Police Dispatcher Trainee: one year of clerical, administrative, public information or emergency service including radio-telephone communications work and training equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Police Dispatcher: Two years of responsible clerical, administrative, public information or emergency service including radio-telephone communications work or successful completion as a Police Dispatcher Trainee with the City of Chula Vista and training equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. Work experience as public safety dispatcher is highly desirable.

Typing Certificate

A valid typing certificate MUST be attached to your application at the time of submission. Please note that required certificate must reflect the ability to type at a rate of 40 net words per minute or higher. The typing certificate must be issued within one year prior to our receipt of your application. Self-certification using keyboard software or online typing certificates will not be accepted. Additionally, certificates showing only the percentage of accuracy or error will not be accepted.

Application Process

To be considered, applicants must submit a City Application and Supplemental Questionnaire by the closing date listed. Candidates whose applications indicate education and experience most directly related to the position will be invited to participate in the selection process. All notices will be sent via e-mail.

Unless otherwise noted, a passing score must be achieved at each step of the selection process in order to have your name placed on the eligibility list for hiring consideration. Note that the examination materials for this recruitment are validated, copyrighted and/or inappropriate for review. This recruitment aims to establish eligibility lists for: (1) Police Dispatcher Trainee and (2) Police Dispatcher. The eligibility lists established as a result of this recruitment will be for a duration of six (6) months, unless otherwise extended.

Pre-Employment Background Investigation

Successful candidates must undergo a thorough background investigation. There are certain types of conduct which are automatic grounds for disqualification. Please review the "Pre-Employment Disqualifying Criteria" which identify some of the common areas of the background investigation process that may cause delay or prevent you from competing in the selection process.