Police Telecommunicator
Police Department
Salary Range: $21.81 - $35.98 Hourly / $47,633.04 - $78,580.32 Annually
FLSA Position Class: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Work Schedule: Nights - 6:00pm to 6:00am
Posting Closing Date: October 28, 2026
Above rates are base hourly rates - Night Shift Differential of $2.00 more per hour is available for those who work Night Shifts 6PM - 6AM. Also eligible for 12 Holidays paid at overtime rate, educational incentives, and certification incentives for criminal justice & police related degrees/certifications.
Summary
This position receives and prioritizes emergency and non-emergency calls for service, evaluates requests for assistance, dispatches appropriate public safety personnel, maintains communications with field units, and enters, retrieves, and disseminates criminal justice information in support of emergency response operations.
NOTE: Employee may be required to respond to a disaster, either natural or man-made, to serve the citizens of Statesville and meet the needs of the organization, which may result in the assignment of other duties and take precedence over duties described in this job description. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive.
- Receives incoming calls from the public, prioritizes the call according to severity, evaluates requests for service, and makes decisions on which public agency will best aid in the situation.
- Receives after-hours calls for utilities, street maintenance, and traffic signal malfunctions.
- Dispatches law enforcement, fire, and other public safety personnel to emergency and non-emergency calls for service and maintains communications with field personnel throughout the incident.
- Monitors the self-initiated activities of police officers and provides them with information on detained suspects.
- Maintains records of authorizations, warrants, and other information required for DCI/NCIC entries; correctly logs all activities.
- Uses NCAWARE, DCI/NCIC, CAD, RMS, and other authorized criminal justice information systems to obtain and disseminate information to field personnel.
- Closes calls for service and identifies police units that have returned to normal patrols.
- Updates criminal history logs.
- Creates, updates, and closes calls for service within the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, enters and retrieves information from the Records Management System (RMS).
- Receives and transmits messages via police department radio.
- Maintains a vehicle repossession log.
- May serve as a Communications Training Officer (CTO) providing training, mentoring, and performance evaluation for newly assigned telecommunicators.
- May serve as a Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC/ATAC) conducting required DCI audits, validations, and compliance activities.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Education and/or Experience
- High School Diploma or GED.
- Must meet and maintain all applicable certification, training, background investigation, system access, security, and confidentiality requirements as outlined in Appendix B: Telecommunicator and Emergency Communications Standards.
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years of age.
- Possess a valid North Carolina driver’s license, or any valid driver’s license with ability to obtain a North Carolina driver’s license within 60 days of establishing a permanent residence in North Carolina.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- General knowledge of current telecommunications practices and procedures.
- General knowledge of public safety operations and the practices and procedures used by law enforcement, fire, and emergency response agencies.
- General knowledge of city geography and street locations.
- General knowledge of Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), and emergency communications systems.
- General knowledge of emergency communications reference materials, hazardous materials resources, emergency response protocols, and departmental policies and procedures.
- Ability to manage multiple situations at once under stressful conditions.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and make rapid decisions during high-stress, rapidly evolving emergency situations.
- Ability to operate a computer, telephones, radios, and CAD consoles.
- Ability to effectively understand and communicate with callers from diverse backgrounds, including individuals with limited English proficiency, speech impairments, or other communication barriers.
- Ability to accurately interpret mapping systems, location information, and geographic references while dispatching emergency resources.
- Ability to calmly communicate with people during emergency situations and document actions.
- Ability to communicate ideas clearly, concisely, and effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, other departments, supervisors, and the public.
Job Related Physical Requirements
This position involves sedentary work requiring the exertion of 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met; vocal communication is required to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word, and to convey detailed or important instructions to others; hearing is required to respond to spoken words, to receive and understand information, and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operation of computers, machines, or equipment, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities.
Working Conditions
The employee primarily works in a secure communications center with prolonged sitting, continuous use of computers and communications equipment, frequent radio and telephone communications, rotating shifts as assigned, and exposure to stressful emergency situations requiring sustained concentration.