PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

La-Crosse-County-; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

La Crosse County is seeking a Public Safety Communications Specialist to operate in a 24-hour, high‑stress emergency communications environment. You will receive, evaluate, and route requests for law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management, using CAD, GIS, radio, and NG9-1-1 tools.

The role requires strict confidentiality, CJIS/TIME compliance, and the ability to work under close supervision during training before gaining independent judgment.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of 9-1-1 call-taking, non-emergency call handling, and dispatch protocols.
• Ability to operate CAD, mapping, and radio systems in a high-stress environment.
• Demonstrates confidentiality, CJIS/TIME compliance, and professional communication.
• Willingness to work rotating shifts, overtime, and weekend/holiday coverage.
• Strong listening, questioning, and decision-making skills under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Receive, evaluate, prioritize, document, and route emergency and non-emergency requests.
• Dispatch, page, notify, transfer, or route law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other resources per protocols.
• Monitor responder safety, incidents, and status; relay critical information.
• Maintain accurate CAD calls, narratives, and related records for public records or investigations.
• Provide service calmly and compassionately to distressed callers and maintain confidentiality.

Skills

9-1-1 dispatch knowledge

Public safety communications

Calm under pressure

Multitasking

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CAD systems

GIS mapping

Radio/telecom equipment

Job description

Overview

FLSA: Non-Exempt. This is a specialized, non-sworn, safety-critical public safety communications position responsible for receiving, evaluating, prioritizing, documenting, and routing emergency and non-emergency requests for law enforcement, fire, EMS first response, emergency management, and related public safety services.

The Public Safety Communications Specialist serves as a communications link between callers, responders, partner agencies, and the Public Safety Communications Center, using telephone, NG9-1-1/text/data tools, radio, CAD, mapping/GIS, logging systems, alerting tools, and other authorized technologies.

The position requires extensive training, sound judgment, emotional control, clear communication, confidentiality, and the ability to work accurately in a 24-hour, high-stress emergency communications environment. Employees work under close supervision while in training and exercise increasing independent judgment after demonstrating competency. Work is performed in accordance with County policies, PSAP policies and Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), adopted public safety communications standards, CJIS/TIME requirements, and local agency protocols.

Essential Leadership Functions

Act with Integrity and Build Trust

• Demonstrate mutual respect, humility, and honesty in all interactions

• Speak up appropriately, even when expressing unpopular viewpoints

• Actively listen and remain open-minded to diverse perspectives

Drive for Results

• Set clear goals and objectives to motivate self and others to achieve outcomes

• Seek new opportunities to improve processes and drive sustainable results

• Hold self and others accountable through consistent evaluation and monitoring

Develop Talent and Effective Teams

• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and growth

• Provide mentorship and support to help self and others reach full potential

• Recognize and leverage diverse strengths within self and team

Lead with Vision and Strategy

• Understand and communicate a compelling vision that aligns with organizational goals

• Develop and execute comprehensive strategies to achieve long-term objectives

• Connect daily work to the bigger picture, inspiring self and others to contribute meaningfully

Lead with Paradoxical, Critical, and Agile Thinking

• Navigate complex situations by considering multiple perspectives

• Adapt quickly to changes and uncertainties in the work environment

• Make critical decisions using analytical skills, experience, and input from others

Build and Maintain Effective Relationships

• Communicate and collaborate effectively with stakeholders across the organization

• Influence others through coaching, consulting, and team-minded thinking

• Develop and sustain partnerships that create positive outcomes for all stakeholders

Cultivate Community Engagement and Provide Excellent Service

• Understand and address the needs and concerns of the community

• Incorporate community perspectives into decision‑making processes

• Drive initiatives that create positive impacts beyond the organization

Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence

• Show self‑awareness and manage emotions effectively in challenging situations

• Seek and respond constructively to feedback, even in the face of setbacks

• Balance empathy with accountability when leading self and working with others

Essential Job Functions

Demonstrates self-leadership, seeks out opportunities for personal growth and development, accepts feedback, and demonstrates the ability to learn and apply new information.

Shares ideas and demonstrates respect, humility, honesty, and open-minded thinking.

Demonstrates flexibility, acceptance of change, and emotional intelligence.

Takes initiative and demonstrates the ability to think critically and strategically.

Participates as a contributing member of the team and brings authentic self to discussions regarding all aspects of the work.

Demonstrates ability to build and maintain effective relationships with coworkers, supervisors, responders, partner agencies, and the public.

Receives, evaluates, prioritizes, and processes emergency and non-emergency requests received by 9-1-1, administrative telephone lines, radio, text-to-911, real‑time text or relay resources where available, CAD, data interfaces, and other approved communications systems.

Determines and verifies, as early and accurately as practicable, incident location, callback information, nature of the problem, priority, hazards, involved people, responder‑safety concerns, accessibility or language needs, and appropriate dispatch or routing action.

Creates and updates CAD calls, incident narratives, status changes, dispositions, notifications, and related records in an accurate, objective, timely, and professional manner, recognizing that records may be used for public records requests, investigations, quality assurance, court proceedings, or after‑action review.

Dispatches, pages, notifies, transfers, or routes law enforcement, fire, EMS first response, emergency management, and other public safety resources in accordance with approved run cards, agency protocols, PSAP policies, SOGs, and supervisor directions.

Coordinates EMS-related call handling, first‑responder dispatch, and handoff to the secondary PSAP/EMD provider in accordance with local workflow and assigned role.

Monitors radio channels, unit status, responder location and safety information, emergency traffic, status checks, officer/firefighter distress events, mayday or emergency radio traffic, pursuits, field activity, and changing incident conditions; promptly relays critical safety information to responders and supervisors.

Uses mapping/GIS, ANI/ALI or other location information, premise alerts, responder notes, warrants or cautions when authorized, and available emergency data sources to support location validation, jurisdiction determination, response selection, and responder safety.

Communicates calmly, clearly, professionally, and compassionately with distressed, impaired, nonverbal, limited English, disabled, aggressive, abusive, or high‑risk callers while maintaining control of the call and obtaining required information.

Uses approved accessibility and language‑access resources, including TTY/TDD, text‑based communications, relay services, interpreter services, and other accommodations as available and appropriate.

Performs multiple tasks simultaneously, including phone, radio, CAD, mapping, messaging, data entry, caller management, responder support, and information relay during both high‑activity and low‑activity periods.

Operates and monitors assigned communications equipment and systems, including CAD, radio console, telephone/NG9-1-1 systems, paging and alerting tools, logging recorder access, mapping/GIS, AI‑assisted or automated call‑handling tools, state and federal information systems, and other approved technologies.

Identifies, reports, and documents equipment, system, mapping, data, facility, or workflow problems; follows approved downtime or fallback procedures when systems are unavailable or degraded.

Maintains confidentiality, information security, and appropriate system use; accesses, uses, or disseminates sensitive, criminal justice, medical, personnel, or operational information only for authorized business purposes and through approved channels.

Participates in initial training, continuing education, quality assurance/quality improvement review, performance feedback, coaching, remedial training, after‑action review, system‑change training, and other competency‑development processes as assigned.

Supports subpoena, records, complaint, quality review, or court‑related processes when authorized supervisory or records‑management direction is received.

In this public service position, employee is required to be courteous, cooperative, respectful, professional, and calm with the public, responders, partner agencies, coworkers, supervisors, and County officials.

Physical demands: Work is performed primarily in a communications center environment at a height‑adjustable console, using multiple monitors, computer terminals, radio/phone/CAD interfaces, mapping displays, keyboards, mice, headsets, foot pedals, and related systems. The position requires extended periods of sitting or standing; near vision; reading; writing; typing; speaking; listening; reaching; grasping; and occasional lifting or movement of equipment, manuals, files, or supplies. Employee must be able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to receive, interpret, and communicate voice, text, visual, audible, and data‑based emergency information accurately and promptly.

Work requires mental agility, memory, attention to detail, emotional control, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure. Employee may be exposed to traumatic, violent, emotionally distressing, or life‑threatening incidents through voice, radio, CAD, text, images, video, or other data sources. Employee frequently works rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, mandatory overtime, short‑notice call‑in, and extended shifts as needed to maintain 24‑hour operations.

RELATED JOB FUNCTIONS

May perform administrative, clerical, records, public education, tour, project, training, or committee assignments as operational priorities and staffing allow.

This job description is not intended to encompass every job duty or responsibility but is only illustrative. This position is required to perform other duties as may be assigned or required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of, or ability to learn, public safety communications operations, including 9-1-1 call-taking, non-emergency call handling, law enforcement dispatch, fire dispatch, EMS first‑responder coordination, radio communications, CAD, NG9-1-1 tools, mapping/GIS, logging systems, alerting systems, and local agency protocols.

Knowledge of, or ability to learn, La Crosse County geography, municipalities, landmarks, response areas, road networks, addressing conventions, mutual aid relationships, and public safety agency responsibilities.

Ability, with or without reasonable accommodation, to receive, interpret, and communicate voice, text, visual, audible, and data‑based emergency information accurately and promptly.

Ability to speak clearly, listen actively, control call flow, ask concise questions, summarize information accurately, and communicate over telephone, radio, CAD, and written/electronic systems.

Ability to prioritize competing emergency and non-emergency tasks, make sound judgments under stress, and adapt quickly to changing information or operational conditions.

Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, situational awareness, responder safety, and professional communication.

Ability to document information objectively, accurately, and promptly in CAD, logs, forms, messages, or other approved systems.

Ability to maintain confidentiality, information security, CJIS/TIME compliance, and appropriate need‑to‑know/right‑to‑know standards.

Ability to use approved accessibility and language‑access resources to provide effective service to callers with disabilities, limited English proficiency, or other communication needs.

Ability to work effectively with the public, coworkers, supervisors, responders, partner agencies, and County officials in a courteous, respectful, and business‑like manner, including during stressful or emotionally charged situations.

Ability to accept feedback, participate in QA/QI and training processes, and apply coaching or remedial instruction to improve performance.

Willingness and ability to work varied shifts, weekends, holidays, mandatory overtime, short‑notice call‑in, and extended hours as needed to maintain 24‑hour operations.

Training, Experience and Other Requirements

Graduation from an accredited high school, or GED equivalent.

Must successfully complete a law enforcement/public safety background check suitable for work in a public safety communications center and for access to criminal justice information systems as assigned.

Must successfully complete required pre‑employment testing, interview processes, and job‑related communication, hearing, vision, typing, or skills evaluations required by the County, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Must satisfactorily complete the prescribed Public Safety Communications Specialist training program, including classroom, simulation, system, and on‑the‑job training components, and serve the required probationary period.

Must obtain and maintain all County, PSAP, state, federal, and system‑access training or certifications required for assigned duties, which may include TIME/CJIS/NCIC‑related access, CPR/T-CPR or other lifesaving‑instruction training as adopted, NIMS/ICS, cybersecurity awareness, ADA/accessibility, language‑access procedures, missing/endangered children response, local systems training, and agency‑approved call‑taking/dispatch protocols.

Prior emergency dispatching, call‑taking, public safety, emergency services, customer service, military, healthcare, or related high‑stress communications experience is preferred.

Must be available and willing to work weekends, holidays, rotating or assigned shifts, mandatory overtime, short‑notice call‑in, and extended shifts as needed to provide adequate staffing for this 24‑hour operation.