Public Safety Dispatcher I/II

Suisun City, City of (CA); Suisun City (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Suisun is seeking to fill positions for Public Safety Dispatcher I and II. Incumbents will perform essential duties related to emergency response, record maintenance, and inter-agency communication. The role requires strong customer service and clerical skills, as well as the ability to manage high-stress situations effectively.

Qualifications

• Must possess a typing certificate showing a minimum speed of 40 wpm.
• Experience in a high-interruption environment with a focus on customer service is desirable.
• Completion of basic dispatcher course and obtaining valid P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certificate is required.

Responsibilities

• Receives and prioritizes emergency and non-emergency calls.
• Dispatches police and fire units while maintaining communication.
• Processes and maintains police records and reports.

Skills

Customer Service

Clerical Skills

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

All applicants who meet the minimum requirements will be issued a remote typing test by the City. Applicants will have a total of 7 days to complete the test. A successful completion of at least 40 words per minute (WPM) is required to move on to the next step in the recruitment process.

Summary
Under supervision (Public Safety Dispatcher I) or general supervision (Public Safety Dispatcher II) performs a variety of duties involved in receiving, evaluating, prioritizing, and relaying calls for emergency and non-emergency public safety assistance; dispatches appropriate units and coordinates response of emergency personnel; maintains, processes, and distributes police records; operates a variety of telecommunications equipment including radio, telephone, and CAD systems; and performs a wide variety of specialized clerical duties involved in the preparation, maintenance, and release of materials related to law enforcement activities.
Distinguishing characteristics

Public Safety Dispatcher I- This is the entry level class in the Public Safety Dispatcher series, which is typically used as a training class. Positions at this level are not expected to function with the same amount of program knowledge or skill level as positions allocated to the Public Safety Dispatcher II level and initially exercise less independent discretion and judgment in matters related to work procedures and methods. While in training, work is usually supervised while in progress and fits an established structure or pattern. After initial training period, only occasional instruction or assistance is provided as new or unusual situations arise, with exceptions or changes in procedures explained in detail as they arise. Advancement to the “II” level is based on demonstrated proficiency in performing the full range of assigned duties, the completion of the minimum experience and education requirements for the “II” level, and is at the discretion of higher level supervisory or management staff.
Public Safety Dispatcher II- This is the full journey level class in the Public Safety Dispatcher series performing the full range of dispatcher duties. Positions at this level are distinguished from the Public Safety Dispatcher I level by independent performance of the range of duties, applying well developed program area knowledge, training new employees, and implementing new procedures. Positions at this level are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. Work is normally reviewed only on completion and for overall results. Positions in this class series are flexibly staffed and positions at the Public Safety Dispatcher II level are normally filled by advancement from the Public Safety Dispatcher I level.The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

1. Receives, classifies, and prioritizes all incoming calls to the dispatch center including 911 calls and business line calls received from citizens requesting service or information; operates a variety of public safety communications equipment including 911 emergency telephone equipment, computer aided dispatch systems, and multi-channel radio systems; dispatches police and fire units and personnel.
2. Performs a variety of duties involved in police records operations including disseminating, maintaining confidentiality, evaluating, copying, and filing police records and reports; processes and distributes arrest reports to the District Attorney, juvenile probation offices, and courts in a timely manner; ensures that information is released in accordance with related laws and Police Department policies.
3. Evaluates response necessary as dictated by a given request for service; determines nature, location, and priority of calls; operates computer aided dispatch system to create calls for service within response criteria guidelines; assigns and dispatches appropriate police, fire, or other emergency vehicles, equipment, and personnel in accordance with policies and procedures; transfers calls to other appropriate agency in accordance with established procedures; obtains and dispatches other support services as necessary.
4. Maintains contacts with all units on assignment through computer aided dispatch; maintain status and location of police field units; maintains computer records of traffic stops and other officer initiated activity.
5. Performs a wide variety of specialized clerical duties involved in the preparation, maintenance, and release of materials related to law enforcement activities including to organize, process, maintain, update, and route a variety of departmental reports, records, and files; operates and maintains the departmental centralized record keeping systems; makes inquiries; enters reports; updates individual files; updates codes.
6. Retrieves and monitors information from local agency radio traffic, and local, state, and national computer networks regarding wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, stolen vehicles, restraining orders, criminal histories, parolees, and other related information; relays information to officers in the field.
7. Operates computer terminals and teletype machine to enter, modify, and retrieve data such as stolen and recovered property, towed and stolen vehicles, missing and unidentified persons, citations, field interviews, driver license and vehicle registration information, and warrants on wanted persons; composes and transmits messages to other agencies.
8. Performs a variety of general and specialized clerical duties in support of the department; compiles, maintains, processes, and prepares a variety of records and reports; types transcripts from taped interviews; maintains various files; prepares supplemental reports as directed.
9. As assigned, processes, evaluates, and distributes police reports and records ensuring that information is released in accordance with related laws and departmental policies.
10. Responds to telephone and fax requests from citizens, business, and other agencies; provides assistance and answers questions in response to requests; provides other agencies with criminal history information and reports; transfers calls for service to dispatch as necessary.
11. Performs related duties as required.

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

Public Safety Dispatcher I
Education/Training: High School Diploma or equivalent.
Experience: One year of increasingly responsible experience in an environment with frequent interruptions, that includes a high degree of customer service is highly desirable. Some clerical or administrative experience in a fast-paced environment that involved the use of phones and a computer while working with the public is also desirable.
License or Certificate: A typing certificate showing a minimum speed of 40 wpm from an accredited testing agency is required.
Incumbents will be required to successfully complete the basic dispatcher course and obtain a valid P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certificate within one year of hire.
Substitution: A documented T-score (50 or higher) from a dispatcher training program or certificate of completion may substitute for the required experience.

Public Safety Dispatcher II
Education/Training: High School Diploma or equivalent.
Experience: Two years of experience comparable to that of a Public Safety Dispatcher I with the City of Suisun City.
License or Certificate: Possession of a valid P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certificate. A typing certificate showing a minimum speed of 40 wpm from an accredited testing agency is required. The typing certificate requirement may be waived for lateral dispatcher candidates transferring from another public safety/enforcement dispatching agency.

Positions assigned to the police department will be required to pass a thorough background investigation, including polygraph testing and must be able to maintain the same level of security as when first hired, as a condition of continued employment. Assignments to the police department will require successful completion of a comprehensive pre-employment psychological and medical examination prior to employment.