Public Safety Dispatcher - Lateral

City of Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Shift Differential

Bilingual Pay

Uniform Allowance

Tuition Reimbursement

Medical, Dental & Vision

Life Insurance

PERS Retirement

Vacation/Sick Leave

Training

Job summary

The City of Santa Barbara is seeking a Public Safety Dispatcher III to answer and process emergency and non-emergency requests for police, fire and medical services. You will operate a CAD system, monitor the status of personnel and equipment, and coordinate responses to incidents.

Candidates should have one year of related experience or training, coursework in criminal justice, POST Dispatcher training, EMD, and CPR/First-Aid certification; bilingual skills are a plus.

Qualifications

• One year experience/training as an emergency communications operator or dispatcher.
• Coursework in criminal justice or communications.
• POST Dispatcher Course, EMD and CPR/First-Aid certifications.

Responsibilities

• Answer and process all incoming emergency and non-emergency requests for police, fire and medical assistance.
• Operate a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and monitor status of personnel and equipment.
• Determine nature, priority and disposition of calls and provide pre-arrival instructions.
• May act as a trainer for dispatch employees and perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication

Listening

Typing

Computer terminal

Education

POST 120 hour Basic Dispatcher Course

Medical Priority EMD Certification

CPR/First-Aid Certification

Criminal justice coursework

Tools

CAD system

Job description

$79,003 - $91,547 Annually

(Additional $220 to $310 / month for EMD* Certification)

The Hiring Bonus has been discontinued until further notice, effective April 1, 2020

Career Path: Public Safety Dispatcher III, Supervisor

Incintives:

• $138 to $277/mo Shift Differential
• $110 to $222/mo Bilingual Pay
• $863/yr Uniform Allowance
• $1,000/yr Tuition Reimbursement
• City Paid Medical, Dental & Vision
• City Paid Life Insurance $50,000
• PERS Retirement 2.7% @ 55 & EPMC
• Advance vacation or sick leave accrual
• 4/10 Work Schedule, 3 Days Off Per Week
• Flexible Medical And Dependent Care Plans
• Deferred Compensation Plans
• City Paid Vacation, Holiday, And Sick Leave
• City Paid Retiree Medical Contribution
• City Paid Formal Training
• EMD (5%)

Under supervision, journey level incumbents answer and process all incoming emergency and non-emergency requests for police, fire and medical assistance. Evaluate the information and create a CAD system incident, or provide information to the caller or transfer the call to the proper emergency provider. Operate a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, video display terminals, and associated equipment. Monitor and maintain status of assigned public safety personnel and equipment; initiate fire equipment move-ups to ensure adequate citywide fire protection. Determine nature, priority and disposition of calls. Inquire, interpret, verify receive and disseminate information from law enforcement computer networks relating to wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action to help assure officer safety. Provide basic first aid and pre-arrival instructions during medical emergencies following the established Emergency Medical Dispatch* (EMD) protocols.

May be assigned as a trainer for dispatch employees. Perform other duties as assigned.

The Combined Communications Center is a 24-hour facility located at the Police Department. Incumbents must be available to work weekends, holidays, call back, standby, and rotating shifts. The current shifts are: Day Shift 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Evening Shift 4:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.; and Night Shift 7:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Shifts are rotated every 6 months.

Ability to:

Follow oral and written instructions; learn police and fire radio operations and procedures, local streets, police beats, fire districts, the classifications of crimes and recognition of common police and fire codes in order to obtain information from the public, initiate a response, and accurately record information; remember instructions and information; clearly and tactfully communicate factual information to citizens; question callers while simultaneously typing information into a computer terminal. Establish and maintain cooperative working relations with those contacted in the course of work.

Skill in:

Operating a computer terminal; listening and speaking clearly and responding quickly and accurately to emergency and routine requests for assistance.

Desirable Qualifications:

One year experience/training as an emergency communications operator, dispatcher or similar position requiring knowledge of emergency medical or public safety operations; coursework in criminal justice or communications; completion of POST 120 hour Basic Dispatcher Course, Medical Priority EMD Certification, and CPR/First-Aid Certification; prior computer-aided dispatch (CAD) experience, and Spanish-speaking skills.

THE SELECTION PROCESS MAY CONSIST OF:

1. Oral Interview
2. Department Background Interview
3. Background Investigation
4. Polygraph
5. Psychological Evaluation
6. Medical Examination and Controlled Substances Screening

Candidates must successfully complete each phase of the selection process in order to be scheduled for subsequent phases.

CITY APPLICATION ACCEPTED ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS.

The City of Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity Employer - and we encourage all persons to apply.