Public Safety Telecommunicator I

City of Mesa; Mesa (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hiring bonus $1,000 after training

Hiring bonus $1,000 after 1 year

Job summary

The City of Mesa is hiring an entry-level Public Safety Telecommunicator I to receive, evaluate, and process all 9-1-1 calls for police, fire, and medical assistance, and to dispatch for police, fire, or EMS while maintaining radio contact with field units. The role is stationed at the Mesa Regional Dispatch Center, with rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays.

A $1,000 training bonus plus another $1,000 after one year is offered.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED.
• 1–3 years of public contact or customer service experience.
• Typing speed of 35 net words per minute (nwpm) required and verified before employment.
• Successful Criticall test prior to hire or promotion date.
• Background investigation required; CPR certification within 60 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Receive and evaluate 9-1-1 calls for police, fire, and medical assistance and process dispatch instructions.
• Dispatch calls for fire, police, and EMS and maintain radio contact with field units.
• Operate in the Mesa Regional Dispatch Center with coordination among multiple agencies.
• Work rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Skills

Typing 35 nwpm

Public contact experience

Background check

CPR certification

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

The City of Mesa is pleased to offer a hiring bonus for individuals hired as a Public Safety Telecommunicator I; $1,000 will be paid upon successful completion of the Public Safety Telecommunicator classroom training program, and $1,000 will be paid one year after completion of the training.

This recruitment will be used to fill vacancies in the 911 Call-Taker, Police Dispatching, and Fire Dispatching assignments.

The first review of all applications will be on Monday, July 27, 2026.

Public Safety Telecommunicator I is the entry-level class in the Public Safety Telecommunicator series and is responsible for receiving, evaluating, and processing all 9-1-1 calls for police, fire, and medical assistance; or receiving and dispatching calls and messages for police or fire/emergency medical services, and maintaining radio contact with mobile units. Work involves evaluating incoming calls, dispatching field units, and transmitting information and messages upon request and according to established procedures.

911 Call-Taker Assignment

• Receives and evaluates calls from the public concerning crimes, fires, and medical emergencies. Specific duties include: evaluating calls for proper action; initiating Police and Fire/medical response by obtaining information required for dispatching field units; accessing the priority dispatch protocol system which is used to triage emergency medical service requests and supply pre-arrival instructions; entering data into a computer as it is being received; and providing emergency first aid or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instructions, if appropriate. Calls and messages include routine reports, referral information, and emergency calls for assistance from citizens and public safety personnel. A Public Safety Telecommunicator I in the 911 Call-Taker Assignment enters abandoned vehicle information and performs vehicle registration, Driver's License, stolen vehicle, and wanted persons checks by utilizing a criminal justice information system.

Fire Dispatching Assignment

• Dispatches calls and messages for Fire and Medical emergency services and maintains radio contact with mobile units. A Public Safety Telecommunicator I in the Fire Dispatching assignment works in the Mesa Regional Dispatch Center (MRDC) which is responsible for multi-agency dispatching and a valley-wide automatic aide system. Specific duties include: making appropriate notifications and call-outs for major incidents; selecting correct format for dispatching from twelve or more categories; dispatching ground and air ambulances; and contacting other agencies, utilities, airport towers, the Public Information Officer, on-call investigators, numerous specialty teams, and rescue services such as the Red Cross depending on the type of incident.

Police Dispatching Assignment

• Dispatches calls and messages for Police emergency services and maintains radio contact with mobile units. A Public Safety Telecommunicator I in the Police Dispatching assignment works in the Police Communications Center which is responsible for dispatching Police Officers for the City of Mesa involving high volume of radio traffic and monitoring of status changes during routine and emergent situations. Calls and messages include routine reports, referral information, and emergency calls for assistance from citizens and Police personnel.

Public Safety Telecommunicator I is a civilian position. All work is performed in accordance with department policies and procedures and local, state, and federal regulations. A Public Safety Telecommunicator I works rotating shifts that include nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees in this class may progress by noncompetitive promotion to the Public Safety Telecommunicator II classification upon meeting the specific criteria-based promotion requirements. The employee must have completed the probationary requirement as a Public Safety Telecommunicator I and demonstrated the level of competency necessary to perform the duties with minimal supervision and assistance. This class is distinguished from the Public Safety Telecommunicator II class by the training responsibilities of the latter. Supervision is received from a Public Safety Communications Shift Supervisor who reviews work through observations on the job and results achieved. This class is FLSA nonexempt.

Employee Values:

All employees of the City of Mesa are expected to uphold and exhibit the City's shared employee values of Knowledge, Respect, and Integrity.

Minimum Qualifications Required.

• Graduation from high school or GED.
• Good (1 - 3 years) experience in public contact or customer service experience.
• A minimum typing speed of 35 net words per minute (nwpm) is also required and will be verified prior to employment or promotion to this class.
• Must successfully pass Criticall test prior to hire or promotion date.

Special Requirements

• Because of the confidential, sensitive nature of information handled, successful completion of a background investigation is required.
• Candidates given a conditional job offer will be required to pass a hearing test.
• Must obtain Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification within 60 days of hire or promotion date.
• All required certifications must be maintained throughout employment.
• Must not be on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) list of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).

Substance Abuse Testing.

Due to the safety and/or security sensitive nature of this classification, individuals shall be subject to pre-employment/pre-placement alcohol, drug and/or controlled substance testing as outlined in City policy and procedures.

Preferred/Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with computer data entry is desirable.
• Bilingual speaking skills (English/Spanish) are desirable.
• Experience in the operation of multiline phone system or radio communications system is desirable.