Telecommunications Operator - Police

City of Santa Fe Springs; Kingsville (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Paid Holidays

Sick Leave

Job summary

The City of Kingsville is seeking a Telecommunications Operator to handle emergency 911 and routine calls from the public and field personnel. The role requires maintaining confidentiality and working rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities include call taking, emergency screening, radio dispatching, real-time data entry into CAD, and conducting background checks and database queries. Strong communication and crisis-management skills are essential.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED or equivalent.
• Ability to obtain TCOLE Telecommunicator License within one year of hire.
• TCIC and NCIC access certifications required.
• Must pass extensive background check, fingerprinting and drug screening.

Responsibilities

• Answer multi-line E911 and non-emergency calls from the public.
• Assess call severity for appropriate response.
• Dispatch police, fire, EMS, and animal control via radio consoles.
• Log incident details into CAD systems in real time.
• Perform background checks and database inquiries (TCIC/NCIC).
• Monitor field unit locations to support officer safety.
• Process administrative records as needed.

Skills

Geographic Literacy

Crisis Management

Communication Skills

Technical Aptitude

Education

High School diploma or GED

TCOLE License

TCIC/NCIC Certification

Background/Fingerprint/Drug screening

Job description

Job Summary

The Telecommunications Operator processes emergency 911 and routine calls from the public and field personnel. The position requires multi-tasking under extreme stress, maintaining complete confidentiality, and working rotating shifts (including nights, weekends, and holidays).

• Call Taking: Answers multi-line E911 emergency and non-emergency phone lines from citizens.
• Emergency Screening: Rapidly assesses the nature and severity of calls to determine the appropriate response.
• Radio Dispatching: Dispatches police officers, fire units, EMS, and animal control using two-way radio consoles.
• Data Entry: Logs incident details, caller information, and unit statuses simultaneously into CAD systems.
• System Queries: Runs background checks, vehicle registrations, and warrant searches through state and national databases.
• Tracking & Monitoring: Monitors field unit locations to ensure officer safety and coordinate backup assistance.
• Ancillary Tasks: Administrative records processing

Description

The Telecommunications Operator processes emergency 911 and routine calls from the public and field personnel. The position requires multi-tasking under extreme stress, maintaining complete confidentiality, and working rotating shifts (including nights, weekends, and holidays).

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Call Taking: Answers multi-line E911 emergency and non-emergency phone lines from citizens.
• Emergency Screening: Rapidly assesses the nature and severity of calls to determine the appropriate response.
• Radio Dispatching: Dispatches police officers, fire units, EMS, and animal control using two-way radio consoles.
• Data Entry: Logs incident details, caller information, and unit statuses simultaneously into CAD systems.
• System Queries: Runs background checks, vehicle registrations, and warrant searches through state and national databases.
• Tracking & Monitoring: Monitors field unit locations to ensure officer safety and coordinate backup assistance.
• Ancillary Tasks: Administrative records processing

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Geographic Literacy: Knowledge of city geography, primary streets, boundaries, and landmark locations.
• Crisis Management: Ability to remain calm, think logically, and act decisively during life‑or‑death situations.
• Communication Skills: Clear, distinct diction and strong verbal active‑listening capability over radio noise.
• Technical Aptitude: Proficiency with keyboarding, multi‑screen setups, and mapping software.

Education, Licensing, & Certification Requirements

• Basic Education: High school diploma or General Education Development (GED) equivalent.
• TCOLE License: Ability to obtain a Telecommunicator License from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) within one year of hire.
• Database Certification: Ability to achieve certification for Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) access
• Legal Background: Must pass an extensive background check, fingerprinting, drug screening, and psychological evaluation.

Physical & Environmental Demands

• Sedentary Nature: Requires sitting for prolonged periods in a confined, high‑stress office environment.
• Sensory Demands: Constant viewing of multiple computer monitors and may utilize phone/radio headset for full shifts.
• Schedule Flexibility: Mandatory availability for 8, 10, or 12‑hour shifts, including overtime and emergency recalls.

Additional Information

Employee Behavior and Conduct City employees shall conduct themselves in a professional manner and shall exhibit and extend such professional conduct appropriate for the circumstances to those with whom they come into contact both internally and externally during the performance of their duties. Examples of professional conduct include but are not limited to being communicative informative fair honest and respectful. All City employees are required in the course and scope of their employment to provide services for the general public during emergency situations that threaten the safety of Kingsville’s citizens. City employees must be able to work immediately before during and/or immediately after an emergency.

All Positions Require The Following

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Valid driver’s license
• satisfactory driving record and
• proof of eligibility to legally work in the U.S. The successful applicant will be required to pass a pre‑employment drug screen and background investigation.

Disclaimer

The information listed above reflects minimum standards and illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific job functions requirements or tasks does not exclude them from the job if the work is similar related or a logical extension of the work assigned.

To learn more details, please visit our benefit page.

The City of Kingsville offers AWESOME BENEFITS for Full-Time Employees…

Full-time Employee Classifications Receive The Following Benefits And Options

• Health Insurance - In-Network – 80% co-insurance after deductible, variable plans.
• Longevity - $ 5 monthly per completed year of service
• Vacation - 80 hrs. annually
• Sick Leave - 80 hrs. annually & Sick Leave Pool available after 1 year
• Flex Leave - 8 hrs. annually plus 4 hours added on birthday month
• Holidays - 16 days annually = 128 hours of paid leave!
• Retirement - TMRS City Matching 2;1 and TMRS Prior Service Credit
• Life Insurance = 1 year salary to maximum of 50K
• Deferred Compensation - Nationwide and Mission Square
• Voluntary Insurances with AFLAC, Ameritas and Dearborn National

To learn more details, please visit our benefit page.