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Public Safety Dispatcher (Entry) (#462020)
$30.57-$37.15 Hourly / $5,298.17-$6,439.96 Monthly / $63,578.03-$77,279.49 Yearly
Apply as a Reinstatement applicant


Public Safety Dispatcher (#463030)
$35.31-$42.92 Hourly / $6,120.68-$7,439.72 Monthly / $73,448.11-$89,276.65 Yearly
Apply as a Reinstatement applicant



DEFINITION

Learns to receive, evaluate and relay requests for law enforcement, emergency and other services to the appropriate personnel.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This class is characterized by the responsibility to learn to dispatch law enforcement and emergency service personnel and to call for mutual aid assistance.  Incumbents learn to operate equipment contained in a public safety dispatch console, which includes multi-line telephones, TTY (teletype), TDD (telephone for deaf and disabled), pagers, radios and computer-aided dispatch equipment; techniques of acquiring essential information from emergency calls and  prioritizing requests for assistance; law enforcement terminology and public safety dispatch procedures.  This class is distinguished from Public Safety Dispatcher in that the latter is the full working level of the series and works with minimum supervision and/or assistance.

Supervision Received and Exercised

  • Receives immediate supervision from the Dispatcher Supervisor.
  • Exercises no supervision.

Examples of Duties

Dispatches law enforcement and emergency fire and/or medical services to respond to requests for services; receives and evaluates requests for service; monitors, receives and refers calls to a variety of other agencies such as California Department of Fish and Game, California Highway Patrol, city police departments, County Animal Control, Coroner, air and ground ambulances and the County Transportation Department; monitors availability of personnel and resources.

 

Answers multi-line phones and responds to emergency and non-emergency calls; enters calls and other information into computer system; monitors radio communications.

 

Monitors sheriff and fire unit location and status; maintains radio communications with field personnel; requests additional assistance from County and/or other agency personnel to respond to emergency situations as needed.

 

Operates phone, TTY (teletype), TDD (telephone for deaf and disabled), pagers, radios and computer-aided dispatch equipment; automated record-keeping systems; codes and procedures; maintains backup tapes on Dictaphone tape machines.

 

Maintains records of incoming service requests and responding actions; prepares reports of shift activity and briefs incoming shifts; monitors availability of personnel and response equipment; updates County map books; prepares citizen vacation watch requests; receives County burn status reports and coordinates burn activities with current burn status.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge of :

  • Working knowledge of techniques and effective methods of handling difficult public contacts.
  • Map reading, including identification of streets, parks and major landmarks.

Skill to:

  • Operate office equipment including a personal computer, copy and fax machines and printers and computer-aided dispatch equipment and radios.

Ability to :

  • Ability to learn, interpret and apply laws, regulations and policies and procedures governing dispatch program operations.
  • Learn to operate equipment contained in a public safety dispatch console, which includes multi-line telephones, TTY (teletype), TDD (telephone for deaf and disabled), pagers, radios and computer-aided dispatch equipment.
  • Apply general rules to specific problems to attain logical answers and/or correctly follow a given rule or set of rules to arrange things or actions in a certain order.
  • Retrieve facts, details and other information from memory.
  • Quickly and accurately compare letters and numbers presented orally and in writing; shift back and forth between two or more sources of information, both written and orally imparted, in performing a task or set of tasks.
  • Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
  • Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships; deal effectively and firmly with people of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and temperaments; demonstrate tact and diplomacy.
  • Read passages and listen to orally imparted information and retrieve facts, draw conclusions and derive meaning; determine the appropriate course of action in emergency or stressful situations; make decisions and independent judgments.
  • Maintain accurate records and document actions taken.
  • Organize and prioritize work assignments.
  • Use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation; learn to take accurate notes at a fast rate of speed.
  • Learn and make referrals to local and regional providers of social, medical and/or other specialized services.
  • Maintain confidentiality of information.
  • Recognize and respect limit of authority and responsibility.
  • Implement specific procedural steps quickly and accurately.
  • Monitor a variety of emergency situations at the same time.
  • Work under pressure.
  • Learn to monitor multi-line telephones, radio equipment, intercoms and alarm systems.
  • Learn to use automated record-keeping systems.

Education and Experience

Experience:  

No experience is required.

Education/Training:

Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

A net keyboard typing speed of 40 WPM is required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

  • Candidates for positions in this class will be required to pass a background investigation, psychological examination and medical examination in accordance with applicable law, regulation and/or policy.
  • Incumbents shall satisfactorily complete the POST-certified Public Safety Dispatchers Basic Course within 12 months after the date of appointment.
  • Incumbents shall serve a probation period of twelve months.
  • Incumbents must be willing to work odd and irregular hours, including nights, weekends and holidays, rotating shifts, scheduled and emergency overtime and be available on call as required.
  • Incumbents must be willing to sit for long periods of time, and to work in a closed, confining and stressful environment.
  • Positions allocated to this class may require bilingual skills.

ADA Compliance

Physical Ability Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds).  Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.

Sensory Requirements :  Requires the ability to recognize and identify similarities and differences between shade, degree or value of colors, shapes, sounds, forms, textures or physical appearance associated with job-related objects, materials, tasks or people.equires acute auditory perception.

Environmental Factors :  Requires the ability to work under conditions where exposure to environmental factors poses a limited risk of minor injury or illness.


CLASS: 462020; EST: 8/1/1997;
CLASS: 463030; EST: 8/1/1997;