PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST I - TRAINEE

A Public Safety Communication Specialist I- Trainee (Operator) learns to perform the full scope of duties of a City of Tucson PSC Specialist I through a structured on-the-job training program. This position will learn to assess emergency 911 and Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) communication requests for service from both Police and Fire/EMS specialties.

This classification is a civilian trainee that works in the Public Safety Communications Center. Training is provided in-house and may take up to one (1) year, additional training may be required to reach full performance. Employees in this class may progress by noncompetitive promotion to the classification of Public Safety Communication Specialist I after successful completion of training and satisfactory performance.

Answers, evaluates, and prioritizes incoming and outgoing telephone calls including but not limited to emergency 911, administrative, “hot lines,” Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), hospital, City departments, partner agencies, and general public inquiries.  

Answers multi-line telephone for emergency assistance; asks questions to determine caller's need and location; verifies and obtains event information; provides instructions pre-arrival of law enforcement, Fire, and/or EMS services.  

Performs interactive law enforcement, fire, and medical communication duties with members of the public and users of the 911 system.  

Interacts with 911 centers/PSAPs in the region to facilitate and coordinate public safety emergency response for public safety services; transfers calls based on jurisdiction.  

Receives, coordinates, and disseminates critical information from and to multiple sources/resources based on published protocols and defined standards.    

Maintains confidentiality; enters data; performs clerical duties; completes projects and training.

This class performs related duties as assigned. The duties listed above are intended only as general illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. Job descriptions are subject to change by the City as the needs of the City and requirements of the job change.  

Minimum Education Level & Type: High School Diploma or GED

Minimum Experience Qualifications: No Experience

Ability to type 35 Net Words Per Minute (NWPM)

Experience working as an emergency 911 operator or dispatcher

Fluent in more than one language

You are highly encouraged to print this bulletin because it contains important testing dates and information that you will need to refer to later, and it will not be available after the closing date.

Applicants who successfully complete an employment application, meet minimum qualifications, and successfully complete the background application within five (5) days of the job bulletin closing will be invited to the practical assessment. Applicants who have not completed the background application will not move forward in the recruitment and all applicants must meet Arizona Criminal Justice Information Systems (ACJIS) standards.  The highest scoring applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will receive an email notification giving a formal invitation to the practical assessment.  

Practical Assessment    

The practical assessment will be the week of June 06

This assessment will consist of two parts performed on the same day.  Part I is a typing test which measures typing speed.  Part II utilizes computer software to simulate a public safety communication environment.  

Oral Board  

Applicants passing the Practical Assessment will be invited to complete an Oral Board the week of June 13.  

Those that successfully complete the oral board will be considered for the Public Safety Communications Department. A candidate ranking on the Employment List will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:

· 5% of Training and Experience

· 15% of the rating for Practical Exam

· 80% of the rating for the Oral Board

Hiring interviews may be conducted.

The candidates selected for hire from the Employment List may be subject to the following:  An extensive background investigation, including local, state and national criminal fingerprint checks, personal and professional references, medical pre-employment testing, and polygraph. 

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the achieved score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  If you qualify for Veteran or Native American preference points as outlined in your Employment Profile, you must submit your documentation at the time of the Oral Board interview or email it to PSCD_HR@tucsonaz.gov. Copies of DD214s must reflect a characterization of service.

Applicants requiring an accommodation in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act for any of the applicant evaluations must contact Derrick Snyder at 520.837.4165 at least 48 hours prior to the particular evaluation..

Long Audio Test

Non-NIDA Drug Test

To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.