Public Dispatcher

THE POSITION

This is an entry-level class in the Public Safety Dispatcher series. Employees in this class are in a training program assigned to a trainer at all times. They are closely supervised while being instructed by a trainer and performing job duties according to established policies and procedures. Employees at this level are not considered fully trained dispatchers and are not given the same level of responsibilities and independence as the journey level dispatcher. Employees are considered to be in on-the-job training and are expected to obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to advance to journey-level performance. As experience accrues, employees will perform with increasing independence and responsibility while being observed and reviewed by the trainer. Employees are assigned to trainers and will work varying work schedules, weekends, nights, and holidays.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

» Education: High school diploma or equivalent.

» Experience: Experience utilizing computers, answering phone(s), and

information gathering and/or processing. Experience in high-stress/high

volume workload environment is a plus.

» Licenses and/or Certificates Required: Possession of a valid California driver’s licenses

Public Safety Dispatcher | About the Position

“What’s it like to be a 9-1-1 operator?”  This is probably the question we as Dispatchers hear most from our friends and family.  It’s not always easy to answer because there are a lot of things – some good, some difficult – that can be a part of the job.  Depending on how your last shift went, some elements can seem more or less important at that moment.  Most of us tend to gloss over the toughest parts, either out of politeness or sometimes even because some of the things can be difficult to talk about.  As well, we are not usually answering that question for someone who is seriously considering becoming a Dispatcher.  It’s just someone curious, whose only ‘knowledge’ of our profession probably came from a television show or movie, which turns out to be not much at all like what we do.  If you’re reading this, however, it’s because you are considering applying.  If so, we want to give you the clearest picture of what the job is like to help you make the best decision you can.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER?

Being a Public Safety Dispatcher is a tough job that requires a person who can be organized, decisive, and effective while at the same time remaining professional and compassionate.  You have to be able to remain calm regardless of the situation – whether it is a mother calling because her child is having a medical emergency, a person reporting a robbery in progress or even a person who is angry with the police department and is conveying that anger over the phone to you.  You have to be able to finish with a call like one of those, and then seconds later pick up the phone and be able to talk to someone reporting a stray dog or asking for directions to the library without allowing the call you just finished to impact how you speak to the new caller.  We are looking for someone who can act like an emergency room triage coordinator and a customer service specialist at the same time.  You need to be able to listen to what a caller is reporting to you and quickly determine what element of their story is most critical, and then be able to direct that conversation to gather the information most relevant to the responding units while remaining courteous to the caller.  You must keep in mind that how you do your job can have a very real impact on the safety of both the callers as well as the persons responding to the calls for service that you generate.  This is a job where what you do matters in very real terms for the people you serve; you CAN make a difference in someone’s life – but that difference could go one way or the other depending on your decision-making and your attention to your duty.

Call takers vs. dispatchers

Dispatchers at different agencies often have very different job duties.  In some larger cities, you might find yourself working in a room with dozens of other people at the same time; you might also find yourself working in a specialized position, such as ‘only radio’ or ‘only taking phone calls.  You might have the duties further split so that some employees are hired as ‘Fire Department dispatchers’ and some as ‘Police Department dispatchers’.  At the other end of the spectrum, you could work for a very small police agency that has only one dispatcher on duty at any given time, and that person has to handle all of the duties of that position on their own.  The City of Yuba City falls between these two extremes.  We are not large enough to specialize in permanent job assignments, so we train our dispatchers to handle all the duties – dispatching police and fire units and taking calls for service including 911 calls for both police-related situations as well as medical issues.  We are, however, large enough that we have a minimum staffing level of two dispatchers working at all times. Special events may require one-two additional dispatchers for a total of four working in the communication center.

THE “TYPICAL” APPLICANT

Dispatchers come to their profession from many different origins.  True, some of us got our start in other public safety-related fields and then transitioned to dispatch; however, many of us came from jobs completely outside of the realm of public safety.  Some people start their careers after many years in other fields, and some have become dispatchers as their first ‘serious’ adult job.  While there are certainly some jobs that might prepare you for an easier transition, we can train any person who has the right mindset and capability regardless of how much or how little experience they bring through the door.