Position Description and Duties

1. Receives emergency and non-emergency calls, complaints, and inquiries from the public.
2. Evaluates information to determine jurisdiction, priority, staff availability and equipment needed.
3. Dispatches police, fire, and other public safety units, in accordance with established procedures, and based on the nature of the call, staff availability, assigned geographical area, and location of the call.
4. Provides responding units with pertinent information such as suspect information; warrant, probation and parole information; vehicle registration status; license status; premise and subject history; and location of Knox boxes and hideaway keys.
5. Operates a variety of communication equipment, including radio transmitters and receivers, computerized communication terminals and keyboards, multi-line telephone equipment, and City-wide camera monitoring equipment.
6. Retrieves information in response to requests from police and fire units, and monitors and maintains status and location of units.
7. Provides callers with established instructions for emergency medical situations.
8. Prepares records and logs.
9. Provides information to the public by telephone; advises them on what agency to contact for services not provided by the City.
10. Contacts other agencies to coordinate public safety and mutual aid operations.

Minimum Qualifications

• No felony convictions.
• No use of the following drugs within the past five (5) years: Cocaine, Hallucinogens, LSD, Heroin, Methamphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), Psilocybin (Mushrooms).
• No use of the following drug within the past one (1) year: Marijuana (Cannabis).
• Have excellent hearing, and pass a medical examination.
• Must pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check for job-related convictions, fingerprinting, polygraph test, credit check, and a check of drug use history.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT:  The City’s policy is that all persons hired on or after October 18, 2021, must be fully vaccinated, including the booster, for COVID-19. New employees will be required to provide proof of complete vaccination or have an approved medical or religious accommodation before employment may commence. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact Human Resources. 

Additional Information

OPTION 1 (two documents are required at time of application)

• Attach a TYPING CERTIFICATE as proof of ability to type at least 30 net w.p.m. with no more than 15 errors. Only certificates from a public agency, school/training center or employment agency (issued within six (6) months of application) will be accepted. Online typing test will not be accepted. Each certificate must include the following: name of the school, agency or institution conducting the testing; the gross and net number of words, and the number of errors; the signature of the individual responsible for the testing; and the testing date. Online typing certificates will not be accepted. 

• Attach a copy of a valid T-SCORE of 48 or above from a POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery (POST Dispatcher Test) taken within the past 12 months to proceed through the examination process. Applicants may use a T-score from a POST Dispatcher Test administered by another agency. If you do not possess a valid T-score, applicants may contact The Academy, South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Center (www.theacademy.ca.gov), or other local law enforcement agencies and/or basic training academies to determine if they are administering the POST Dispatcher Test. Additional information about the test may be obtained by visiting the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) website at www.post.ca.gov. 

OPTION 2 (one document is required at time of application)

• Attach a copy of a California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Certificate.