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POLICE COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER

$6,419 - $8,193 per month (DOE/DOQ)

Plus excellent benefits

Pay Incentives:

Shift differential (3% Swing, 5% Nights)

P.O.S.T. Certificate Pay (3% Public Safety Dispatcher)

Bilingual Pay (2.5% Conversational, 5% Full, 10% Expert)

Additional Specialty Pays:

CTO (5%), HNT (1%), CSI (1%)

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  OPEN UNTIL FILLED 

THE POSITION:

The City of San Rafael Police Department is recruiting for a full-time, Police Communications Dispatcher.  This is a specialized police civilian classification and performs all duties required to effectively dispatch police services including operating police radio communication equipment to communicate with the public and police.  Receives, interprets, and transmits information essential to the delivery of emergency and non-emergency police services.

• Monitors local emergency services radio transmissions; maintains contact and monitors status of field units; monitors the county mutual aid channel.
• Responds to emergency phone lines, including calls to and from fire department, alarm companies, and tow companies.
• Prioritizes needs of difficult callers, including hysterical victims, incoherent persons and suicidal subjects; assesses and evaluates emergency situations.
• Enters calls for service information into the CAD system, including type, location, nature and description of event; enters all field unit transmissions.
• Enters information into automated systems, including temporary warrants, missing persons, property, stolen vehicles, domestic violence restraining orders and firearms; searches various databases and automated systems in response to information requests.
• Performs a variety of clerical duties, including photocopying, completing forms and maintaining records; receives and responds to document requests for warrants and DMV printouts.
• Operates a variety of specialized equipment related to dispatch work.
• Answers front office non-emergency lines after hours.
• Informs on-duty shift Sergeant of street activity and pending calls for service.
• May train and evaluate new employees.
• Performs related duties as required.

To be eligible for this position you must have knowledge of:

• CAD procedures
• Police dispatch radio and phone equipment
• City and Department policies and procedures
• Information technology, personal computers and related software applications
• City geography and beat structure
• Use of reference maps and code manuals
• Civil and criminal codes

• Operate a variety of police specific and general office equipment
• Accurately dispatch personnel and equipment
• Speak and think clearly in emergency situations
• Listen and ascertain relevant information quickly and accurately
• Understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public
• Classify and prioritize service requests
• Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with the public and fellow employees

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)
• One (1) year experience in public safety work or equivalent combination of education and experience.

LANGUAGE/MATHEMATICAL/REASONING SKILLS:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively to the public and police personnel in emergency and high stress situations.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to video display and regularly works in evenings or weekends.  The employee occasionally works in inside environmental conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS:

City of San Rafael application is required.  Resumes do not substitute for the City application.  Candidates should detail related education and experience on the application since this information will be used to determine who will be invited to participate in the next phase of the examination process.  The examination process may include any or all of the following:  application appraisal and oral board examination.  Note:  Prior to appointment, candidate must bass a pre-employment physical, background check, reference check, driving record, drug screen and fingerprinting.  To file an application, go to:  www.calopps.org.  Select “Member Agencies”. Select “San Rafael”.  Follow this link to submit your application: https://www.calopps.org/san-rafael/job-20138477 

For more information about the City of San Rafael, please visit our website at www.cityofsanrafael.org.

Reasonable Accommodation:  The City of San Rafael will make reasonable accommodations in the exam process to accommodate disabled applicants.  If you have a disability for which you require an accommodation, please contact us at (415) 485-3474 at least seven (7) days before the oral board date.