Police Dispatcher

overview

this is a provisional appointment.

under general supervision, the emergency communications specialist – police dispatcher will be assigned to the operations division of the boston police department. The operations division of the boston police department serves as the critical link between the public and emergency responders in the city of boston. The division is the city's primary public safety answering point (psap), handles all initial 911 calls and requests for assistance from the general public, and is responsible for all dispatch‑related services for the boston police department.

• dispatchers are responsible for receiving, transmitting, and disseminating routine and emergency information received from 911 and administrative calls to police units in the field, utilizing various telecommunications equipment, including but not limited to computer aided dispatch (cad), digital telephony, and digital multi‑channel radio systems. Dispatchers receive and respond to requests from police field units for information and resources to assist in their job duties.
  
  They query various databases to provide field officers with the necessary information to perform their duties effectively.
• in addition to boston police radio channels, dispatchers monitor various inter‑agency radio networks to maintain situational awareness of activities or incidents in adjoining jurisdictions that may interest boston police personnel. Dispatchers relay information of interest from boston to area law‑enforcement jurisdictions utilizing these regional inter‑agency radio networks.
• dispatchers monitor and transmit related information or incident notification to field officers from various notification systems, such as shot spotter and other tracking or monitoring systems or telematics providers.
• dispatchers are responsible for notifying the operations division and police field supervisors of any significant or unusual incidents or events per department protocols and procedures.
• dispatches all necessary personnel and equipment according to the nature and severity of the incident and in accordance with boston police department rules, protocols, and directives.
• operates specialized communication equipment.
• must have the ability to be understood clearly by others over the radio and accurately record the details of radio transmissions concisely in the computer aided dispatch (cad) system.
• processes large amounts of data and radio traffic quickly and accurately.
• remains calm and effective under the pressure of emergencies, peaking workloads, and multiple (simultaneous) responsibilities in a sometimes emotionally charged environment.
• monitors and transmits on a multi‑frequency digital radio system as directed.
• conducts all radio transmissions according to the rules of the federal communications commission (fcc) and all applicable rules and procedures of the boston police department.
• maintains constant and diligent monitoring of radio systems, telephones, and other communications equipment and immediately responds to all requests for assistance or service from field units.
• maintains constant readiness to dispatch all calls for service in accordance with department rules and protocols.
• maintains contact with all units on assignment, keeps location information of field units, and checks on their status in accordance with department rules and protocols.
• maintains situational awareness of local, regional, state, and national emergencies, significant incidents, and events.
• has a working knowledge of and can apply boston police rules, protocols, and procedures.
• notifies the operations supervisor of any significant or unusual incidents or events in accordance with department protocols and procedures.
• becomes familiar with and maintains a working knowledge of the city of boston, its neighborhoods, main streets, intersections, and landmarks.
• handles calls and requests for service from a diverse population in varying emotional states.
• accesses various confidential law enforcement systems and databases, disseminating pertinent data to field units for job‑related purposes.
• maintains confidentiality regarding all sensitive information and…