Communications Dispatcher Lateral

The City of Redondo Beach Police Department is looking for experienced Communications Dispatchers to join our highly-skilled team. Use your skills to work for a full-service City near the beach in the beautiful South Bay of Los Angeles!

Candidates with a current P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certification, or equivalent, and at least 2 years of public safety dispatcher experience are invited to apply. Only applicants that meet the minimum requirements and attach a copy of their P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certification, or equivalent certification, will be contacted and given further consideration. If you do not meet these requirements, please review our Communications Dispatcher Trainee job post to see if you are interested in that role.

Successful candidates will also demonstrate the ability to work well under pressure and during periods of high stress, be capable of multi-tasking, and function productively in a fast-paced environment. The ability and/or willingness to work overtime if requested is also desired.

Under the direction of the Police Chief and supervisors, the Communications Dispatcher Lateral position performs in a training or solo capacity to dispatch Police, Fire, and emergency medical services and personnel and responds to both urgent and non-emergency complaints and calls for service in the City's Communication Center; performs work under general instructions, but with established policies, procedures and precedents as guides;

and performs related duties as required to achieve successful results in support of the City's mission, goals, policies and objectives.

This position is accountable to perform as a team member to assist with operational and support duties and services including but not limited to:

• Receiving, updating and reviewing police, fire, and emergency medical service calls and status of rescue units; prioritizing incidents and radio traffic; dispatching the appropriate police, fire, or rescue units in accordance with established operational guidelines.
• Broadcasting information over radio or phone lines and entering call information into the computer aided dispatch system chronologically; transmitting messages to the appropriate station or location directing unit(s) to respond to calls; announcing information over station paging systems and via radio frequency; maintaining direct contact with field personnel; updating responding unit status, as necessary.
• Receiving calls for service from the public and private alarm systems; determining the nature of the complaints, alarms, or codes for computer input; recording the type of incident, locations, and other details; inputting the information into the computer to be routed to the appropriate Police or Fire dispatcher.
• Working shifts and irregular hours including days, evenings, nights, overtime and including weekends and holidays; may be called back for major emergencies, disasters, and critical incidents.
• Working in an environment that requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time, read color coded displays; use a computer terminal for extended periods; hear sufficiently to accurately and completely obtain information from callers; and communicate clearly to effectively dispatch information over the radio/communication system. Frequent lifting and/or moving up to 10 pounds and occasionally lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds may be required.
• Providing outstanding internal and external customer service, communicating effectively with the public and fellow employees, solving problems and proactively creating sustainable solutions to issues.
• Conducting duties, responsibilities, tasks and assignments with a constructive, cooperative, positive, professional attitude and demeanor.
• Supporting the City's mission, goals, policies and objectives.
• Supporting the City's corporate values of:
  Openness and honesty; integrity and ethics; accountability; outstanding customer service; teamwork; excellence; and fiscal responsibility.
• Performing other related duties as required.

Qualified Applicants must:

• Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
• Be a minimum age of 18 years at the time of appointment.
• Possess a minimum of two (2) years as a public safety Communications Dispatcher with computer-aided dispatch experience.
• Have completed and passed a California Certified Dispatcher School and hold a current P.O.S.T Dispatcher Certification, or hold recognized equivalent certification of a State or Municipal Agency.
• A copy of your current P.O.S.T. Certification must be included with your application.
• Emergency Medical Dispatch Certification must be obtained within 12 months of appointment to this classification.

The position requires computer literacy with knowledge in the use of Microsoft Word and Excel and the ability to learn the efficient use of the department's computer aided dispatch and Records Management Systems, State, County and local computer databases and other computer systems. Also required is…