Public Safety Telecommunicator I

Job Summary

The Public Safety Telecommunicator I receive and dispatches police, fire and emergency medical calls to police, fire and emergency services personnel; and performs related work as required. This is entry-level telecommunications work at the full performance level - receiving, routing and transmitting information via radio, computer terminal and other communications equipment. Frequent contact with the public and public safety personnel requires accuracy, efficiency, speed and courtesy in receiving calls, assigning priority and dispatching calls to appropriate resources for response.

The primary assignment of a Public Safety Telecommunicator I is to monitor, maintain and manage an assigned public safety operations radio channel and to facilitate communications between public safety personnel, other agencies, other city departments and the residents and visitors of the community. Work is normally performed under the general direction of a supervisor. Day to day duties will be carried out in accordance with FCC communications regulations and Criminal Justice System directives for privacy and security of these records.

The employee will work a rotating shift including days, nights, weekends and holidays and is expected to be able to work with minimal direct supervision.

• Receives police, fire, ambulance, and other emergency calls for service over the telephone and by other means.
• Determines address and nature of call, and dispatches proper response equipment depending on call requirements following departmental regulations.
• Operates the Department's Computer Aided Dispatch System.
• Transmit information to emergency public safety personnel.
• Transmit information to nonpublic safety personnel.
• May be required to provide prearrival medical instructions.
• Maintains and updates required records on each call for service.
• Maintains and updates street index, maps and other records.
• Updates 24-hour referral list of agency contacts.
• Operates radio equipment, computer terminals and records management programs.
• Completes initial training, periodic retraining, assists in training for new personnel and performs administrative duties as requested.
• Maintains order and cleanliness of work area.
• Depending on the Public Safety Telecommunicator I's tenure, experience and expertise, in the absence of a Public Safety Telecommunicator II or III, they may be designated as a shift "Operator in Charge" and would be expected to perform the following additional duties:
• Complete an information exchange with the oncoming supervisor.
• Provide relief for personnel on breaks.
• Act as the Communications liaison between Police, Fire, EMS and other agencies.
• Execute any Alpha notification pages through the Computer Aided Dispatch System.
• Arrange for personnel to fill a vacancy when a scheduled employee takes sick or personal leave for the oncoming shift.
• Assures that the daily assignment sheet is completed.
• At the conclusion of the shift, send the shift report to the "Shift Report" paging group.
• The assignment of "Operator in Charge" does not involve supervisory tasks.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• High School Diploma or GED - Required.
• Prior police, fire and/or EMS dispatching 1 year of related experience preferred.

• Valid driver’s license.
• Attend and successfully complete a Maryland First Responder and Emergency Medical Dispatch class.
• Attend and successfully complete an NCIC certification class for access to the Criminal Justice Information System.
• The ability to pass an extensive background investigation as required for access to all related law enforcement records.

This position requires the ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; the ability to write routine reports…