Emergency Communications Operator

Job Description Summary

This position is eligible for a sign-on bonus: Lateral Dispatch Experience: $3,500 Entry Level, No Dispatch Experience: $2,500.

Essential Functions

• Assists citizens who call 911 for police, fire, and medical emergencies, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), and multiple telephone lines by answering and screening all incoming calls, working under pressure and extreme time constraints to assess the emergency situation and act upon it, coordinating calls and relaying information and assistance requests to appropriate public safety agency.
• Screening Initial Calls. Handling requests through traditional two-way communication voice calls via landline or wireless devices, or various sources such as text messages, visual data (video or images), social media, fire alarms, gunshot detection systems, and even automated data.
• Demonstrating Clear and Effective Communications. As soon as a request for service is made, control the conversation, ensuring information received is as accurately as possible.
• Ascertaining Incident Information. Determine the location of the emergency as exactly as possible. This includes ascertaining the numerical address of the structure (if applicable), street name(s), intersections, landmarks, etc. and/or interpreting information from other technology such as push-to-call, rideshare apps, and other applications on various operating systems. Retrieves and transmits data to/from officers by determining the nature and location of emergencies, prioritizing urgent situations, utilizing the Computer Aided Dispatch and ACJIS on (CAD), and maintaining contact with people involved.
• Determining Scene and Responder Safety. Ascertain and relay circumstances that could affect response unit safety, such as the location’s historical information.
• Documenting Information Accurately. Using a CAD system or other applicable records management system (RMS), ensure incident information is recorded accurately. Inputs initial incident data into the Records Management System by entering, retrieving, and updating information from software and network relating to wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and other information. Managing Callers. Use excellent communication skills to deal effectively with a wide variety of callers including but not limited to highly emotional, angry, frightened, hysterical, children, elderly, or suicidal callers.
• Control Radio Traffic. Effectively control radio traffic through learning the field-specific languages often used in police, fire, and EMS scenarios. Be prepared for unexpected radio transmissions from any unit at any time and possess the ability to rapidly adjust to changing scenarios.
• Participate in Post-incident Activities. Depending on the severity of an incident, a PST may need to participate in post-dispatch activities or situation debriefings.
• Participating in field operations as necessary, assisting with field communications, such as major events or Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) callouts, manning offsite command centers as required.
• Operates as a communications trainer by instructing and monitoring new personnel, completing written training evaluations, updating training manual; and scheduling classes, certifications, and ride-a-longs.
• Performs various duties with extreme accuracy by notarizing documents, creating and updating city geographic files, maintaining detailed written logs containing statistics and report information, and updating the various call-out lists as needed. Maintaining and updating the computerized rolodex file with the most current information available.
• Maintains Arizona Criminal Justice Information (ACJIS) files. Performs various ACJIS functions such as entering, clearing and/or canceling wanted persons, missing persons, articles, guns and vehicle files. Verifying entries, cancellations and clears. Monitors ACJIS notifications such as hit confirmations, amber alerts and ATL's) coming in from ACJIS printer. Maintains Terminal Operator Certification (TOC) to perform ACJIS functions. Performs criminal history checks for both hiring and criminal justice purposes.

Requirements

• Formal Education/Knowledge: Work requires knowledge necessary to understand basic operational, technical, or office processes. Level of knowledge equivalent to four years of high school or equivalency.
• Experience: No experience required.
• Certifications and Other Requirements: Must be at least 18 years of age. Typing requirement of 35 words per minute or 10,500 keystrokes per hour. Ability to obtain and maintain Arizona Department of Public Safety Terminal Operator Certification (ACJIS/NCIC) within six months of hire. Successful completion of all background investigations, including polygraph and psychological evaluation.
• Reading: Work requires the ability to read manuals, maps, and data sheets.
• Math: Work requires the ability to perform general math calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and general accounting.
• Writing: Work requires the ability to write reports, proposals, worksheets, and letters.
• Managerial: Job has no responsibility for the direction or supervision of others but may provide advice/direction to an employee with less experience/skill or tenure.
• Policy/Decision Making: Moderate - The employee normally performs the duty assignment according to his or her own judgment, requesting supervisory assistance only when necessary. Projects and daily work are managed with little oversight, however special assignments and significant work products may be reviewed upon completion. Typical positions in this category are supervisory, highly technical, or lower-level professional jobs.
• Technical Skills: Comprehensive Application - Work requires a comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Interpersonal/Human Relations Skills: High - Interactions may involve support of controversial positions or the negotiation of sensitive issues or important presentations. Contacts may also involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions.