WELCOME
COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER
TRAINEE
THE HISTORY OF 9-1-1
• Adopted in 1968 by the telephone industry
• Nationwide emergency number for
universal access
• Adopted in 1972 by California state law
• All California cities connected in 1985
• Statewide completion of E-911 in 1993
• We now receive most cellular 9-1-1 calls
w/in our jurisdiction
INCOMING and OUTGOING
CALLS 2012
52,910
99,240
95,767
Total calls: 247,917
HOURLY P.S.A.P.
(Public Safety Answering Point)
The agency that answers your 9-1-1 call
THE DISPATCHER’S ROLE
IN PUBLIC SAFETY
• Receive, evaluate, and process routine
and life-threatening emergency calls
from the public
• Dispatch emergency responders via
radio channels
• Monitor Field Units
• Multi-task and maintain and process a
variety of confidential databases,
reports and logs
A COMMUNICATIONS
DISPATCHER IS…
• The bridge, between the public and
emergency help
• Often the first (and sometimes only) contact
• A facilitator of safety
• Someone who can adapt quickly to changing
circumstances
• Someone who can apply complex information
and independently make critical decisions
• Someone willing and able to work in a team
environment
THE SYSTEMS WE USE
• Shared County-Wide Dispatch
System (C.A.D.)
• P.C. –based phone and radio system
• Fully automated recording system
• Live monitoring of Transit Mall
• Monitoring interior and exterior PSB
cameras
• Reference P.C.
OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
• 24/7/365 with voluntary & mandatory overtime
• 4/10 work week on one of 4 basic shifts
– Days: 0600-1600 & 1000-2000
– Nights: 1600-0200 & 2000-0600
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Rotate shifts every six months
Holidays and weekends required
Clothing Standard
Work for extended periods in a confined manner
Last minute overtime holdover requirements
which result in 12 – 14 hour shifts
SRPD Communications Center
SRPD Communications Center
COMMUNICATIONS
TRAINING
• Learning the “language”
• 9 to 12 month training process
– Includes classroom instruction
• 120-hour P.O.S.T. mandated training
• “On-the-job” training phases
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Orientation
Call taking
Administrative Support Channel
Police Dispatch
Examples of 9-1-1 calls
Neighbors fighting
Fight with a bat
Roommate argument
Retired Officer
Wife injured
DISPATCHER TRAINEE
SELECTION PROCESS
• Online Application & Supplemental Questions
• Part I - P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Dispatcher
Selection Test Battery (See Examinee Guide)
• Part II - Appraisal Interview
• Part III - Background Investigation
• Interview with Chief of Police and Conditional
Job Offer
• Psychological Evaluation and Comprehensive
Medical Exam
• Formal Employment Offer
• Orientation &Training Program
ONLINE APPLICATION
www.santarosacityjobs.com
Part I Testing
P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Dispatcher
Written Test
• Designed to measure your aptitude for
performing public safety dispatcher work.
• Test measures general abilities that are
normally developed over an extended
period of time.
• They are not designed to measure jobspecific knowledge or skills that are taught
in training.
• Passing score: T-Score 50.
Abilities Measured
in theTests
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Verbal Ability
Reasoning
Memory
Perceptual Ability
Please see P.O.S.T. Applicant Guide
for examples of test formats.
http://lib.post.ca.gov/publications/
dispatcher_examinee.pdf
Part II Appraisal Interview
• Designed to measure your education,
training, experience, and job-related
qualifications for the position.
• You will be interviewed by a panel of three
Department staff members.
• Your responses to the questions asked by
the panel will be evaluated and assigned a
numerical score in each of the rating
criteria areas.
Listening/KeyboardingTest
• Applicants proceeding further in the
selection process will be required to
take a 5-minute listening and
keyboarding test to confirm your
typing skills.
• Minimum qualifications for this test
is a typing speed of at least 35 wpm.
Part III P.O.S.T. Background
Personal History Statement
http://lib.post.ca.gov/Publications/
2-255-phsDispatchers.doc
P.O.S.T. Background Investigation
Dimensions
Moral Character:
1. Integrity
2. Impulse Control/Attention to Safety
3. Substance Abuse and Other Risk
Taking Behavior
Handling Stress and Adversity
4. Stress Tolerance
5. Confronting and Overcoming
Problems, Obstacles, and Adversity
Work Habits
6. Conscientiousness
Interactions with Others
7. Interpersonal Skills
Intellectually-Based Abilities
8. Decision-Making and Judgment
9. Learning Ability
10. Communications Skills
Conditional Job Offer and
Medical Exams
• Meeting with the Chief of Police and
Technical Services Division Manager
• Conditional Job Offer
• Psychological Evaluation
• Comprehensive City Pre-Employment
Medical Exam
Employment Offer
• Upon successful completion of the
background investigation phase and
affirmative recommendation from both the
City’s designated psychological and medical
examiner, a formal offer of employment is
made.
• Trainees begin at Step 1 of the salary
range $3,575 per month.
Organizations related to
9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatching
• National Emergency Number Association (N.E.N.A.)
http://www.nena.org
• Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
http://www.apcointl.org
• Dispatch Monthly Magazine
http://www.911dispatch.coml.org/
• 9-1-1Magazine
http://www.9-1-1Magazine.com
• Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center
http://nvccjtc.com/index/dispatch_academy/dispatch-academy/
• SRJC Public Safety Training Center
http://www.santarosa.edu/ps/