Police Dispatcher I - City of Anaheim (CA) : Job Details

The Anaheim Police Department invites you to experience a challenging and rewarding career as a Police Dispatcher I. Committed to serving our community through teamwork and the constant pursuit of excellence, you will demonstrate the values of the organization by providing a high level of customer service, exercise independent judgment, and make sound decisions in emergency situations.

The ideal candidate will:

* Effectively communicate with, and elicit information from distressed and irate callers and communicate emergency instructions over the telephone

* Effectively use a wide variety of public safety codes and computer commands

* Operate dispatch-related equipment quickly, accurately and, at times, concurrently

* Understand and follow oral and written instructions, including department policies and procedures

* Accurately spell and maintain complete files and records

* Coordinate and relay emergency call information and assistance requests to other agencies, such as fire and police departments, utility companies, service agencies, and other inter-agency departments

NOTE: This recruitment may be used to fill full-time and part-time positions.

The following functions are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed functions and/or may be required to perform additional or different functions from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

* Analyze requests for police services, determine priority ranking of each request and the kind and level of service to be dispatched in initial response, and determine available units to dispatch.

* Dispatch police units, translating service requests into radio codes and relaying to police personnel in the field via radio and computer data terminals.

* Listen to each radio transmission from police personnel in the field, acknowledge and comply with request for action or information.

* Maintain awareness of position of each police unit and activities in which personnel are engaged, checking periodically with personnel to verify position and activity, supplying back-up personnel and taking other appropriate steps to provide for the safety of field personnel.

* Organize and coordinate activities of field units.

* Maintain detailed records of each service request, each action taken and the time each action was taken.

* Receive service requests by telephone on 9-1-1 emergency and business lines; obtain information on the nature of the request/emergency, the location, telephone number of caller and name of caller and other pertinent information, remaining on the line with victims in emergency, as appropriate, creating a record of the information, classifying service requests and determining beat area.

* Place telephone calls to other police jurisdictions, City departments, City emergency crews, vehicle tow companies, ambulance services, coroner, relatives of victims, telephone and utility companies, taxi companies and others to relay information or request services, maintaining detailed records of the time and nature of each call.

* Read maps, memorize streets and major hundred block dividers; reasonably apply this knowledge to field unit beat assignments; coordinate and determine sectors.

* Operate computer aided dispatch system equipment, enhanced 9-1-1 telephone systems, Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) and other office equipment; operate teletype and computer terminal to check for registered owner of vehicles and other information.

* Refer to maps and reference materials to secure information needed by personnel in the field and for the dispatch function.

* Monitor radio channels for service requests from other jurisdictions and emergency radio traffic.

* Broadcast suspect information by radio, determining proper locations to post officers to contain an area and set up perimeter.

* Provide on-the-job training to newly hired Police Dispatchers.

* Assign meal break periods to field personnel.

* May be required to testify in court.

* Attend communications and patrol briefings and read daily logs.

* Monitor security cameras; responsible for building security; screen all in-coming personnel and guests at the station and parking lot.

* As required, perform the duties of a Police Communications Operator.

* Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities are as follows:

Experience:

Performing high-volume public contact work.

Knowledge of:

English usage and spelling; record keeping methods; principles of human relations; and basic safety precautions and procedures.

Ability to:

Learn the functions of the position; act quickly in an emergency and adopt an effective course of action; work under stress, dealing with emergency situations; speak clearly and concisely; listen to and record information clearly and accurately; remember numerous details; read, understand and apply moderately difficult materials; understand and carry out oral and written instructions; operate a computer keyboard to enter, receive and manipulate associated data; type a minimum of 50 words per minute without errors; establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Environmental Conditions: Exposure to high-frequency noise.

Physical Conditions: Work is performed in an office environment utilizing modern office equipment and technology and may require sitting for prolonged periods of time using a computer. The incumbent stands, walks, and may twist, reach, bend, crouch and kneel. An incumbent must be able to meet the requirements of the classification and have mobility, vision, hearing and dexterity levels appropriate to the duties to be performed.

NOTE: Must be available to work assigned shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Employees of the Anaheim Police Department must be permanent and full-time residents of the State of California and live within a one hundred (100) mile radius of the City of Anaheim.

License/Certification Required:

Possession of a valid California Driver's License by date of appointment.

IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

Applications will be accepted until December 27, 2024 at 5:00 PM. Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Applications will not be accepted after this deadline.

Written Exam - Tentatively scheduled for January 29, 2024.

The City of Anaheim utilizes the POST Entry Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery. The POST Examinee Guide (Download PDF reader) provides information about the test. Because the test measures general abilities, there is no study guide or reading list for the test. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the test formats shown in the Examinee Guide.

Written Exam Waiver Request:

Applicants who have taken the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery within 365 days of application and achieved a T-score of 50 or higher may request a waiver from the written exam. Applicants requesting to waive the written exam are required to submit proof of their qualifying T-score on agency letterhead from the agency that administered the exam.

Applicants who possess a qualifying T-score must attach the required documentation to their application.

Applicants may not take the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery within 30 calendar days of taking the exam with another department/agency.

The following documents are required and must be completed and brought to the oral interview:

* Preliminary Background Information Form / PHS

* Background Investigation Questionnaire (BIQ)

* Required Documents

* Applicant Autobiography

Please provide as many of the required documents along with your Preliminary Background Information Form / PHS, BIQ, and Applicant Autobiography. Items such as transcripts, credit report or other missing documents can be provided upon your receiving them.

Anaheim Police Department Blueprint - knowledge of the Anaheim Police Department Blueprint is required of all Police Department employees.

Further selection steps include, but are not limited to a background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, a medical examination, which includes drug/alcohol screening, and an interview with the Chief of Police. The interview with the background investigator and completion of the background investigation will include, but is not limited to, verification and evaluation of any present and/or past use of drugs, driving and employment history.

Please review the following common disqualifiers. If any items listed pertain to you, you will be automatically disqualified in the background investigation. You may, at this time, want to screen yourself and withdraw prior to starting the recruitment process.

* Any illegal use, sales, or possession of a drug classified as an opiate (heroin, opium, etc.) or PCP.

* Any use of cocaine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens (GHB, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, etc.) within five years of date of application.

* Any illegal use of anabolic steroids within three years of date of application.

* Two or more at-fault traffic collisions within three years of the date of application.

* Conviction of a hit-and run offense.

* Any driver's license suspension within five years of date of application.

* Conviction of a felony crime.

* Conviction of any misdemeanor crime within five years of application.

* Any conviction as an adult, of any misdemeanor crime involving domestic violence, sexual-related offenses or crimes against children.

* Any conviction as an adult, of a theft or larceny crime.

The following may result in disqualification:

* Use of cocaine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens (GHB, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, etc.) previous to five years of application.

* Prior nitrous oxide use.

* Illegal use of anabolic steroids previous to three years of application.

* Illegal use of a hypodermic needle/ syringe.

* A pattern or history of irresponsibility as evidenced by debt collections, civil judgments, failure to pay, late payments, etc.

* More than one moving violation in the past 12 months, and/or three or more moving citations within the past three years, and/or five or more moving citations within the past five years of date of application.

Candidates must be specific and complete in describing their qualifications for this position. Stating See Resume is not an acceptable substitute for a completed application. Failure to state all pertinent information may lead to elimination from consideration.

The City of Anaheim uses E-Verify and new employees must provide documentation to establish both work authorization and identity.

Communication regarding your application and/or status will be sent to the email address listed on your application. Please check your email regularly throughout the recruitment process.

Equal Opportunity Employer