Police Dispatcher II - Lateral

Police Dispatcher II - Lateral

The City of Concord's Police Department is currently seeking customer-service oriented individuals who enjoy working in a highly productive yet fast-paced environment to serve as their next Police Dispatcher. This position is open until filled and may close at any time.

The Police Department: The members of the Concord Police Department are dedicated to providing the highest quality police services in order to enhance community safety, protect life and property, and reduce crime and the fear of crime. To do this, we pledge to develop a partnership with the community, lead a community commitment to resolve problems, and improve the safety and quality of life in our city.

What you will be doing in this role: This is the journey-level position which performs the full range of radio and telephone dispatch duties with a high degree of independence. The Police Dispatcher II performs activities related to the processing of service requests including communications and dispatch, status monitoring, information development and communication, entry level dispatcher training, and records and file maintenance in a computer-aided environment.

We are looking for someone who:

• Can assess situations accurately, make quick decisions, and use sound judgement
• Has excellent oral and written communication skills
• Is naturally compassionate and comfortable speaking to individuals who are emotional or stressed
• Can multi-task and quickly prioritize needs
• Can work in a collaborative team environment and take instruction well
• Stay composed and control their own emotions
• Has the technological skills to operate multiple computers, programs, radios and recording equipment
• Has excellent attention to detail and organization skills
• Is familiar with or can quickly learn the city of Concord and can read maps to find routes, locations, and addresses
• Is flexible, resilient, and can adapt to any situation
• Embraces and embodies the City's Mission, Vision and Values

Recruitment Incentives

Signing Bonus of up to $10,000:

• $5,000 upon successful completion of the one-year probationary period.
• $5,000 six months following the completion of probation (i.e., at 18 months of employment).

Leave Pre-Accruals

The first year of leave accruals (80 hours vacation and 96 hours sick leave) shall be front-loaded at time of hire.

Communications Training Officer Pay Differential: Police Dispatcher IIs who are assigned as Communications Training Officers (CTOs) will receive an additional 5% pay for each hour assigned and engaged in providing formal training to a police dispatcher trainee.

Excellent Benefits Package

This position is represented by Teamsters Local 856 and receives an excellent benefits package, including but not limited to:

• $2.00/hour shift differential for night shift and $2.50/hour for grave shift
• $150/month bilingual pay for qualifying languages
• Participation in CalPERS pension, tiered based on date of hire
• A variety of health care plans or a cash-in-lieu benefit of $200 if waiving coverage
• City-paid dental insurance; employee-paid vision insurance
• Vacation accruals starting at 10 days per year, 12 days sick leave per year, and 11 paid holidays per year
• Generous tuition reimbursement program
• 457 deferred compensation plan
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for healthcare, dependent care and commuting costs
• Life and disability insurance
• A wellness program that offers yoga and fitness classes, annual health expos, health and nutrition education, as well as a variety of mental health resources

Typing Certificate Requirement

A typing certificate issued within the last 12 months is required. The typing certificate must be attached to the online application and scored according to the following method: 5 minute timed typing exercise, showing a gross rate of speed and a net rate of speed. This information MUST be included on the typing certificate. Applications received without a valid typing certificate attached, or not meeting the minimum words per minute (35 net WPM) WILL NOT be considered and WILL NOT be contacted to correct the deficiency.

Background Investigation

All appointments to this position are subject to a fingerprint check, polygraph and background investigation coordinated by the Concord Police Department. The following list describes some areas that are covered in the investigation.

• Your relatives, references, and acquaintances are asked to comment on your suitability for a career in law enforcement.
• The information supplied regarding your educational history is examined and verified.
• You must list a history of your residences.
• Your work history and experience are examined with regard to your dependability, relationships with fellow workers, trustworthiness, and general job performance.
• Military service records are subject to verification.
• The background investigation considers your management of personal finances (however, being in debt does not automatically disqualify you).
• Your criminal, driving, and insurance records are evaluated. Felony convictions will be grounds for disqualification from the selection process.
• If you have a history of recent or prolonged use of illegal controlled substances you may be dismissed from the process.

Deliberate misstatements or omissions can and often will result in your application being rejected, regardless of the nature or reason for the misstatements/omissions. In fact, the number one reason individuals fail and/or are disqualified during the background investigation is because they deliberately withhold or misrepresent job-relevant information. Applicants must be truthful in all phases of the process and promptly submit documentation when requested.

Helpful tips when applying:

• It is important to carefully read the complete job bulletin before submitting your application so you are aware of all requirements of both the position and the process.
• When preparing your application, consider reviewing the job announcement and classification specification so that you may emphasize work experience relevant to the position for which you are applying.
• Job duties should be an accurate reflection of the work you completed. Copying and pasting from your job description is not recommended as there may be duties listed that you did not perform.
• Answer all required supplemental questions completely and honestly. The information you put in the supplemental questionnaire must also be verified in your work history so if you say you have certain experience in the questionnaire, make sure we can see it listed in your job history as well so we know where you performed those functions and for how long.