Police Dispatcher - Lateral

Police Dispatcher

The City of Walnut Creek is seeking one full-time Police Dispatcher to join the Police Department's Communications Division. This is not an entry-level position; only Police Dispatchers with experience are eligible to apply. Salary Effective June 22, 2025, the annual salary range for a Police Dispatcher is $95,115 - $114,478. Placement in the salary range will depend on qualifications. Lateral candidates are eligible to accrue General Leave (vacation and sick leave) based on prior experience and receive a bank of General Leave hours at time of hire, subject to the discretion of the Chief of Police. This recruitment is ongoing and may close without notice when a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

What's great about this opportunity:

• Join a progressive and state-of-the-art department that values work-life balance, wellness, and career development;
• Enjoy a relaxed dress code, meal facilities, dispatch treadmill, on site gym, and a strong working relationship with our officers.

About the City: Spanning 19.5 square miles, the community's sprawling landscapes, warm weather, diverse dining options, and thriving shopping district make Walnut Creek a suburban oasis with an urban flair. With a rare blend of 2,800 acres of open space, a vibrant downtown, a business park, premier healthcare facilities and a performing arts center, Walnut Creek offers something for everyone! The City of Walnut Creek is committed to values of respect, integrity, excellence, teamwork, and creativity. CARE, the City's robust award-winning employee engagement initiative, focuses on three key areas: providing career development opportunities; promoting connection among employees; and supporting employee health and wellness.

About the Department and Division: The Police Department team is committed to integrity, professionalism, and respect while maintaining focus on continually learning and adapting. As highly dedicated and trained employees, we are committed to protecting and serving the community through professional conduct and proactive enforcement of the law. We strive for superior customer service, upholding the trust of this community and organization one interaction at a time.

Representative Duties

Under general supervision, Dispatchers at the City of Walnut Creek work in the Communications Center receiving emergency calls and inquiries from the public, and dispatching police officers via the radio to calls for service. Walnut Creek Dispatchers dispatch for police only and have the opportunity for collateral assignments such as Tactical Dispatch, Social Media Coordinator, Communications Training Officer, Peer Support Team Member, and Cadet Advisor. They deal effectively, professionally, and courteously with all contacts—including police, emergency and service organizations, outside agencies, other City staff, and the public—and exercise tact and discretion at all times. They handle multiple work requests under pressure with frequent interruption, use sound judgment, and calm distressed community members during emergency situations in order to gather sufficient information to act appropriately and to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Dispatchers operate multiple automated systems including CAD, radio system, phones, and multiple online jurisdictional databases and use various telecommunications equipment such as telephone, radio, and computer terminal. Dispatchers are assigned to shift work; the work group is staffed 24x7, 365 days a year. Shift assignments are generally made in order of seniority although Dispatchers can be assigned shifts as needed to meet staffing requirements. Dispatchers typically work a 3/12 schedule with an eight-hour make-up day every other week and every other Sunday off. Dispatchers working the swing shift receive an additional 2.5% pay differential, and those working the graveyard (overnight) shift receive a 5% pay differential.

Qualifications Guidelines

Any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

Education: Graduation from high school, supplemented by coursework in communications, secretarial duties, public safety, or a related field.

Lateral Candidate Experience Requirements:

1. One year of full-time, or its equivalent, experience within the last seven years performing law enforcement dispatch duties at a California law enforcement agency or at least two years of experience within the past two years at an out of state law enforcement agency; AND
2. Experience operating a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system; AND
3. A passing score on the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery. The POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery results must be uploaded and attached to the application.

Important: The third requirement may be waived if the candidate's application shows they passed probation as a Dispatcher at a law enforcement agency. Those candidates eligible to waive the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery must submit the Public Safety Dispatcher's Basic Course documentation.

Special Requirements:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, prior to employment, a Class C Driver's License and a good driving record.
• Computer Proficiency: Must have the ability to type at the corrected minimum rate of 40 words per minute

Supplemental Information

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. To be considered for this opportunity, please visit All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process. Applications must comply with the Lateral Candidate Experience Requirements listed above in order to advance forward. Applications demonstrating the most desirable qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process, which will include an oral interview. Other test elements determined to be appropriate by the City may also be included. Applicants considered for appointment to this position will be subject to a thorough Police Department background investigation including a California Department of Justice and FBI fingerprinting, a credit check, a pre-placement medical exam including a drug screen, and a psychological evaluation. The City reserves the right to request a candidate to submit to a polygraph exam. If you have a disability as defined by state and federal law that could impact your participation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io to request a reasonable accommodation. Please provide the Human Resources Department with advance notice and every attempt will be made to consider your request. As required by law, all public employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers. As such, all City of Walnut Creek employees may be called upon to assist in the event of fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disasters.