Police Telecommunicator

Police Telecommunicator

The position is on-site at the Matthews Police Department. This is a 24/7 operation working 12-hour shifts rotating from 6:30 am - 6:30 pm and 6:30 pm - 6:30 am, including weekends and holidays. Police Telecommunicators rotate between day and night shifts every three months.

Hiring Range: $48,851 - $62,285. Experienced candidates who are selected will be offered a salary commensurate with experience within the hiring range. Candidates with no related experience who are selected will be offered a salary of $48,851 (minimum of the pay grade). Hiring Bonuses Available! All new hires selected for eligible positions will receive $2,000 on their first paycheck. Those who have relevant job experience and/or military experience are also eligible for up to $3,000 more (total payout available - $5,000).

The Town of Matthews offers a comprehensive benefits package including bilingual incentive pay, vacation and sick leave, increased vacation accrual for qualified service with another government agency, shared sick leave, medical insurance, paid parental leave, health reimbursement account (HRA), dental plan, vision insurance, North Carolina Local Government Employees Retirement Plan, 457 and 401K Retirement Accounts, flexible medical & dependent care spending accounts, EAP, group and voluntary life insurance & AD&D, short-term disability, long-term disability, accident plans, hospital indemnity plans, and critical illness insurance, and tuition reimbursement.

Automatic Disqualifiers From Hiring Process:

1. False information supplied to or filed with the Department during any phase of the selection process (including making a false statement of material fact, intentionally omitting a material fact, or the practice or attempt to practice any form of deception or fraud);
2. Conviction of a felony;
3. Involvement in any felonious/violent criminal activity for which formal charges have not been brought;
4. Any criminal activity that has occurred within three (3) years of application;
5. Any use of heroin, Methamphetamine, Morphine, Opium, LSD, PCP, or other dangerous drugs;
6. Any use of "club drugs" such as GHB, MDMA (ecstasy), or any other illegal hallucinogen drug not listed here within seven (7) years;
7. Any use of cocaine or any derivative of it within seven (7) years;
8. Any use of marijuana, including legal marijuana derivatives, by-products, or concentrates, within 12 months of application.* Please note that while some states have decriminalized marijuana, it is still federally illegal, and candidates applying for a position within the Matthews Police Department must not have used it within 12 months of application; and
9. Being involuntarily terminated from a previous law enforcement agency, whether sworn or civilian.

Position Summary:

Performs responsible technical and public safety work, dispatching emergency personnel and equipment, usually in response to emergency situations, and assisting the public. Work is performed in accordance with departmental policy and state and federal law, supplemented with specific directions by supervisors.

Essential Functions:

• Receives routine and emergency telephone calls and personal requests for assistance on multiple lines concerning accidents, crimes, fires, emergency medical service, or general information; obtains needed information concerning the nature of the problem; identifies the location of callers to choose and dispatches the proper law enforcement officer based on the location of the caller and maintains contact with Police units; transfers other emergency and non-emergency calls to the proper agency.
• Monitors activities of officers on patrol and makes and/or maintains radio contact to ensure safety.
• Performs customer service work for the Town, assisting visitors with information, procedures, and other needs.
• Operates a variety of electronic equipment and utilizes computer-aided dispatch (CAD) to receive and dispatch calls, enters the disposition of calls, and maintains contact with police personnel and other law enforcement units; receives and transmits information and messages about the situation as it develops.
• Utilizes mapping software and GIS programs to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area.
• Observes residential & commercial alarm registration.
• Operates a computer terminal connected with the Division of Criminal Information (DCI) and the National Crime Information Center to send and receive messages and researches information regarding criminal history, driver's history, vehicle identification, and crimes.
• Maintains access and security of highly sensitive data.
• Monitors the facility's critical operations systems (i.e., generator, alarm system, etc.) and notifies appropriate authorities in the event of malfunctions.
• May be assigned special projects and assist specialized department teams.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• General knowledge of the operation of a public safety communications system and related Federal Communications Commission regulations.
• General knowledge of radio procedures.
• General knowledge of police forms, terminology, and records.
• General knowledge of the geographic layout of the town and the location of streets, important buildings, and other landmarks.
• Thorough knowledge of departmental programs, policies, and procedures.
• Working knowledge of office and data entry equipment, office technology, applicable
• Knowledge of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.
• Considerable skill in customer service and public contact.
• Work involves frequent public contact, which requires tact, firmness, and decisiveness in obtaining necessary information from people who are under extreme stress.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to perform a considerable volume of detailed work.
• Ability to maintain files.
• Ability to type accurately and at a reasonable rate of speed.
• Ability to accurately receive and clearly transmit radio communications.
• Ability to monitor multiple radio talk groups at a time.
• Ability to monitor radio transmissions while speaking with internal and external customers.
• Ability to assess people and situations, apply sound judgment, remain calm under stressful conditions, and elicit sufficient and essential information for dispatching and assisting field personnel.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with departmental staff and the general public.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality on all emergency and police matters.
• Must be available to work any and all shifts, including day shift, night shift, and overtime, on both a mandatory and voluntary basis.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
• Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently and constantly to carry or move objects in various lifting positions, such as overhead, chest height, etc.
• Must possess the visual acuity to work with data and figures, operate a computer and related equipment, maintain and review manual written records, and ability to read to comprehend written material and make inferences from the contents; use of both hands and fingers with dexterity to complete daily work assignments.

Working Environment:

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
• Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently and constantly to carry or move objects in various lifting positions, such as overhead, chest height, etc.
• Must possess the visual acuity to work with data and figures, operate a computer and related equipment, maintain and review manual written records, and ability to read to comprehend written material and make inferences from the contents; use of both hands and fingers with dexterity to complete daily work assignments.

Education and Experience Requirements:

Graduation with a high school diploma, GED, or high school equivalency from an accredited educational institution and some experience in general clerical work with some basic computer knowledge; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificate and License Requirements:

• Possession of a valid DCI certificate issued by the State of North Carolina or the ability to obtain within three months of appointment to this classification.
• Possession of Telecommunicator Certification by the NC Sheriffs' Commission or ability to obtain certification within one year of appointment.
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