Sheriff's Dispatcher II

The Position

This is a continuous recruitment Bargaining Unit: DSA - Deputy Sheriff's Non-Sworn Rank & File Unit Why Join Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff? The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is the largest law enforcement agency in Contra Costa with over 1,100 sworn and professional employees dedicated to providing the highest level of law enforcement and customer service. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff strives to maintain the highest standard of professional integrity and ethics. The Office of the Sheriff is dedicated to pursuing excellence in performance throughout the organization and in the community through the quality of its personnel. The Office of the Sheriff is recruiting experienced law enforcement dispatchers to fill positions in the Sheriff's Dispatcher II classification. Sheriff's Dispatchers are assigned to the Communications Center located in Martinez, California. The facility operates on a 7-day, 24-hour schedule. Sheriff Dispatchers are responsible for receiving incoming emergency and non-emergency police, fire, and medical calls; determining the appropriate response; prioritizing and dispatching units in accordance to established Sheriff policies and procedures; entering and retrieving information from teletype networks and computerized data systems; radio communication with 15-20 patrol units operating in the field; providing additional dispatch services to fire departments, medical units and the County Office of Emergency Services. Weekend, holiday and overtime work is required. All overtime is compensated at 1-1/2 times regular hourly rate. We are looking for someone who:

• Is able to act promptly, logically, and decisively
• Has the ability to communicate clearly
• Is able to read, comprehend and retain information
• Will maintain a calm and professional demeanor even under stressful situations
• Has the ability to adapt to changing situations
• Possess multi-tasking abilities
• Is highly self-motivated
• Will display a high level of integrity

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Receiving routine and emergency telephone calls
• Answering questions from the public
• Receiving and transmitting radio traffic
• Using computer-aided keyboard and data entry equipment or manually recording and relaying information (often of an emergency nature) to appropriate field units such as patrol units, other police agencies, fire departments, ambulance companies, the County Public Works Department and the Office of Emergency Services
• Receiving, transmitting, and recording teletype and data systems messages
• Dispatching from a mobile command center or a mobile command vehicle, as requested
• Assisting with Communications Training Program and providing on-the-job training to new dispatchers

A few reasons why you might love this job:

• You will make a direct impact on the public and Contra Costa County residents through your work
• You will have the ability to demonstrate your moral and ethical decision-making skills
• You will utilize your fact-finding abilities to identify needs, make decisions and address issues
• You will grow your career with many opportunities for advancement within Contra Costa County

A few challenges you may face in this job:

• You must remain calm to effectively handle high-stress situations
• This position requires that you are careful about details and thorough in completing tasks
• You will need to maintain composure when faced with callers in aggressive, angry, or emotional situations
• You will need to make quick decisions and act promptly, often without knowing the entirety of the situation

Competencies Required:

• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Leading the Organizational Culture: Driving the organization's culture through establishing and enforcing norms and/or behaviors in addition to processes
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Managing Performance: Ensuring superior individual and group performance
• Visionary Leadership: Taking a long-term view and building a shared vision with others; acting as a catalyst for organizational change
• Handling & Resolving Conflict: Managing interpersonally strained situations
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing

Minimum Qualifications

License Required: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Out of State valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License will be accepted during the application process. Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D. equivalency or high school proficiency certificate. Experience: One year of full-time or its equivalent experience within the last two (2) years performing law enforcement emergency dispatch duties on a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System at a California P.O.S.T. participating law enforcement agency; or successful completion of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher I Training Program within the last 3 years. Typing Proficiency: Accurately type at a speed of no less than 40 words per minute. Certificate Required: Possession of a California P.O.S.T. Basic Dispatch Certificate. Other Requirements: Must pass a thorough background investigation, medical screening, and psychological evaluation prior to employment. There is no substitution for a valid California P.O.S.T. Basic Dispatch Certificate. This certificate is a mandatory requirement for this position, and candidates lacking it will not be considered.

Selection Process

1. Application filing and evaluation: All applicants must apply online at and submit a completed Supplemental Questionnaire at the time of application. Applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed to determine which candidates demonstrate the best qualifications for the position and will be invited to participate in the next phase of the recruitment process.
2. Typing Proficiency Assessment (Administered Remotely): Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in an online typing assessment. The assessment will be administered remotely and will consist of three (3) three-minute timed typing tests. An average net minimum of 40 net WPM is required in order to advance to the next phase. (Weighted 0%)
   • A typing certification will NOT be accepted in lieu of the required typing assessment.
   • Contra Costa County reserves the right to require test takers to take parallel version of this assessment in a proctored setting in order to confirm their identities as the original test takers if they are advance in the recruitment. Any violation of these requirements may result in disqualification from this and any future examinations.
3. CritiCall Performance Assessment (On-Site, Martinez): Applicants who pass the typing assessment will be invited to participate in the in-person CritiCall Dispatcher Skills Assessment. This computer-based test evaluates a broad range of skills required for dispatching. These skills include, but are not limited to: decision-making, data entry, rural map reading, call summarization, call prioritization, memory recall, spelling, and ability to multitask. Candidates are eligible to participate in the CritiCall assessment once every six (6) months. (Weighted 100%)
   • Contra Costa County - Human Resources does not provide CritiCall test prep help. Test information is available by visiting the vendor's website at: CritiCall - FAQs
4. Departmental Interviews: Candidates who successfully complete all prior phases of the selection process will be invited to participate in a departmental interview.