Dispatcher

Posting Details

Position Information


Position Title
Dispatcher


Department
Palomar College Police (Dept)


Primary Location
San Marcos Campus


Location Details

• Palomar College believes a healthy work-life balance can improve the physical, emotional, and mental health of our employees. In support of this belief, the District offers the opportunity to work remotely for certain positions, depending on the operational needs of the District and the provisions of the Remote Work Policy. Probationary employees are not eligible to work remotely unless approved by the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Human Resource Services. No employee is guaranteed the right to work remotely. No employee shall be authorized to work remotely 100% of the time unless approved by the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Human Resource Services.
• Palomar has multiple campus locations (San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Bernardo and Fallbrook); training may occur at any of these locations and the work location is subject to change depending on future department needs.
• Potential future vacancies may include other District departments, locations, and/or work schedules (i.e. days, evenings or nights).

Full or Part Time
Full-Time


Category
Classified


Hours per week
40


Number of Months
12 month


Work Schedule

• Palomar College Police Department employees are subject to shift work, including evening hours and weekends. The current work schedule for this position will be 10 hours per day, 4 days per week (either Sunday - Wednesday or Wednesday - Saturday). Hours are primarily assigned between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.
• Shifts may rotate in the future depending on departmental requirements.
• Occasional night and weekend hours will be required due to department needs.

Grade
23


Salary/Wage

• $5,323.75 [step 1] - $6,472.20 [step 5]. Step placement may be negotiable within this range dependent upon education and experience.
• If you are a current employee who applies via the external recruitment process and is selected for a promotion, step placement on the new grade will be in accordance with the applicable District agreement/handbook.
• A 3% differential pay will be paid for hours worked between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. A 6% differential pay will be paid for hours worked between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Salary/Wage Frequency
Monthly


Benefits


In addition to a competitive compensation structure, Palomar College also offers an extremely generous benefits package.

• Insurance fully paid for employees and their eligible dependents: four medical plans, dental HMO, and the vision plan (additional plans are available that require employee buy up/monthly contribution)
• Vacation, sick leave and 25 paid holidays
• $80,000 employee term life/accident insurance policy (additional buy up options available)
• Employee long-term care insurance
• Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) - Confidential free counseling, financial, legal, personal and professional development resources for all members of your household
• Additional buy up options available for other voluntary insurance benefits
• Enrollment in CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement System)

The estimated maximum value of this employer-paid benefits package is approximately $31,245.84 annually.

Primary Function


Receives and prioritizes calls for service; dispatches personnel and equipment via radio voice communication using a computer-aided dispatch system; coordinates with other agencies during in-progress calls and regional incidents.

Minimum Qualifications


To be eligible for this position, you must meet and provide evidence of the following minimum qualifications:

• Experience: One year of experience receiving emergency and non-emergency calls in a public safety environment.
• Note: For work experience, a "year" is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 12 months.

AND

• Education: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.

Transcripts must be included to receive credit for education and/or to substitute education in lieu of experience (i.e. Bachelor's degree = 4 years of experience). Click here for Guidelines for Equivalency for Classified Positions .

Only coursework completed at, and degrees awarded by, accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education will be considered as satisfying the minimum qualifications. Coursework and degrees that are completed outside of the United States are required to have transcripts evaluated (evaluation to U.S. equivalency and a course by course analysis) by an appropriate U.S. credentials evaluation service. For a list of credentials evaluation agencies accepted by Palomar College, visit the National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services (NACES) website at , or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) website at .

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Antiracism (DEIAA) Statement


Palomar College serves over 30,000 students from a variety of backgrounds and we are proud to be a Hispanic Serving Institution. Our student body is rich in its diversity. Click here to see a quick overview of our student demographics on our recent Student Fact Sheet .

Palomar College is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and antiracism (DEIAA). We are dedicated to empowering students to succeed and are guided by our core values; some of which are the following:

• Access - We make education possible for everyone.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - We recognize and respect diversity, seek to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, and strive to address inequities.

All positions require cultural competency which includes the sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS), Regional Communications System (RCS) radio equipment, and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software.
• Experience with surveillance software.
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) verbal and written skills.

Licenses and/or Certificates


California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate within first year of appointment.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Supervision Received From: An Assigned Police Sergeant

Supervision Given: N/A

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions: Essential responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Answers emergency and non-emergency telephone lines; determines nature and priority of calls and/or transfers to the appropriate responder.
2. Dispatches personnel via radio voice communication using a computer-aided dispatch system.
3. Responds to field unit requests via radio or telephone for information and additional assistance.
4. Receives, enters and relays to field units situational information such as location updates and other responders in the area.
5. Monitors and updates locations and activities of field units.
6. Notifies external public safety agencies and departments by telephone or radio in order to solicit assistance or coordinate activities.
7. Conducts test transmissions on communications equipment.
8. Utilizes various computer applications and software packages; maintains and generates reports from a database or network system.

Marginal Functions:

1. Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge of:

1. Public safety codes, terminology, procedures and practices.
2. Ordinances, codes, procedures and practices regarding public safety radio communications.
3. Proper operation and care of radio and telephone equipment and operational characteristics of emergency communication system equipment.
4. Environment of assigned locations, layout and geography.
5. Safety policies and safe work practices applicable to the work.
6. Various confidential information databases with restricted access requirements and procedures.

Skill in:

1. Monitoring and operating a variety of communications and surveillance equipment, including radio consoles, telephones, computer systems and related software on surveillance camera systems.
2. Exercising tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive issues and critical situations.
3. Determining dispatch priorities during heavy workloads and using judgment in the application of policies, rules, regulations and standard operating procedures.
4. Using computer mapping systems and paper maps to determine or confirm locations.
5. Broadcasting clear, concise and specific instructions over the radio in a distinct, well-modulated voice.
6. Monitoring multiple public safety radio frequencies simultaneously.
7. Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.
8. Operating a computer and using standard business software.
9. Working rapidly under stress and exercising good judgment in emergency situations.
10. Exercising sound independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
11. Listening to, comprehending, retaining and recording key information clearly and accurately.
12. Maintaining sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, age, cultural, physical or mental disability, medical condition, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, race and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.
13. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all those encountered in the course of work.

Working Conditions

Environmental Conditions: The employee works in an office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.

Physical Conditions: Essential and marginal functions may require physical fitness requirements necessary to perform the job functions with or without accommodation, such as the ability to sit for extended periods and perform repetitive movements with hands or wrists. The employee must be able to hear telephone conversations. The position is required to work shifts outside of the traditional Monday-Friday work week. Evening and weekend hours and working variable shifts are required to support Palomar College Police Department and District operations.

Terms of Employment

• The person selected for hire will be required to complete the following pre-employment requirements: live scan/fingerprinting, official transcript(s), and TB risk assessment. Other pre-employment requirements may be required depending on the position (i.e. certifications or licenses; see applicable job posting section for details). Successful completion of all pre-employment requirements is mandatory to be eligible for employment. These requirements are in accordance with the following Administrative Procedures and Board Policies: AP 7120 , AP 7125 , AP 7126 , AP 7127 , AP 7330 , BP 7330 , AP 7336 , AP 7337 , and BP 7335 .
• Full-time, 40 hours per week, 12 months per year.
• This position is specially-funded and its continuation is dependent upon the availability and/or continuation of funds.
• Successful completion of California Code of Regulations 1959 and 1960 requirements and polygraph examination.
• Please note, due to the working and physical conditions listed on this job posting, the person selected for hire will be required to complete a pre-employment physical, which includes a drug test. If selected, successful completion of all components of the physical is required to be eligible for employment.
• This position also carries a probationary period of one year from the date of hire.

Posting Detail Information


Open Date
08/31/2026


Close Date
09/14/2026


Open Until Filled
No


Posting Number
P1076P


Additional Application Information

• Supplemental Application Materials (optional): You may submit a copy of your California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Profile.
• The hiring committee will determine if interviews will be conducted in person at the College or via Zoom. Travel expenses are not reimbursed by the College. If a second-level interview is required, second-level travel reimbursement is only available for eligible candidates. HR will notify those who are eligible when second-level interviews are scheduled.