Telecommunicator

Job Title: Telecommunicator

Perform specialized telecommunications work in receiving and processing emergency and non-emergency calls for the Police, Fire/EMS for the City. Responsible for receiving service calls from the public, prioritizing calls, dispatching appropriate public safety officials, and maintaining open lines of communication with public safety during emergency situations. The emphasis of the work is data entry into emergency CAD dispatch consoles, providing information and referral to the public, and communicating with police officials during emergencies.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Receives incoming calls from the public; evaluates requests for service; prioritizes the call according to protocol and dispatches public safety units
• Receives after-hours calls for utilities, street maintenance, and traffic signal malfunctions
• Dispatches public safety officials to emergencies; communicates with units during situations; send additional units to situation based on requests or updated information
• Monitors self-initiated activities of police officers and provides them with information on retained suspects
• Maintains records of authorizations, warrants, and other information required for DCI/NCIC entries; logs all activities
• Uses NC AWARE Program to check for outstanding warrants; communicates results to officers in the field
• Closes telecommunications calls for service and identifies police units back in service
• Updates criminal history logs
• Performs other duties as assigned

Required education and/or experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED); and at least 6 months' experience in a dispatch function or extensive public contact role. Prior experience in law enforcement or fire/EMS environment is preferred.

Special requirements trained and certified in the following: (must obtain within 1 year of hire date)

• NC Division of Criminal Information certificate
• North Carolina Statewide Warrant Repository
• Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services

Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

• Knowledge of the operation and use of computer-aided dispatching equipment
• Knowledge of FCC communications signals in lieu of voice traffic
• Knowledge of various support manuals and resources such as call books, HAZMAT manual, tactical dispatch manual, and other standard operating procedural manuals
• Some knowledge of current telecommunications practices and procedures as well as practices and procedures used in the police and fire departments
• Knowledge of city geography and street locations
• Ability to manage multiple situations at once under stressful conditions
• Ability to operate a computer terminal, telephones, radios, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) consoles; ability to sit for long periods of time in low light with multiple computer screens
• Ability to enter information on a call while talking to a citizen, or police providing service
• Ability to understand or comprehend calls made with different accents or broken English
• Ability to read maps quickly, scan warrant files, and review recorded tapes
• Ability to calmly communicate with people in emergency and stressful situations and document actions are taken.

Physical requirements: Work in this position is sedentary requiring exertion of up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. The employee must have the visual acuity to operate a computer terminal. Focused concentration for extended periods of time causing fatigue without periodic breaks is an occupational hazard.

Working conditions: The employee works in an atmospherically controlled environment and is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions with the exception that the work area is devoid of primary lighting due to the visibility requirement of multiple computer screens.