What are the responsibilities and job description for the 911 Communications Dispatcher - Full Time position at Douglas County, MN?
Salary : $24.90 Hourly
Location : Alexandria, MN
Job Type : Full Time - Regular - 40 hrs / wk
Job Number : 10510 : 1 / 31 / 2025
Department : Law Enforcement
Opening Date : 01 / 31 / 2025
Closing Date : 2 / 18 / 2025 12 : 00 PM Central
Job Description
No experience necessary, receive on-the-job training!
Be a first, first responder, a 911 Communications Dispatcher!
JOB TITLE : 911 Communications Dispatcher
DEPARTMENT : Sheriff's Office-Law Enforcement
STATUS : Full-Time; Schedule is a monthly rotation from day shifts to night shifts.
SALARY : The 2025 starting salary for this position is $51,792. ($24.90 / hr), plus a $1.35 / hour differential when working night shifts and weekends. Receive anniversary step increases for earning potential of $66,227.20 ($31.84 / hr). In addition, receive annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) per the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
BENEFITS : We also offer no-cost / low-cost health insurance plan options. Douglas County contributes to a Health Savings Account and a (PERA) pension plan. Douglas County is also a qualified Employer for the Public Sector Loan Forgiveness Program.
Life Insurance- as a County employee you will be covered by $40,000 of life insurance at no expense. Supplemental coverage is available for you, your spouse, and your dependents.
Vacations : Employees will accrue vacation according to the following schedule :
0 - 5 years - 10 working days.
6 -10 years - 15 working days.
11 - 15 years - 20 working days.
16 - 20 years - 25 working days.
Over 20 years - 30 working days.
Sick Leave / Earned Safe and Sick Time : An employee shall be credited with 1 day of sick leave for each month of service accumulative to 90 days. The first 48 hours (or up to 80 hours if any eligible time was carried over) will be counted as ESST.
JOB OBJECTIVES :
The 911 Communications Center is the main hub for all emergency and non-emergency communications in Douglas County. This position's purpose is to answer and dispatch all emergency and non-emergency communications received in the 911 Communications Center to public safety entities. Must provide professional, courteous, and helpful customer service to all people whom they come into contact with, whether in person or by telephone, including public safety entities and personnel, those who have poor English comprehension or difficulty communicating in English, those who are upset or irrational, and / or people who may not observe the same courtesy level as the dispatcher.
Definitions
Public safety entities" include, but are not limited to fire departments, ambulance personnel / EMS, first responder units, law enforcement agencies (Police and Sheriff's Departments), and others, when needed. "The public" includes people of all social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
Examples of "911 calls" : hostage situations, medical emergencies including gunshot wounds, heart attacks, suicide intervention, domestic violence, house / structure / land fires, motor vehicle accidents, severe weather-related incidents (tornados / blizzards), pre-arrival instructions for first aid, CPR, childbirth for all medical and accidents, high-speed chases, chemical spills, plane crashes, boating accidents, drowning, missing children / people, and kidnappings.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES : The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of those specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
The 911 Communications Dispatcher shall be responsible for :
- Acting as first point of contact to the public by receiving emergency and non-emergency complaints and requests for assistance by telephone, 911 calls, and / or in person by following procedure and protocol.
Assistance will be provided immediately, if possible.
Access to Not Public Data
The incumbent may encounter not public data during these duties. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished, incumbent must properly store the not public data according to the provisions Ch. 13.
If a new work assignment requires access to not public data, the incumbent is permitted to access not public data for the work assignment purposes only. Any access to not public data must be strictly limited to the data necessary to complete the work assignment and after the assignment is completed, the employee's work assignment no longer requires access.
REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT HIRE :
Education
Must have completed the coursework required for graduation from high school in Minnesota or its equivalent.
Experience
Working-level of computer, typing / keyboarding, and word processing skills to efficiently and accurately draft basic correspondence, compose reports, and complete forms and templates.
Good verbal communication skills both in-person and while on a telephone.
Licenses and Other Requirements :
Physical Fitness :
Must be physically fit to perform all duties assigned and be able to perform any physical fitness standards that may be set by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
REQUIRED MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES AT HIRE :
PREFERRED / DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS :
Education
See required minimum qualifications at hire.
Experience
Previous successful experience working in a position where 80% or more of the duties were spent providing DIRECT customer service to the public in person or on the telephone. The public includes people of all social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Previous experience dispatching or responding to emergency calls.
PREFERRED / DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES :
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Terminal Certification.
National Emergency Medical Dispatch Certification.
HOURS
W ork schedule will include days, nights, weekends, and holidays with 12 hours shifts and at times must be able to work on short notice. ( Night shift differential pay).
Typically, scheduling is 5 on, 5 off, 2 on, 2 off, every other 5-day weekend off with a rotation of 1 month of day shifts and then 1 month of night shifts. Subject to change, based on department needs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
911 Communications Dispatchers work indoors in an open-space at ergonomically designed consoles with multiple computer screens (4-5). Ergonomic workstation design allows 911 Communications Dispatcher to sit or stand to perform work duties, at their discretion. Majority of work is performed on computers.
Physical Demands can involve, but are not limited to :
Entails extensive keyboarding and manual dexterity including reaching, stretching, and lifting dispatch materials such as maps, binders and flip cards. 911 Communications Dispatcher sit or stand to work and can move in the area. Must physically be able to stay at workstation until relieved or excused. Dispatchers manage phone interactions at times with angry, hostile, depressed or emotionally distraught persons. Work can require quick, independent thinking and action in emergent and possible life-threatening situations.
Amount Lifted :
Amount Pushed or Pulled :
Vision :
Color : Frequent : = Range : 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Contact With Others :
Communications :
Basic Body Positions :
Motor Skills :
Driving : Not Present
Exposures To :
See also Physical and Environmental Factors Form.
Supervision Received : Works under the general supervision of the Communications Dispatch Sergeant.
Supervision Exercised : None
Labor Group : Teamsters Jailor / Dispatchers
FLSA Status : Non-Exempt
Grade : 6
EEO Job Category : 6000 Administrative Support
Work Comp Code : 8810 Clerical Office Employees Not Otherwise Classified
All listed above are essential functions of the job.
This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.
Revised : 2025
Douglas County offers an exceptional benefits package to full-time employees including vacation, sick, funeral leave, and holiday pay. Also included in this benefit package are health, dental, and life insurance; medical and dependent care reimbursement accounts (Section 125 Plan) and supplemental insurance; deferred compensation plan and Public Employees Retirement (PERA). For a more detailed overview of our benefits package,
Benefits may offered on a pro-rata basis or not offered for less than full-time employment.
The responses you provide to these Supplemental Questions will be used in combination with your application to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements and / or your final score. - DO NOT submit a resume in place of completing the Supplemental Questions. - DO NOT type "See Resume" as a response for any of the supplemental questions or on the employment application. - Thoroughly complete the Education and Work Experience sections of the application. Give detailed descriptions of each position that you feel qualifies you for the job you are applying for. Be sure to accurately report dates and hours worked per week. - Concisely, briefly, and accuracy complete the Supplemental Questions. Be sure to cross reference where in your Education and Work Experience you learned your skills. - Any information you submit may be verified. Failure to provide detailed and complete information may result in your application being rejected or receiving a lower score.You must have a valid e-mail address to apply for jobs with the Douglas County. All communication regarding your application and status will be done by e-mail. If you do not have an e-mail address listed in your profile, you must include one before you submit and confirm your application.
Have your read the job description for this position. Are you willing and able to perform the essential functions and physical requirements of this position with or without accommodation?
Have you achieved a high school diploma or G.E.D. (General Educational Development) diploma?
Which of the following best describes your highest level of education?
Do you currently possess a valid Class D driver's license?
Employees in this department are considered 'essential employees' and are expected to report to duty on time and remain at work until the end of the scheduled shift, even if an inclement weather event or emergency is declared. Are you able to meet these requirements?
Do you have reliable transportation to and from work?
Are you willing to work overtime, any shift (including nights), extended shifts, weekends, and holidays?
Please describe or provide an example of previous work experience where you have had to maintain the confidentiality of all of the information to which you are exposed.
Are you willing and able to undergo a thorough background investigation?
Can you read, write and speak English proficiently?
Are you willing and able to work in an organization that is structured on a "military" model, wear a uniform, and work within a highly structured "chain-of-command"?
Are you willing and able to have limited opportunities to socialize with co-workers during your shift due to a heavy workload?
Are you willing and able to learn complex computer and phone systems?
Do you have working level computer, typing / keyboarding, and word processing skills to efficiently and accurately draft basic correspondence, compose reports, and complete forms and templates?
Are you willing and able to work at a computer with multiple screens for extended periods of time while maintaining intense concentration?
Are you willing and able to work at a rapid pace for extended periods of time, performing repetitious tasks that require very careful attention to detail?
Are you willing and able to receive ratings of your job performance, which includes both the positive areas and those areas that need improvement?
Are you willing and able to respond pleasantly and quickly to multiple interruptions and requests where urgency may be a factor?
Are you willing and able to provide courteous customer service to all people you come into contact with, whether in person or by telephone, including law enforcement and court personnel, those who have poor English comprehension or difficulty communicating in English, those who are upset or irrational, and / or people who may not observe the same courtesy level with you?
Are you willing and able to answer and respond to calls where a violent crime is in progress and make quick decisions when one or more person's safety is at stake?
If you checked NO to any of the Supplemental Questionnaire items, please explain.
Which of the following best describes your level of experience performing 911 dispatching on a full time basis where your primary duties were the answering and dispatching 911 emergency calls? If you mark that you do have experience you must document this experience in the "Work Experience" section of your application. Convert part time work to full time work. Example : 2 years working 20 hours a week would be equivalent to working 1 year for 40 hours / week.
This position, at times, has intense human interaction in potentially stressful situations. How much full time experience do you have in a position where 80% or more of the duties were spent providing DIRECT customer service to resolve customer complaints, in person or on the telephone?If you mark that you do have experience you must document this experience in the "Work Experience" section of your application and in the next follow up question. Convert part time work to full time work. Example : 2 years working 20 hours a week would be equivalent to working 1 year for 40 hours / week.
This position, at times, has intense human interaction. How much full time experience do you have in a position where 80% or more of the duties were spent verbally convincing the customer to buy a product or service; where the customer was the public; where your success (may include salary / commission) was based on your ability to sell that product.If you mark that you do have experience you must document this experience in the "Work Experience" section of your application and in the next follow up question. Convert part time work to full time work. Example : 2 years working 20 hours a week would be equivalent to working 1 year for 40 hours / week.
Indicate below your paid work experience with computers, various software, and managing databases.If you mark that you do have experience you must document this experience in the "Work Experience" section of your application. When the calculating length of experience, convert part-time work to full-time work and report only the full-time equivalent. Example : 2 years working 20 hours / week would be equivalent to working 1 year of 40 hours / week.
What is your timed typing speed in words per minute? You may be asked to demonstrate your typing skills at the time of a job interview. (If you do not know your typing speed, you may take a free typing test at
Which of the following Veteran's Preference do you wish to claim (in order to receive Veteran's Preference credit, you must submit a copy of your DD214 to the Administrator's Office by the application deadline)?
Required Question
Salary : $66,227
