What are the responsibilities and job description for the 911 Communications Dispatcher - Full Time position at Douglas, County of (MN)?
No experience necessary, receive on-the-job training!
Be a first, first responder, a 911 Communications Dispatcher!
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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.
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.
- If the request is outside the 911 Communications Dispatchers authority, the response will be to gathering applicable information and relay that information (dispatch) to the person/entity that can provide assistance in a timely manner.
- Dispatching of the proper emergency personnel to calls for assistance, as dictated by both the needs of the caller, as well as the jurisdiction of the emergency unit being dispatched.
- Dispatching for all public safety entities* for the entire county via radio or telephone.
- Directing of Douglas County Sheriff's Department personnel as well as other emergency response organizations* to calls for assistance.
- Entering all inquiries for records, warrants and driver's license into the state and NCIC computer networks.
- Entering into the computer system all initial calls for service.
- Routing all incoming phone calls to interdepartmental personnel.
- Comply with all rules and policies in order to maintain a safe work environment.
- Reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality.
- All other duties, as assigned.
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.
Good verbal communication skills both in-person and while on a telephone.
Licenses and Other Requirements:
- Must maintain an operating telephone at their residence to be reached in times of emergency or as needed.
- Currently possess a valid Class D, Minnesota State Driver's License, or ability to obtain upon start of employment.
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:
- Must have good social and interpersonal communication skills. Must possess the ability to work well with public, law enforcement, and emergency services professionals.
- Must possess the ability to work with co-workers as a team.
- Must possess good character and good judgment.
- Must possess good verbal communication skills both in-person and while on a telephone.
- Must have the ability to understand and properly operate the communications and computer equipment as required in the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Communications Center.
- Must have a working knowledge of Douglas County geography.
- Must be able to remain calm in an emergency situation; respond pleasantly and quickly to multiple interruptions and requests where urgency may be a factor.
- Must be able to comprehend, then receive and direct required information so as to best dictate the emergency units needed to respond to a call for assistance.
- Must be able to work long hours (example: twelve-hour shifts), nights, weekends, and holidays. Must be able to work extra hours or extended shifts as required with the ability to work on short notice.
- Must strictly maintain the confidentiality of private/confidential or non-public information to which exposed.
PREFERRED/DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Education
See required minimum qualifications at hire.
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.
Work 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 Lifted Up to 10 lbs.: Not Present;
Amount Lifted 11 to 20 lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days;
Amount Lifted 21 to 101 lbs.: Not Present;
Amount Pushed or Pulled:
Amount Pushed or Pulled Up to 10 lbs.: Not Present;
Amount Pushed or Pulled 11 to 20 lbs.: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days;
Amount Pushed or Pulled 21 to 101 lbs.: Not Present;
Vision:
Near & Far Vision: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Depth : Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days;
Field of Vision: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Color : Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Contact With Others:
Works Alone: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days;
Works with and Around Others: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Customer/Public Contact : Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days;
Clients with Behavior Challenges : Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Communications:
Talking, Hearing & Reading: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Basic Body Positions:
Sitting & Standing: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Walking/Moving About: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days;
Climbing: Not Present;
Balancing, Crouching, Kneeling & Crawling: Not Present;
Motor Skills:
Handling: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Grasping: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days;
Using Fingers: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to 8 hours or 174 days;
Reaching: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days;
Feeling: Not Present;
Driving: Not Present
Exposures To:
Mechanical or Electrical Equipment: Not Present;
Pressurized & Burning Material Equipment: Not Present;
Explosive : Not Present;
Radiant Energy: Not Present;
Moving Equipment: Not Present;
Heights: Not Present;
Fumes/Odors, Dirt/Dust & Gases: Not Present;
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
Salary : $25 - $32
