Police Public Safety Dispatcher/First Responder

An employee in this job class is responsible for performing work of marked difficulty processing emergency and non-emergency calls received via radio and telephone.  Work is performed under general supervision of a supervisory staff that includes commissioned and professional staff personnel.  Work involves the dispatching of police units for the St. Louis County Police Department, and its municipal contracted agencies, by radio in response to requests for service according to predetermined priorities, providing confidential criminal history data through a computer system, maintaining status and location of mobile units through multiple mapping systems, answering and routing telephone calls of high and low priority nature, and responding to inquiries and complaints on non-emergency telephone lines.  Work is reviewed for timeliness of response, appropriateness of response and adherence to established procedures and priorities. This position is subject to mandatory overtime being required during periods of inclement weather, or critical incidents of a significant nature, to ensure public safety.

Watch the video to see what a typical day in the life of a St. Louis County Police Dispatcher looks like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_7PoNfgwwk

Per the Department's Collective Bargaining Agreement, newly hired employees who do not possess corresponding experience will start at the base starting pay listed in this posting.

• Dispatches police mobile units by radio in response to requests for services according to established priorities and procedures. 
• Dispatches emergency and lifesaving equipment as needed throughout St. Louis County. 
• Operates an 800 MHZ radio system to maintain constant contact with officers on a main radio channel, utilizing a headset worn over the head. 
• Operation of Motorola radio consolette. 
• Monitors a variety of radio channels through multiple speakers to maintain contact with local and statewide agencies for police or fire/ambulance dispatch while maintaining operation of main radio channel. 
• Provides radio service to all mobile units. 
• Monitors, and operates as needed, radio system IO channels.
• Provides criminal history information, vehicle information and driver’s license information. 
• Utilizes approved crime networking software to locate information needed to send police, assist police or track calls for service as requested. 
• Maintains location and status of all mobile units with computer aided dispatch terminals and multiple mapping systems. 
• Operates emergency siren warning system to notify schools, hospitals and other public places of emergency weather information. 
• Operation of telephone computer software, without a traditional desktop phone, utilizing a headset worn over the head.  
• Answers emergency telephone lines and obtains detailed information necessary to dispatch proper emergency assistance. 
• Answers non-emergency telephone lines and responds to inquiries from citizens and agencies as well as members of the Department. 
• Determines location of emergency calls and uses the Emergency Callworks Program to route calls to the proper agency as needed. 
• Investigates the details of criminal incidents being reported through interview at the point of initial contact for all crimes reported by phone. 
• Performs related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

 

• Considerable knowledge of the operating rules, regulations and procedures of the Department. 
• Considerable knowledge of the operating rules, regulations and procedures of the contracted municipal agencies dispatched by St. Louis County. 
• Knowledge of the geography of St. Louis County and surrounding areas. 
• Knowledge of accepted standards, practices and procedures used in the operation of a radio transmitter-receiver. 
• Knowledge of computer aided dispatch terminals. 
• Ability to operate three separate computer terminals at the same workstation. 
• Ability to perform duties that include the use of 4-6 computer screens at the workstation. 
• Knowledge of the scope and purpose of related governmental and non-governmental agencies in the area. 
• Considerable skill in receiving and relaying information through on-line computer system.
• Considerable problem solving ability to assist the public and police units in a wide range of situations of high and low priority. 
• Considerable skill in receiving and relaying information from callers through phone conversation, text message, or video display. 
• Considerable skill in communicating effectively with persons in difficult, life threatening and other emergency situations. 
• Ability to hear and differentiate various audible tones. 
• Considerable skill in coordination of emergency response during critical incidents such as tactical situations. 
• Skill in interpreting and analyzing requests for police and emergency services. 
• Considerable skill in understanding and applying the information available in a radio fleet map. 
• Ability to adapt during situations that may arise to facilitate working with other agencies personnel that may not share policies, procedures or terminology while coordinating response for police, fire and medical incidents. 
• Ability to work for long periods while sitting down with the possibility of no relief for several hours if needed. 
• Skill in assigning appropriate priority codes to requests for police and emergency services. 
• Skill in understanding and following detailed oral and written instructions. 
• Skill in maintaining simple clerical records
• Ability to function effectively in a potentially stressful environment. 
• Considerable skill in multi-tasking environment during potential emergency situations.
• Ability to listen, talk and type simultaneously. 
• Ability to follow detailed written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to prioritize multiple requests for attention effectively while maintaining standards of performance of the bureau. 
• Ability to type 30 words per minute with no more than five (5) errors.
  

Training, Experience and Education:
 

• Graduation from high school or equivalent (GED)
• Understanding of dispatcher training being completed during performance of duties, in a live capacity, on a schedule determined by the training guidelines for the position. Performance tests are given during the initial and secondary stage of training. 
• Required continuing education to include, but not limited to a 16 hour Telecommunicator Course, monthly Police Legal Sciences training, MULES training to obtain MULES certification, on-shift procedural review   or bureau wide training as needed, and a bi-annual training course at the police academy. 
• Required REJIS certification to be obtained during initial phase of training with a mandatory recertification requirement every three years.

 CITIZENSHIP:  Citizen of the United States or valid work permit, and apply for citizenship when eligible.
AGE LIMITS:  Eighteen (18) years of age at the time of appointment.
EDUCATION:  Educational requirements and skills will be determined by the position classification.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG GUIDELINES:  Any illegal adult use or possession of a controlled substance, including marijuana, within one year prior to employment.  The word “drug” refers to any type of controlled substance for which you do not have a prescription; to include marijuana in all forms (edibles, gummies, or any other product containing THC).
TATTOO POLICY:  Applicants and Department employees shall not display tattoos that are visible on the face, neck, head or hands.  Visible tattoos on other areas of the body may be displayed with Department approval.  
ARREST: Must be free from conviction of a felony or a Class "A" misdemeanor.
MILITARY:  Must not have a "Dishonorable" discharge or "Bad Conduct" discharge if having served in the military. All "Other Than Honorable" discharges will be reviewed on an individual basis.

 

COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS
Under the regulations of the Police Department, all appointments to the St. Louis County Police Department are made on the basis of a continuously open, competitive hiring process conducted under the supervision of the Personnel Services Unit.  Each applicant must successfully complete each stage of the selection process before becoming eligible to proceed to the next step.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:  The Board of Police Commissioners resolved that subject to all applicable State and Federal statutory or judicial exemptions, all qualified applicants for employment and/or advancement, whether commissioned or civilian, shall be given equal opportunity for consideration, selection, appointment and retention, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or political affiliation.

Salary : $46,779 - $84,219