Communication Specialist

City of Appleton•Appleton, WI

About The Position

The City of Appleton is seeking a full-time Communication Specialist. This front-line service position performs moderately complex administrative, customer service, building security, and clerical work. The role requires sound judgment and initiative in interpreting policies and is performed under the general supervision of the Administrative Support Supervisor. The Communication Specialist screens calls and handles emergency situations by phone or in the lobby; monitors building cameras and alarms; controls secure doors; communicates by two-way radio; and processes complaints, reports, database entries, and confidential information. The position also performs revenue collection and reconciliation, maintains department materials and statistics, conducts database and criminal-history inquiries, interprets ordinances and statutes for the public, coordinates team paging and meeting rooms, and provides a range of other police-department and city support services.

Requirements

Considerable related experience.
High school graduation plus one to two years of additional training at a college, business school, or technical school, or an equivalent combination of experience and training.
Considerable knowledge of business English, spelling, vocabulary, and arithmetic.
Considerable knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.
Knowledge of departmental policies and procedures.
Skill in Microsoft Office Suite, primarily Excel, Word, and Access.
Ability to think and act promptly in emergency or pressure situations while performing multiple essential functions simultaneously.
Ability to make decisions in accordance with laws and regulations and take appropriate action.
Ability to prioritize according to issue severity and reprioritize amid constant interruptions.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
Ability to retain a wide range of information.
Ability to work as part of a team in a fast-paced environment and maintain effective relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and peers.
Ability to understand and effectively carry out oral and written instructions.
Ability to communicate effectively with the general public.
Ability to work independently of direct supervision effectively and efficiently.
Skill in operating telecommunications equipment, surveillance cameras, audio/video recording devices, computers, printers, telephones, teletypes, photocopiers, and other standard office equipment.

Responsibilities

Screen non-emergency phone calls to determine whether an emergency exists or an officer response is needed.
Handle emergency situations by phone and in the lobby when circumstances require.
Monitor more than 60 cameras and 35 duress and door alarms in and around the building; issue visitor passes according to department security policy; and operate controls for the sally port, booking room doors, and secured lobby doors.
Take complaints and complete reports that do not require an officer response.
Monitor and perform two-way radio communications.
After state certification, use the State of Wisconsin TIME computer system Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 10 PM, including entering and canceling warrants, missing persons, and stolen vehicles.
Perform bookkeeping and revenue-collection tasks, reconcile accounts for city departments and counties, and complete opening and closing procedures.
Update lists, manuals, forms, statistical data, and schedules used by police employees.
Handle confidential information.
Run criminal-history checks and online database inquiries on confinements, referrals to the District Attorney’s Office, employment candidates, ride-along applicants, and solicitor and bartender applicants for the City of Appleton.
Enter police reports into multiple databases.
Interpret current city ordinances and state statutes for the public.
Page out SWAT, CRASH, translator, and transport teams.
Approve or deny overnight parking requests.
Buffer complaints for all city departments.
Compile and distribute daily, weekly, and monthly reports.
Maintain regular, punctual, and predictable attendance and work overtime and extra hours as required.
Answer designated phone lines and relay messages to officers and other department employees via voicemail.
Index accident reports.
Coordinate use of department meeting rooms.
Issue animal licenses.
Explain city and state forms and permits to the public, including DOT and DNR registration forms, accident reports, and parking permits, and refer people to online resources.
Operate the in-house paging system.
Perform miscellaneous staff-support functions in a timely manner.