Communications Officer

Dickinson College • Carlisle, PA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Dickinson College is a premier four-year residential liberal arts institution chartered in 1783 and widely recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, named a “most livable city” by Forbes and is minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. The campus is connected to a vibrant downtown that offers eclectic dining, shopping and entertainment options. Within a two-hour drive are Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; New York City is three hours away. The Communications Officer supports campus law enforcement and other public safety functions by performing activities related to processing service requests and questions. This includes communications and dispatch, status monitoring, information development and communication, and records and file maintenance in a computer-aided environment. The Communications Center serves as the primary link between the public and DPS Police Officers in the field. The Communications Center is the central coordinating agency for emergency telephone calls and requests for assistance. After hours, the Communications Center serves as the main information hub, responsible for aiding the college community and its guests with requests for service and general inquiries.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED

Responsibilities

• Handles emergency and non-emergency telephone calls, prioritizes calls, and channels pertinent information to officer and supervisory personnel.
• Makes necessary emergency notifications.
• Monitors and operates police and other radio systems, fire and intrusion alarm systems, and security camera systems, and dispatches officers and other emergency personnel as needed.
• Monitors computer terminals for messages directed to the Department, information related to local criminal activity, and officer safety messages.
• Confirms warrants with responsible agencies.
• Provides the public with assistance on complaints and informational services, lost and found property, bicycle registration, directions, and other services.
• Uses tact and discretion.
• Observes strict confidentiality rules.
• Directs persons to proper supervisory level as necessary.
• Accurately documents officer status, location and activity.
• Preserves accurate logs of incoming service requests and action taken and enters, updates, and recovers information from a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.
• Preserves and updates various logs and records of activities, such as radio transmissions, telephone calls, tow requests, and equipment failure logs.
• Demonstrates knowledge of police terminology and procedures, Pennsylvania criminal and civil law as it pertains to police communications, campus geography, police services, and College policies and procedures pertaining to police communications.
• Provides assistance and information to persons registering vehicles at Public Safety and issues parking decals.
• Performs various tasks to ensure proper operation of equipment such as setting and resetting computer system, video display terminals, and printers.
• Assists with College fleet reservations and issues keys for reserved fleet vehicles.

Benefits

• comprehensive medical insurance plan
• life insurance
• flexible spending accounts
• generous time off
• parental leave
• homebuyer assistance
• tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependent children under the age of 24
• College contributes 8% of an employee’s base salary to a retirement account with an additional .5% matching contribution

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED