Lateral Public Safety Dispatcher

City of Prineville•Prineville Police Department, OR

About The Position

Crook County 911 processes emergency and non-emergency calls for Crook County, Oregon, and provides dispatch services for the Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff's Office, and Crook County Fire and Rescue, while coordinating with other local public entities and surrounding jurisdictions. Public Safety Dispatchers independently answer and process 911 and non-emergency calls for public safety services. They provide safety instructions, gather information, make determinations that may carry a high degree of liability, and use radio equipment and other technology to coordinate police, fire, and medical responses. Dispatchers document calls for service and help maintain responder safety. The position works under the general supervision of the Communications Supervisor and/or Communications Director and is non-supervisory. This recruitment is for lateral candidates. Applicants must meet the stated lateral certification and employment criteria. A lateral hire's placement step is based on years of DPSST or other accredited-agency continuous certification, or may be determined by the Chief of Police for qualifying laterals from other states. The position requires rotating shifts or a compressed work schedule, including days, nights, swing shifts, weekends, and holidays. After field training, employees must be able to work alone without cover for up to 12 hours and may be required to work overtime or respond to the workplace from home with little to no notice when emergencies warrant.

Requirements

For lateral status, currently hold Oregon DPSST telecommunicator certification or current equivalent certification from Washington, Idaho, or California; other lateral candidates may be considered by the Chief of Police.
For lateral status, have at least two years of continuous employment within the last 47 months.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Keyboard accurately by touch at 35 words per minute or faster.
Be able to learn required computer systems, software, and equipment and troubleshoot simple computer and equipment issues.
Be able to operate radio systems, enunciate clearly, and appropriately use agency terminology and codes, plain speech, and the phonetic alphabet.
Be able to monitor five or more computer screens.
Be able to learn the service area's geography, community, agency resources, standard operating procedures, and mutual aid agreements, and use maps and related location software.
Have excellent listening skills and communicate clearly to elicit needed information from emotionally stressed and challenging callers.
Be able to multitask and switch quickly between essential tasks.
Maintain good working relationships with coworkers, 911 user agency members, and the public.
Remain calm in emergencies and make accurate, logical decisions quickly while processing large amounts of information.
Manage stress, exercise discretion, and demonstrate sound judgment.
Obtain and maintain required state certifications and licenses by the end of the 12-month probationary period if not already held, including DPSST Basic Telecommunicator, DPSST Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), LEDS Entry/Inquiry, and CPR and First Aid certifications.
Pass a medical examination that includes vision, hearing, and drug tests.
Pass a psychological evaluation.
Successfully pass a comprehensive background investigation, including a criminal history check, and obtain Oregon State Police Criminal Justice Information Systems clearance.
Possess and maintain an Oregon Driver's License, or obtain one within 30 days if coming from out of state, with an acceptable driving record.
Be a U.S. citizen or be able to obtain citizenship within 12 months after appointment.
Be at least 19 years of age.
Be able to work rotating shifts and/or a compressed work schedule, including days, nights, swing shifts, weekends, and holidays.
After release from field training, be able to work alone without cover for up to 12 hours.
Be able to work mandatory overtime with little to no notice and/or respond to the workplace from home when emergency situations warrant.

Responsibilities

Handle emergency and non-emergency calls and dispatch police, fire, and/or medical responses with urgency.
Occasionally handle service requests received by text to 911, email, or other communication methods.
Gather pertinent information from callers while providing professional, high-quality service.
Give callers instructions to help protect their safety and the safety of others, and remain on the phone as situations require.
Communicate with responders by radio, phone, mobile data terminal, and other methods.
Route calls for service in outside jurisdictions to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point and make outbound calls as needed.
Comply with requirements for data systems accessible through local, state, regional, federal, or international networks.
Enter and update accurate, orderly call-for-service information in computer systems while handling calls and monitoring radio traffic across multiple channels and frequencies.
Monitor activity in the field and dispatch center, document and update unit status, and gather and relay information related to responder safety.
Maintain working knowledge of the service area and surrounding geography, using maps to determine appropriate responses.
Handle sensitive information confidentially.
Obtain and maintain required licenses and training within specified timeframes.
Follow City and Department policies and applicable state and federal laws.
Perform other duties as necessary or assigned.
May provide training and orientation to newly assigned personnel.