Sheriff’s Telecommunicator

Hennepin County • Plymouth, MN

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is seeking a Sheriff's Telecommunicator to provide non-emergency and 911 emergency public safety dispatching services. The 911 Dispatch division serves as a vital link between the public and public safety organizations through responsiveness, compassion, and professionalism. The position is based at the 911 Emergency Communications Center in Plymouth, Minnesota, where there is no public transportation. Candidates must be available for various shifts, including day, evening, night, overnight, holiday, and weekend hours; shifts may start at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., or 7 p.m. New Employee Orientation for benefit-earning employees is held in person in downtown Minneapolis. Qualified candidates will be invited to take the CritiCall test online using their own computer.

This is a full-time, benefit-earning position. The work involves receiving and assessing emergency, routine, and administrative calls; gathering relevant police, fire, and medical information; determining response priorities; and communicating with public safety units by radio or telephone. The telecommunicator operates computerized communication and dispatch systems, coordinates public safety unit activities, maintains information in local, state, and national data systems, and disseminates severe weather and disaster warnings.

Applicants must meet one of the listed experience pathways and demonstrate typing ability of 40 words per minute with 90% accuracy. Related experience in areas such as emergency response, corrections, military or reserve service, loss prevention, safety and security, or triage and crisis intervention may substitute year for year. Applicants must have no felony convictions and successfully complete a typing test, drug test, extensive background investigation, pre-employment physical, and psychological assessment.

Requirements

• At least one year of experience dispatching police, firefighters, and/or Emergency Medical Services (EMS); or two or more years of other dispatching or call center experience; or two or more years of experience as a first responder; or two or more years providing fast-paced customer service while managing multiple tasks and priorities; or completion of the 911 Telecommunicator Pathways Training program plus at least one year of call center experience.
• Typing speed of 40 words per minute with 90% accuracy.
• Related experience in disaster or emergency response, corrections, military or reserve service, loss prevention, home or business safety and security, or triage or crisis intervention may substitute year for year.
• Availability to work day, evening, night, overnight, holiday, and weekend hours.
• No felony convictions.
• Successful completion of a typing test, drug test, extensive criminal, employment, and financial background checks, pre-employment physical, and psychological assessment.
• Ability to use radio, telephone, and computer dispatching systems.
• Ability to adapt communication styles for a variety of customers and clients.
• Ability to make quick, independent decisions in response to emergency assistance calls.
• Ability to gather caller information, enter computer data, and dispatch response units simultaneously under stressful conditions.
• Ability to prioritize calls and organize tasks.
• Ability to coordinate information and read maps to provide accurate geographical information.
• Ability to remain calm and effective when dealing with the public, law enforcement, and fire agencies in high-stress situations.
• Ability to monitor and speak over a radio dispatch system or respond to dispatched emergencies as a routine part of the job.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent customer service, multitasking, active listening, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Receive emergency, routine, and administrative calls and obtain relevant police, fire, and medical information.
• Determine response requirements and priorities for reported situations.
• Receive and transmit information and messages to police, fire, and medical units by radio or telephone.
• Operate multi-channel computerized communication consoles, multi-line phone systems, Next Generation 911 systems, and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems.
• Coordinate public safety unit activities across various radio systems.
• Enter, update, and retrieve information in local, state, and national computerized data systems.
• Disseminate severe weather and disaster warnings and watch information.
• Gather caller information, enter data, and dispatch response units simultaneously in stressful situations.
• Read maps and provide accurate geographical information.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits
• Work-life balance
• Opportunities to grow
• Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed