Telecommunicator

City of DeKalb • DeKalb, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The City of DeKalb is accepting applications to fill current openings for Telecommunicator! The Telecommunicator receives, analyzes, classifies, prioritizes and responds to calls of an emergency and non-emergency nature, including those calls involving life-threatening situations. The position of Telecommunicator is assigned to the Community Support Services Division of the Police Department and works under the direct supervision of the Communications Coordinator. The position is a full-time position represented under AFSCME and requires the Telecommunicator to work a forty-hour work week. The position will require shift work including evenings, weekends and holidays. The position works under extremely stressful situations and must maintain confidentiality at all times. There is extensive contact with the general public and City employees in-person and through electronic mediums. This position is classified as an emergency response position and will require residency within fifteen (15) months from the completion of the probationary period. Residency requirements are required based the Telecommunicator residency map found at Appendix "D-1" of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The starting rate is $27.42 per hour. Initial review of applications will begin June 17, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• LEADS 3.0 Full Access Certification within 30 days of employment.
• Illinois State Police Telecommunicator Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse Training within 30 days of employment.
• 40-hour PowerPhone Public Safety Dispatch Course (Emergency Medical Dispatch, Law Enforcement Dispatch, and Fire Service Dispatch) while in training.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Saver CPR/AED or equivalent Certification within an agreed-upon timeframe.
• Obtain an Illinois Department of Public Health Emergency Medical Dispatcher license before the completion of training.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Two years of experience with emergency services communications desired.
• Working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook) is strongly desired.
• Previous experience or the ability to gain experience with departmental systems is required.
• Ability to type a minimum of thirty-five (35) words per minute.
• Working knowledge of phone, radio Records Management, and Computer Aided Dispatch systems desired.
• Knowledge of principle practices and public safety operations.
• Ability to quickly learn and retain public safety and technology training material.
• Ability to use electronic mediums for communication.
• Ability to handle confidential/sensitive matters in a professional manner.
• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to understand and follow complex verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while exercising good judgment and initiative.
• Ability to learn, apply and maintain knowledge of departmental rules, regulations, policies and procedures and information pertaining to law enforcement and fire dispatch.
• Ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with all levels of staff, management, residents and the general public.
• Ability to maintain professional composure when confronted by stressful situations and take reasonable action when confronted with difficult situations.
• Ability to gather data, analyze information and prepare reports as needed.
• Ability to accurately compute logistical staffing and apparatus needs.
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure with interruptions and within short timeframes.
• Ability to work various shifts, holidays, weekends and flexible hours as assigned.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Knowledge of or the ability to gain knowledge of street locations and City geography.
• Ability to identify, troubleshoot and report electronic system glitches or errors.
• Ability to speak English clearly and accurately, have normal visual acuity, and meet medical hearing standards.
• Ability to work shifts as required by the collective bargaining agreement and the ability to work 12-hour shifts when needed, sometimes on short notice.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of experience with emergency services communications desired.
• Working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook) is strongly desired.
• Working knowledge of phone, radio Records Management, and Computer Aided Dispatch systems desired.
• Knowledge of or the ability to gain knowledge of street locations and City geography.

Responsibilities

• Receives all incoming emergency and non-emergency calls for police and fire departments, in addition to after-hours calls to City Hall.
• Receives emergency calls for service from multiple sources including an NG9-1-1 system, text-to-911, video-to-911, video relay services, social media, and alarm reporting integrations.
• Operates a multi-channel computerized radio communication console with multiple computer terminals including phone and radio systems to obtain, enter, dispatch, transmit and maintain information and calls for service.
• Monitors other local police and fire radio frequencies as well as additional Municipal frequencies.
• Accurately enters relevant information and updates notes into police and fire calls for service and in accordance with established procedures operates a computer-aided dispatch system.
• Prioritizes and sequences calls promptly in limited time utilizing law enforcement, fire and EMS protocols with limited or no supervision.
• Initiates emergency phone tracing using specialized procedures for landline and mobile phones.
• Assigns calls to police and fire units for necessary action, determining the appropriate units required for response.
• Coordinates, when necessary, with patrol and fire supervisors regarding deployment of personnel.
• Operates multiple systems across six to eight monitors.
• Visually monitors closed-circuit television security cameras in and around the City and the Police Department.
• Monitors and/or operates generator and fire alarm panels.
• Maintains contact with all units on-duty and on assignment; maintains records of activity for all field calls and units dispatched; assigns and coordinates backup personnel as required and issues status checks for safety on responding units.
• Provides pre-arrival police, fire and EMS instructions to callers reporting crimes or medical emergencies in-progress.
• Provides supplemental information to officers and field personnel expeditiously, including but not limited to warrants, vehicle responses, driver’s license status, and parole, gang, sex offender and other criminal history information.
• Interprets or clarifies coded responses from various systems for law enforcement, including confirmation of warrants and other types of hits while maintaining paperwork and updating or entering records into LEADS/NCIC as applicable.
• Utilizes language interpretation services and coordinates with mental health resources for appropriate contacts with callers who have mental health or language barriers to receiving help.
• Provides information and assistance to the walk-in public.
• Maintains extensive interaction with the general public requiring professional and timely responses.
• Reports equipment malfunctions and dangerous/hazardous conditions to the appropriate authority.
• Monitors and sends citywide alert notifications.
• Appears and testifies in court as necessary.
• Performs a variety of record keeping, filing, departmental documentation, indexing and other tasks as assigned.
• Maintains a variety of logs relating to first responder activities.
• Responds to public and internal inquiries over the telephone and in-person.
• Refers to appropriate staff as needed.
• Conducts research utilizing local, state, federal and national crime databases for required information.
• Completes special projects, and other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• AFSCME represented position
• Forty-hour work week
• Residency within fifteen (15) months from the completion of the probationary period
• Extensive contact with the general public and City employees in-person and through electronic mediums
• Works under extremely stressful situations and must maintain confidentiality at all times
• Extensive interaction with the general public requiring professional and timely responses
• Ability to work shifts outside of normal business hours including evenings, weekends, holidays, and changing shifts
• The selection process includes submission of an application, interview, written exam, observation, and a background check. The psychological exam, physical exam, and drug screen (including cannabis) are completed upon conditional offer.

What This Job Offers

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