Communications Officer (911 Dispatcher) at Port Angeles Police Department in Port Angeles, Washington

Job Description:

Communications Officer (911 Dispatcher)

$5,000 Sign On Bonus

$1,500 payable at time of hire, and the remaining $3,500 payable at time of probation completion. Employees who do not complete the probationary period, will be required to pay the Port Angeles Police Department back the initial $1,500 of the sign on bonus they were granted.

Located inside the Port Angeles Police Department, Peninsula Communications (PenCom) is the centralized answering point for all 911 calls in Clallam County and in the Clallam and Jefferson County portions of Olympic National Park. The center provides emergency dispatch services to several agencies, including the Clallam County Sheriff's Department, Port Angeles Police and Fire Departments, Sequim Police Department, Lower Elwha Tribal Police, Forks Police Department, Forks Hospital District, La Push Tribal Police, Olympic National Park Rangers, and six fire protection districts.

The Position

PenCom Communication Officers (or 911 Dispatchers) act as the first line of First Responders in emergency situations. They provide life-saving assistance to the community and ensure the safety of police and fire personnel. Communications Officer duties include answering 911 and other emergency telephone systems in a multi-jurisdictional dispatch center, and performing radio dispatch of operational and emergency police, fire and medical calls for assistance. This work involves a wide variety of computer transactions and records functions.

PenCom is staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. In order to protect the residents of Clallam County, Communications Officers work rotating shifts (shifts change every three months) with variable days off. Currently, employees work 12-hour shifts, either 6am-6pm or 6pm-6am.

How do I know if a 911 Dispatch Career is right for me?

Previous dispatch experience is not required. Emergency Communications is one of the few professional fields where the training you need to become certified is provided to you while on the job and earning full pay!  However, certain skills are needed to excel in the position and successfully complete the training/probationary employment period.

Qualifications

• High school Diploma or GED equivalent required
• Ability to provide detailed information
• Excellent critical thinking, multi-tasking, and problem solving skills
• Proficient computer skills, including a typing speed of 45WPM and experience with Windows based applications
• Successful applicants must pass a public safety test, background investigation, polygraph and psychological exam, as well as a pre-employment drug screen and audio gram as part of the hiring process.
• Employee must be able to report to the Police Department Communications Center within a 30-minute response time.

Disqualifiers

Click here to view the Port Angeles Police Department's Automatic & Discretionary Disqualifiers.

How to Apply

Please complete and submit the online application, along with a letter of interest and resume. 

To complete the online employment application, visit Communications Officer - 911 Dispatcher - Job Application

For more information, please contact the Human Resources Division at (360) 417-4508 or email humanresources@cityofpa.us.

The City of Port Angeles is an Equal Opportunity Employer (E.O.E.).

 

 

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