DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position is in place to relieve significant hiring challenges in this title and as such shall be non-competitive for a limited time.*  Work involves responsibility for receiving incoming communications from citizens, police agency and others and responding to those communications by dispatching the proper emergency services such as police, fire and/or ambulance to the scene, relating information via telephone, radio, teletype and/or computer terminal or referring callers to the appropriate agency or department official. Incumbents must exercise sound judgment in dispatching the necessary personnel and equipment to scenes of incidents and must maintain a high degree of alertness and a calm demeanor in responding to crisis situations. Additional responsibilities include maintenance of a variety of records related to communications functions and a variety of other department records. Work is performed under general supervision of higher-level police personnel. Additionally, this position requires the ability to speak, write and understand Spanish as well as English. Performs related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

• Provides information and receives complaints by telephone;
• Operates radio equipment to dispatch police officers, animal control officers, fire equipment and other emergency vehicles;
• Maintains continuous status and location records of patrol vehicles as well as status records of emergency vehicles;
• Maintains a written radio log;
• Compiles information for police department reports and updates location files and other records;
• Monitors police and fire radio frequencies;
• May operate a phone patch system to establish contact between duty physicians and ambulances;
• May be required to type at an acceptable rate of speed;
• May monitor fire and burglar alarms, dispatches necessary personnel and equipment and maintains required alarm records;
• Speaks, reads, writes and interprets Spanish language and Spanish language documents, as needed;
• Acts as intermediary and interpreter for Spanish-speaking callers, as needed;
• Contacts by radio personnel of various town departments as needed in emergencies;
• Performs a variety of related activities as required.

Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Good knowledge of the methods and practices of operating radio, computer equipment and telephone equipment; good knowledge of the geography of the policing jurisdiction; ability to perform calmly and efficiently in emergency situations; ability to maintain records and prepare reports; ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions; ability to write legibly, clerical aptitude; good judgment; clear diction; courtesy.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Either

1. Graduation from high school or possession of a comparable diploma; or
2. Two (2) years of experience using communications equipment in the dispatching of emergency personnel; or
3. An equivalent combination of training and experience as indicated in a) and b) above.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:  Fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, writing and translating Spanish and English

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Competitive Class