WELCOME

COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER TRAINEE

THE HISTORY OF 9-1-1

• Adopted in 1968 by the telephone industry

• Nationwide emergency number for universal access

• Adopted in 1972 by California state law• All California cities connected in 1985• Statewide completion of E-911 in 1993• We now receive most cellular 9-1-1

calls w/in our jurisdiction

INCOMING and OUTGOING CALLS 2012

99,240

95,767

52,910

Total calls: 247,917

HOURLY P.S.A.P. (Public Safety Answering Point)

The agency that answers your 9-1-1 call

THE DISPATCHER’S ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY

• Receive, evaluate, and process routine and life-threatening emergency calls from the public

• Dispatch emergency responders via radio channels

• Monitor Field Units• Multi-task and maintain and

process a variety of confidential databases, reports and logs

A COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER IS…

• The bridge, between the public and emergency help

• Often the first (and sometimes only) contact• A facilitator of safety• Someone who can adapt quickly to changing

circumstances• Someone who can apply complex information

and independently make critical decisions• Someone willing and able to work in a team

environment

THE SYSTEMS WE USE

• Shared County-Wide Dispatch System (C.A.D.)

• P.C. –based phone and radio system• Fully automated recording system• Live monitoring of Transit Mall• Monitoring interior and exterior PSB

cameras • Reference P.C.

• 24/7/365 with voluntary & mandatory overtime • 4/10 work week on one of 4 basic shifts

– Days: 0600-1600 & 1000-2000– Nights: 1600-0200 & 2000-0600

• Rotate shifts every six months• Holidays and weekends required• Clothing Standard• Work for extended periods in a confined

manner• Last minute overtime holdover requirements

which result in 12 – 14 hour shifts

OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT

SRPD Communications Center

SRPD Communications Center

COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING

• Learning the “language”• 9 to 12 month training process

– Includes classroom instruction

• 120-hour P.O.S.T. mandated training • “On-the-job” training phases

– Orientation– Call taking– Administrative Support Channel– Police Dispatch

Examples of 9-1-1 calls

Neighbors fightingFight with a batRoommate

argumentRetired Officer

Wife injured

DISPATCHER TRAINEE DISPATCHER TRAINEE SELECTION PROCESSSELECTION PROCESS

• Online Application & Supplemental Questions• Part I - P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Dispatcher

Selection Test Battery (See Examinee Guide)• Part II - Appraisal Interview• Part III - Background Investigation• Interview with Chief of Police and Conditional

Job Offer• Psychological Evaluation and Comprehensive

Medical Exam• Formal Employment Offer• Orientation &Training Program

ONLINE APPLICATIONwww.santarosacityjobs.com

Part I TestingP.O.S.T. Entry-Level Dispatcher

Written Test

• Designed to measure your aptitude for performing public safety dispatcher work.

• Test measures general abilities that are normally developed over an extended period of time.

• They are not designed to measure job-specific knowledge or skills that are taught in training.

• Passing score: T-Score 50.

Abilities Measuredin theTests

• Verbal Ability• Reasoning• Memory• Perceptual Ability

Please see P.O.S.T. Applicant Guide for examples of test formats.http://lib.post.ca.gov/publications/

dispatcher_examinee.pdf

Part II Appraisal Interview

• Designed to measure your education, training, experience, and job-related qualifications for the position.

• You will be interviewed by a panel of three Department staff members.

• Your responses to the questions asked by the panel will be evaluated and assigned a numerical score in each of the rating criteria areas.

Listening/KeyboardingTest

• Applicants proceeding further in the selection process will be required to take a 5-minute listening and keyboarding test to confirm your typing skills.

• Minimum qualifications for this test is a typing speed of at least 35 wpm.

Part III P.O.S.T. Background Personal History Statementhttp://lib.post.ca.gov/Publications/

2-255-phsDispatchers.doc

P.O.S.T. Background Investigation Dimensions

Moral Character: 1. Integrity 2. Impulse Control/Attention to Safety 3. Substance Abuse and Other Risk

Taking BehaviorHandling Stress and Adversity 4. Stress Tolerance 5. Confronting and Overcoming

Problems, Obstacles, and AdversityWork Habits 6. ConscientiousnessInteractions with Others 7. Interpersonal SkillsIntellectually-Based Abilities 8. Decision-Making and Judgment 9. Learning Ability10. Communications Skills

Conditional Job Offer and Medical Exams

• Meeting with the Chief of Police and Technical Services Division Manager

• Conditional Job Offer• Psychological Evaluation• Comprehensive City Pre-

Employment Medical Exam

Employment Offer

• Upon successful completion of the background investigation phase and affirmative recommendation from both the City’s designated psychological and medical examiner, a formal offer of employment is made.

• Trainees begin at Step 1 of the salary range $3,575 per month.

Organizations related to 9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatching

• National Emergency Number Association (N.E.N.A.)http://www.nena.org

• Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO)http://www.apcointl.org

• Dispatch Monthly Magazinehttp://www.911dispatch.coml.org/

• 9-1-1Magazinehttp://www.9-1-1Magazine.com

• Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Centerhttp://nvccjtc.com/index/dispatch_academy/dispatch-academy/

• SRJC Public Safety Training Centerhttp://www.santarosa.edu/ps/