Police Dispatcher

Athens, TX
Athens Police Support Department

Salary: $19.03 – $24.84 Hourly.

Position Summary:

Perform a variety of dispatching duties for emergency and non-emergency calls from and/or to the public, police department, fire department, EMS, animal control, and city utilities. Dispatch personnel to calls for service and be able to use a variety of communication equipment such as: radio, multi-line telephone system, and computer systems. Provides general clerical and data entry duties, documents and maintains appropriate records and information, files and distributes a variety of documents.

Essential Functions:

  • Receive emergency and non-emergency phone calls, dispatch field units to situations.
  • Determine nature and location of calls; determine the priority of calls and dispatch available units accordingly.
  • Respond to calls in a timely and effective manner; may be required to deal with irate, hysterical, abusive, and/or aggressive callers while maintaining a calm composure.
  • Answer the telephone and provide the public with general information as required, work tactfully with the general public and co-workers.
  • Communicate regularly with police officers, prosecuting attorney’s office, court officials, and other law enforcement-related agencies.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information.
  • Operate required specialized equipment, including monitoring radio, alarm, and computer traffic; perform proper maintenance of city equipment.
  • Ability to appropriately handle high stress situations and perform multiple functions at the same time.
  • Utilize TLETS, and TCIC/NCIC systems; perform inquiries on driver’s licenses, vehicles, property, warrants, and criminal background checks as requested by authorized personnel.
  • Ability to understand and follow instructions, policies, rules, and regulations.
  • Provide assistance and information to the general public as necessary.
  • Provide clerical support including typing, filing, compiling statistics, as well as maintaining records, reports, and logs; prepare reports and other essential documents.
  • As needed, receive payments from the public for fines and issue receipts.
  • Order and maintain supplies for assigned department as directed.
  • Maintain work area neatly, safely, and organized fashion; organize time and materials and use organization skills and judgment to handle a variety of duties at once; determine duties of the most pressing nature and set priorities.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers.
  • Perform additional duties as directed.

Requirements:

  • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Valid Texas driver’s license.
  • Two years’ experience in emergency Computer-Aided Dispatch and/or clerical experience preferred.
  • Obtain certification through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement as a Telecommunicator within 1 year from date of employment; maintain Telecommunicator certification for duration of employment.