Police Telecommunicator

Burlington, NC
Burlington Police Department

Salary: $42,846.29 – $70,697.49 Annually.

Position Summary:

As a Police Telecommunicator, you’ll be the first point of contact for individuals in need of emergency assistance. You’ll receive and prioritize 911 and non-emergency calls, dispatch appropriate public safety officials, and maintain open lines of communication during emergency situations. This dynamic role requires multitasking, quick decision-making, and the ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism and discretion.

Essential Functions:

  • Receives incoming calls from the public; evaluates requests for service and makes decisions on which public agency provides the required assistance to the situation; prioritizes the call according to severity.
  • Receives after-hours calls for animal control, utilities, street maintenance, and traffic signal malfunctions.
  • Operates the TTY service for the Telecommunication Device for the Deaf tests calls on weekly basis to ensure systems are operating as required.
  • Dispatches police or fire officials to emergencies; communicates with police or fire officers during situations; sends additional units to situation based on officers requests or updated information.
  • Monitors self-initiated activities of police officers and provides them with information obtained by operation the NCIC system on retained suspects.
  • Maintains records of authorizations, warrants, and other information required for DCI/NCIC entries; logs all activities of the DCI terminal.
  • Uses NC AWARE Program to check for outstanding warrants; communicates results to officers in the field.
  • Work involves public contact, which requires tact, firmness, and decisiveness & is performed in accordance with department policy and state and federal law.
  • Closes telecommunications calls for service and identifies fire or police units back in service.
  • Updates criminal history logs.
  • Keeping visual on offices and prisoners while in the secure area.
  • Performs related duties as required.

Requirements:

  • General knowledge of current telecommunications practices and procedures.
  • General knowledge of the practices and procedures used in the police and fire departments.
  • General knowledge of city geography and street locations.
  • General knowledge of the operation and use of computer aided dispatching equipment.
  • General knowledge of various support manuals and resources such as call books, HAZMAT manual, tactical dispatch manual, and other standard operating procedural manuals.
  • Ability to manage multiple situations at once under stressful conditions.
  • Ability to operate a computer terminal, telephones, radios, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) consoles.
  • Ability to sit for long periods of time in low light with multiple computer screens.
  • Ability to enter information on a call while talking to a citizen, or police, fire, or EMS unit providing service.
  • Ability understand or comprehend calls made with different accents or broken English.
  • Ability to read maps quickly, scan warrant files, and review recorded tapes.
  • Ability to calmly communicate with people in emergency and stressful situations and document actions taken.
  • Proficient in the use of Language Line interpreting services, to connect 911 callers with Interpreters quickly and efficiently.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with other employees and the general public.
  • Ability to listen and have strong written & oral communication skills.
  • Ability to build positive relationships both internally & externally with excellent customer service.
  • High School Diploma or GED equivalency and some work experience in a dispatch function or extensive public contact role, and prior experience in a law enforcement or fire/EMS environment is desired as is current certification as a emergency service Telecommunicator by APCO, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • NC DCI Certification.