Public Safety Telecommunicator (911… at Stearns County · St. Cloud

Salary

Hiring Rate: $29.32/hour, Grade 16, Non-Exempt, LELS Jail-Dispatch Unit

Stearns County Mission: Provide Exceptional Public Services to Assure a Safe, Healthy, Vibrant County for All.
Stearns County Values: Professional | Approachable | Responsive | Collaborative | Fair & Equitable

Stearns County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation.

It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Hiring Range: $29.32 - $43.04/hour

Looking for a career you can be proud of? Look no further than the Stearns County Public Safety Telecommunicator (911 Dispatcher)! We are looking for candidates that crave a challenge, have the innate ability to be the voice of reason in strenuous situations and above all else, can find the calm within chaos. Have you ever provided instructions to help bring a baby into the world that doesn’t want to wait for mom to get to the hospital? What about assisting in locating a lost child or saving the day by getting an officer the backup they need? These gratifying moments are just examples of situations you will be trained to navigate while in your role. If you are a forward thinker, are comfortable overcoming and adapting on the fly and are a team player, then you might be exactly who we are looking for. Don’t miss your opportunity to make a difference through a rewarding career in public service, apply today! Remember, not all heroes wear capes, some wear headsets!

Position Objective 
To provide skilled communication by receiving requests and transmitting information for emergency and non-emergency assistance within the County. This position is responsible to maintain efficient communications between the public, law enforcement and other public service agencies.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities  
These examples do not include all possible responsibilities in this position and do not limit the assignment of related duties to this classification.  

1. Answers all emergency and non-emergency calls for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies within the County.
2. Enters initial complaint information on calls received, dispatches proper personnel to investigate incidents, monitors progress of calls and provides on-going updates to responding personnel.
3. Maintains radio contact and receives reports from mobile police units, fire and emergency medical services (EMS), monitoring their locations and ensuring their safety.
4. Maintains radio contact with other law enforcement, fire and emergency agencies that enter into and/or are required to provide service within the County.
5. Tests and maintains essential equipment in emergency communications center.
6. Operates a multi-channel computerized communication console with multiple computer terminals including phone and radio systems to obtain, enter, transmit and maintain information.
7. Performs data entry into the state and national computer network maintaining the integrity of the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS), National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and MN Justice Information System (MNJIS).
8. Provides pre-arrival medical instructions to callers reporting medical emergencies.
9. Contacts appropriate agencies to arrange specialized housing or care for individuals in need
10. Provides information and assistance to callers and department visitors.
11. Attends work regularly and in a timely manner.
12. Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

Minimum Qualifications
In order to be considered for this position, applicants must possess the following:

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• One year of post-secondary education in a related field and seven months of experience in a call center, multitask oriented retail or restaurant service or similar field OR two years and seven months of progressively related experience in a call center, multitask oriented retail or restaurant service or similar field
• Must have experience using a personal computer
• Possess a typing speed of 40 words per minute
• Valid MN Driver’s License
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain an active CPR Certification

Preferred Experience Beyond Minimum Qualifications:

• Public Safety Telecommunicator (911 Dispatcher), police, fire, or ambulance dispatching experience with a city, county or state agency
• Public safety experience such as previous work as a Community Services Officer, police clerk, police officer, volunteer firefighter, or paramedic
• Certification in Emergency Medical Dispatching and Emergency Fire Dispatching

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 
1. Knowledge of Stearns County and City of St. Cloud geography, including major roads and street systems.

2. Knowledge of laws, ordinances and policies and terminology of local jurisdictions and location of boundaries, streets, addresses, etc., in service area.
3. Knowledge of emergency medical dispatch instruction protocols needed to provide effective pre-arrival and post-dispatch emergency medical assistance.
4. Ability to quickly learn and use various software programs.
5. Ability to communicate clearly and remain calm in emergencies or high‑stress situations
6. Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, colleagues, and the public.
7. Ability to make decisions quickly with little margin of error.
8. Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
9. Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of individuals.
10. Ability to read and interpret maps.
11. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.

Accountabilities Shared By All Employees 
1. Consistently performs job responsibilities with a positive attitude and in a manner consistent with the County’s mission and values.

2.Develops and maintains a respectful and collaborative professional relationship with all County employees and the public we serve.

3.Values and respects the diversity each employee brings to the organization.

4.Develops and maintains knowledge and understanding of all department and County-wide policies, protocols and procedures that apply to the performance of this position.

5. Complies with all rules and policies to maintain a safe work environment.

Work Environment and Physical Demands 
The primary responsibilities for this position will be performed approximately 100% of the time indoors. Will have infrequent exposure to health hazards and accidents; requires a low level of physical effort. This position requires strong vision and hearing, clear speech, the ability to distinguish colors, and excellent memory recall, dexterity, and fine motor skills. Candidates must be able to perform frequent twisting/turning, reaching, grasping, and pinching, and sustain extended periods of sitting or standing while multitasking. All employees are required to reside within the state of Minnesota.  

Extent of Supervision or Guidance Provided 
Work is performed under the general supervision of the Sergeant-Communications.  

Responsibility for Public Contact 
Frequent

Supervision of Others 
None

Hours of Work
Shift work, including weekends and holidays with rotating days off.

Interview Date
Applications will be reviewed in batches. If you are selected to be interviewed for this position, interviews will be held on a date to be determined. Invitations to interview will be sent to the email address listed on the job application and will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. A job specific physical, hearing/vision screening, drug and/or psychological exam may be required before appointment.

Benefits

To view Stearns County benefits go to: Stearns County Benefits Page

If you require special accommodations to participate in the Stearns County hiring process, please contact us at 320-656-3606.