City Of Philadelphia Office Of Human Resources

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6J31

POLICE COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER TRAINEE

Specialties

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General Definition

• This is training level police emergency radio communications work. Employees in this class work on assigned shifts and are engaged in operating a variety of communications equipment in dispatching, receiving and transmitting information to departmental units, and receiving, screening and processing calls from the general public and police personnel. Employees learn to operate the various types of communications equipment under progressively less supervision as experience is gained and the incumbents approach the full performance level. Access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials is an important aspect of this job. Work is performed under the close supervision of an administrative or technical superior.

Allocating Factors:

(The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

• Must perform training level police emergency radio communications on an assigned shift.
• Positions in this class must be able to pass, prior to appointment, a state and national fingerprint-based background check.

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Typical Examples Of Work (Illustrative Only)

Receives instructions and on-the-job training in the proper procedure for performing, and performs the following:

BOTH SPECIALTIES

• Answers incoming calls from the general public; ascertains the nature and determines the seriousness of such calls and re-routes and otherwise disposes of those not requiring emergency police department response; selects proper situation code and types pertinent information into a computer terminal keyboard; determines nature of pertinent comments to place in text section of terminal input format.
• Types codes into terminal keyboard to display incoming call information; selects from available vehicles displayed on terminal screen which to dispatch; relays over a variety of radio bands data to selected vehicles; selects disposition codes to clear jobs.
• Receives requests for information from police district units and other agencies such as the status of stolen vehicles and missing persons; utilizes computer terminals and system commands to access police information networks, including the Philadelphia Crime Information Center (PCIC) database, the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, to retrieve data in response to information requests; ensures the security and confidentiality of the information consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
• Performs related work as required.

• BILINGUAL SPECIALTY

  • Answers incoming calls from the foreign language-speaking public and the English-speaking public; uses both a language spoken extensively in a foreign-language community in the city, and the English language to obtain pertinent information on calls requiring police action; dispatches police equipment required for each situation.

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Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

BOTH SPECIALTIES

Knowledge Of:

• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Ability To:

• successfully complete an in-service training program in the area of specialization leading to qualification as a Police Communications Dispatcher
• learn:
  • the local, state and federal laws and rules governing the security and integrity of criminal justice information
  • the practices, methods and procedures in operating the computer-assisted dispatch system to dispatch police vehicles in response to calls
  • the geography of the city
  • the spelling of city streets and area names
  • the location and boundaries of police districts
  • the operation of computerized police information network systems
• use a computer terminal to enter and retrieve data
• type information into a computer terminal accurately and at a minimum speed established by the department
• obtain essential information from persons under emergency conditions
• think clearly and act quickly in emergency situations
• speak the English language clearly and distinctly
• speak, read and write in a specified foreign language and the English fluently and clearly for the bilingual specialty
• maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials
• identify non-emergency calls which must be referred to 311

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Minimum Acceptable Training And Experience

(The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 05/10.)

Education

BOTH SPECIALTIES

• Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth school grade.

OR

• Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources.

BILINGUAL SPECIALTY

1. Sufficient training and/or experience to be able to read, write and speak effectively one of the languages spoken extensively in foreign language-speaking communities in the city.

Physical And Medical Requirements

1. Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

Licenses, Registrations And/Or Certificates

1. Must be able to pass, prior to appointment, a state and national fingerprint-based background check as required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Security Policy.

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PAY RANGE:

7

• Class Established:

  • 8/62

• Latest Spec. Revision:

  • CSC: 7/11, Ad Board: 9/11

MAR/jl

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End Of Job Class Specification - 6J31