Communications Officer I

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Job description

JOB
FLSA non-exempt position that provides a critical link in the delivery of public safety service, being the first and most important contact with the citizen needing help. The Communications Officer must develop a timely, rapid and accurate sense of call interpretation and decision-making/problem solving skills during stressful situations. This position must remain calm, showing empathy, conveying reassurance and instilling confidence in the caller that the proper response to their needs will result. The employee is required to deal with sensitive information in a discreet and professional manner and reports directly to a Communication Supervisor.This position is responsible for receiving incoming calls for police, fire and emergency medical aid, and non-emergency requests from the public via 9-1-1 lines and other ten-digit telephone lines. Employee obtains information from callers who may be injured, confused or abusive, and determines which, if any, agencies should respond to the incident. Employee must enter initial information into the computer while maintaining contact with the reporting party to gather additional pertinent information. Additional information must be entered into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system in a timely manner so that the original call is continually updated.The Communications Officer I (CO I) - Call Receiver is the first step of the public safety dispatch career ladder. To continue employment, employees in this classification are required to satisfy the minimum requirements of a Communication Officer II - Public Safety Dispatcher by the end of their 2nd year of employment. The salary range for a Communications Officer II is $29.44 to $30.91 and hour.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:Communication Officer I (Call Receiver)• Answers emergency and non-emergency calls for service, simultaneously enters thisinformation into the computer using a CAD System and continues to enter updates in atimely manner.• Ability to accurately complete a variety of reports in a timely manner.• Calms, negotiates, advises and otherwise communicates with callers to obtain accurateand essential information necessary to establish priority and initiate a timely response toemergency calls.• Remains calm, shows empathy, conveys reassurance and instills confidence in the callerthrough a demeanor that will result in proper response to their needs.• Determines the appropriate agency/agencies that should respond to an incident.• Processes more than one call at a time.• Assists other employees as necessary when not occupied with primary call answeringduties.• Attends mandatory trainings and/or meetings as directed.• Performs additional duties as directed.• Is reliable, dependable and reports for work on a consistent and predictable basis.• Consistently thinks clearly and responds quickly in a wide variety of emergency situations.• Gathers, organizes, translates and processes information from various emergency callersin an accurate and timely manner.• Accurately types 35 net words per minute while listening and conversing simultaneously.• Work shift work encompassing a 24-hour day, seven-day week; inclusive of odd hours,days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.• Operates a TDD/TTY for hearing/speech impaired callers.• Ability to meet ACCESS/FBI/CJIS requirements, including maintaining a record free offelony convictions.• Ability to obtain Telecommunication 1 Certification within six (6) months of completion ofnew hire training or as soon as available via the Criminal Justice Training Commission orequivalent and bi-annual recertification.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
INTERPERSONAL CONTACTSContacts are made both inside and outside the organization. Internal contacts frequentlyinclude the Communications Officers, Supervisory staff and Administrative personnel. Externalcontacts may include Center customers, outside vendors, governmental personnel, applicantsand citizens. This position is representative of the Center and therefore it is critical that allinteractions are respectful and professional. Interactions tend to focus on information exchangeand the receiving and giving of procedural changes. A majority of external interactions are viatelephone or electronic exchange.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE OF/SKILL IN:• Spokane regional service area, including streets and landmarks.• Map reading including knowledge of adjacent areas, directions of travel, hundred blocksand freeway access.• Condensing large amounts of information into readable, sensibly typed remarks in atimely manner and can recall numerous acronyms and codes essential to appropriate callprocessing.• Maintaining familiarity with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and appropriatemanuals that provide thorough knowledge of SREC operations and procedures.• Operating a radio, computer and telephone system with essential peripherals andprogram applications.REQUIRED ABILITY TO:• Maintain a high level of confidentiality and professionalism regarding sensitive internaland external information.• Speak the English language coherently and clearly, possessing an excellent vocabularyand verbally communicate effectively. Speaking another language in addition to English isbeneficial but not a requirement.• Work through complex technical tasks involving various public safety communicationssystems.• Interact effectively with people in a multi-cultural society under extremely stressfulsituations.• Record names and numbers rapidly and accurately.• Remember numerous details and quickly re-call essential information.• Work up to twelve (12) hours at a time (or longer if exigent circumstances exist),continuously wearing a communications headset, while still being able to hear andunderstand other outside sources to include conversations with large amount of internaland external background noise. Hear and react to multiple simultaneous sound and visualsources in a timely manner is critical.• Work as a "team" member, establish good working relationships and provide excellentinternal and external customer service.• Work effectively in a disciplined environment with close supervision and carry out lawfulorders regardless of personal agreement.• Ability to use independent judgement and discretion to make decisions.REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:Communication Officer I (Call Receiver):• High school diploma or equivalent.• 18 years of age or older at time of hire.DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:• Basic experience in computer terminal operation.• One year or more experience in the public safety field.• CPR/AED Certification.MANDATORY LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS• Possession of or ability to obtain driver's license valid in Washington within 30 days of hiredate.• Successful completion of CJIS Background check.• A Central Computerized Enforcement Service System (ACCESS) certification uponemployment.• Required to obtain and preserve CPR/AED Certification within six (6) months ofemployment.WORK ENVIRONMENT:• Must be prepared to stay in the Center for the full scheduled shift. Uninterrupted lunchand breaks are not guaranteed.• Position is extremely stressful, emotionally charged and plays a critical role in publicsafety service delivery. Must take information from callers who may be excited, abusive,foulmouthed, incoherent, drunk or hysterical.• Work is performed in a low-light and confined environment.• The employee is subject to "call back" on short notice.• May be asked to participate in Police/Fire/EMS ride-alongs.PHYSICAL, SENSORY AND MENTAL DEMANDS:• Individual must sit or stand while observing a computer display screen for long,uninterrupted periods of time. Individual must have adequate hearing and visual acuity,including the ability to accurately distinguish colors, to operate successfully in thisenvironment.• Must continually demonstrate a high level of mental and emotional stability.• Individuals must be free from physical, sensory or mental impairments that with or withoutreasonable accommodation would interrupt continuous performance of a shift lasting fromeight to twelve hours.• Accurately type 35 net words per minute while listening and conversing simultaneously.• Ability to read and discern visual images on a variety of media, to include small liquidcrystal displays offering very little brightness/darkness contrast, standard flat panelcomputer monitors, printed matter that has been reduced to less than normal size type,multi-colored indicator lights which have differing flash rates and color which indicate thestatus of electronic functions.• Ability to pass a hearing test in accordance with NENA hearing standards