General Summary
Starting pay for this position is $28.50 per hour and is set by a Collective Bargaining Agreement.
To learn more about the recruitment process, benefits, and for preparation tips, visit our website here.
Please review the Hiring Standards brochure for further details on hiring standards, to include temporary or permanent disqualifiers.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
As part of the public safety team, the successful candidate will contribute to the safety and welfare of fellow emergency responders and the citizens of both Benton and Franklin counties.
Please consider the information below when determining if this is a career for you. 911 Dispatchers support law enforcement and go through a similar background process. Our recruitment process typically takes about 4 months from the date of application to a start date.
The first 6 months of training require significant internal resources and vacations and time off are not guaranteed during this time. Employees are expected to be available and willing to work 12 hour rotating shifts (there is not an option to remain on one shift or the other) which includes day shift, night shift, and mandatory weekends and holidays. During training, an effort will be made to expose the trainee to both day and night shifts.
Watch video message from Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg about the exciting and rewarding career of being an Emergency Communications Dispatcher: https://vimeo.com/624819849/5dee407401.
To hear from current 911 Dispatchers, watch this 911 Dispatcher testimonial prepared by Washington State here.
Important qualities required:
- Ability to multitask.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent hearing.
- Decision-making skills.
- Empathy – strong desire to help others.
- Listening skills.
- Organizational skills.
- Typing skills.
- Good knowledge of English language.
- Stress tolerance.
- Self-control.
- Dependability.
- Integrity.
- Adaptability. Must be able to work varied hours and rotating schedules.
Positive aspects of the job:
- Good benefits.
- Competitive wages.
- Secure future.
- Work in a team environment with close working relationships.
- Very rewarding work.
- Satisfaction in knowing you made a difference.
- Become a hero in your community.
Fixed facts of the job (some would consider these the challenges of the job):
- Training is lengthy and intensive – usually eight months.
- Regular and predictable attendance is required.
- Required to work different shifts in a 24-7, 365-day work environment.
- Limited flexibility in schedule.
- Likelihood of working many holidays – possibly delaying personal events.
- Schedule may conflict with personal functions and events.
- Required to work scheduled and unscheduled overtime.
- Must have working phone available for contact at any time.
- Must be able to remain at a console workstation for extended periods.
- Work within a chain of command.
- All work is recorded.
- Work in high stress environment.
- Must maintain emotions during chaotic incidents.
- Ability to learn multiple agency response area and local geography.
- Maintain strict confidentiality of all work incidents.
- Ability to utilize multiple computer screens and keyboards while operating phone lines and radios (multitasking).
- High level of concentration and room awareness required.
- Ability to abstain from marijuana and other illegal drug use while employed with the City of Richland.
Dispatching is often compared to being an Air Traffic Controller – very stressful. Part of our training is to learn to cope with that stress and take care of ourselves.
Some types of calls we deal with (and are trained to handle) include:
- Routine calls of crimes not occurring at the time of the call.
- Call of crimes occurring during the time of the call.
- Calls from people who are intoxicated, hysterical, irrational, confused, demanding, or screaming at you, people threatening suicide, having a minor or serious medical issue, victims of violent crimes, or reporting a lost child or a lost animal.
- Use technology and interview skills to determine callers location should they be unable to provide it.
There is no way to cover everything an Emergency Communications Dispatcher does every day – every day is something new and usually exciting. We encourage you to arrange to participate in an Observation (a voluntary sit-in with a dispatcher) to let you see what this job really entails.
Please view the Hiring Brochure for more information and job details.
Click here to view the complete job description, to include essential functions and working conditions.
Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- One (1) year of customer service experience involving substantial customer interaction in a fast-paced environment.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Outlook and Word.
- Data-entry skills with speed and accuracy, and ability to type 35 wpm with accuracy.
- Or an equivalent combination of education and experience that would provide the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
- Obtain and maintain ACCESS Level I or II certification within one (1) year of hire date.
- Obtain CPR and Emergency Medical Dispatch (or equivalent) certifications within one (1) year of hire date.
Desirable Qualifications
- Prior successful experience in a fast-paced and multi-tasked public contact environment (e.g. medical intake, bank teller, server, or barista) or a public safety communications environment.
- Knowledge of Benton and Franklin County streets, locations, and landmarks.
- Excellent oral communication skills to include a clear and confident speaking voice with good diction.
- Demonstrated background providing excellent customer service with tact, patience, and courtesy while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor with callers who may be verbally abusive, emotionally upset, uncooperative, or frightened.
Supplemental Information
Final candidate(s) selected will be required to successfully complete and pass a comprehensive background/reference process to include a job suitability assessment, integrity interview, fingerprinting, polygraph, psychological evaluation, and a pre-employment physical examination (including drug/alcohol screening) commensurate to the position.
