Dispatcher in Columbia City, Indiana at Whitley County Government

POSITION: Dispatcher

DEPARTMENT: Sheriff

WORK SCHEDULE: As Assigned

JOB CATEGORY: POLE (Protective Occupations, Law Enforcement)

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

FRINGE BENEFITS: Medical, dental & vision, group & voluntary life, Public Employees Retirement Fund, competitive PTO, and various paid holidays

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function of the position satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Whitley County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job, unless those accommodations would present an undue hardship.

Incumbent serves as Dispatcher for the Sheriff’s Department, responsible for receiving emergency and non-emergency calls, taking appropriate action, and dispatching information to various response units.

DUTIES:

Receives, evaluates and prioritizes emergency calls, gathers maximum amount of information in minimum amount of time, determines appropriate response and assigns and dispatches law enforcement, fire, conservation by two-way radio. Receives non-emergency calls from the public, determines nature of call, responds to inquiries and complaints, routes caller to appropriate individual and/or takes messages.

Dispatches Whitley County Sheriff Department Deputies, Churubusco Police Department Officers, South Whitley Police Department Officers, DNR Officers, and Whitley County Fire Departments.

Receives fire and business security alarms and dispatches the appropriate departments.

Answers questions and responds to complaints over the telephone and in person. Provides guidance to the public for legal, civil and personal problems.

Logs calls and transactions in the CAD, gathers information and completes appropriate forms for warrants, stolen items, missing persons and other related information.

Fills in fatal accident forms and faxes to the appropriate state agency.

Sends out press releases to television and radio stations and fields calls concerning the press release.

Answers telephone calls that are not emergencies for the fire departments and Emergency Management Agency on weekends and holidays.

Obtains information for enforcement officers, Prosecutor’s Office, Probation Office, Community Corrections Office, and confinement and attorneys.

Monitors computer, reports appropriate information to media, National Weather Service and law enforcement agencies, and dispatches emergency personnel in adverse weather conditions.

Enters local warrant information, and protective order information, stolen articles, and missing persons information into CAD and/or IDACS/NCIS in timely manner.

Removes warrants from CAD, and IDACS/NCIC when subjects brought to Jail or court recalls warrant. Removes stolen articles and missing persons from IDACS/NCIC when located.

Ensures that all persons and items entered in IDACS/NCIC system are proofread and correct before filing in timely manner.

Conducts inquiries on driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, gun permits, state ID’s, vin numbers, stolen vehicles and wanted persons for police agencies, Prosecutor’s Office, Probation Office, Community Corrections Office and the courts.

Periodically responds to emergencies from off-duty status.

Performs related duties as assigned.

Reports to work when other county agencies are closed during severe weather conditions.

High school diploma or GED.

Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain required certification/training including First Responder/CPR, IDACS, NCIC, and Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMS) training.

Ability to meet all Departmental and employer hiring requirements including passage of a drug test, medical exam, typing test, and background check.

Ability to meet all Departmental hiring, promotion and retention requirements, including not posing a direct threat to the health and safety of other individuals in the workplace.

Thorough knowledge of and ability to make practical application of rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the Department.

Thorough knowledge of community geography, and radio frequencies, codes, procedures and limitations.

Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to complete Department reports within established deadlines.

Working knowledge of radio frequencies, codes, procedures, and limitations.

Working knowledge of community geography and police jurisdiction/boundaries, as well as, surrounding areas.

Ability to type with speed and accuracy and operate standard equipment including computer, telephone, fax machine and radio.

Ability to provide public access to, or maintain confidentiality of, department information/records according to state requirements.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile persons.

Ability to comply with all employer/department personnel policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to speak clearly and distinctly, hear and be heard and understood when communicating in person, by radio, or by telephone.

Ability to use tact and diplomacy in communicating with various individuals.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, law enforcement agencies, Emergency Medical Services, towing services, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.

Ability to work alone with minimum supervision and with others in a team environment.

Ability to work on several tasks at the same time and work rapidly for long periods often amidst frequent distractions and interruptions, occasionally under time pressure.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instructions and present findings in oral or written form.

Ability to present findings in oral and written form.

Ability to read and interpret detailed print, sketches, layouts, specification and maps.

Ability to obey all written and oral orders and directives from supervisor.

Ability to work extended/evening hours and weekends and travel out of town for training, sometimes overnight.

II. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent performs duties according to a formal schedule, with work priorities primarily determined by supervisor and service needs of the public. Incumbent works with supervisor in setting work assignments, goals/objectives, and priorities and has some flexibility in the job. On rare occasions, decisions are made in the absence of specific policies and procedures, and/or guidance from supervisor. Errors in incumbent’s work are primarily detected or prevented through standard bookkeeping checks, procedural safeguards, or notification from other departments or the public. Errors in decision could result in inconvenience to other agencies or the public, or substantial property loss, and/or endangerment/loss of life to emergency service workers or members of the public.

III. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, law enforcement agencies, Emergency Medical Services, towing services, and the public for the purposes of rendering service and giving and receiving information

Incumbent reports directly to Communications Director.

IV. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent performs duties in a communications center, involving working in a noisy environment, sitting/walking at will, sitting for long periods, keyboarding, lifting/carrying objects weighing under 25 pounds, reaching, bending, close/distance vision, color/depth perception, ability to adjust focus, handling/fingering objects, hearing sounds/communication, and speaking clearly. Incumbent is frequently exposed to stressful situations associated with emergency requests for assistance and typically performs duties in a restricted seated position with little or no opportunity for breaks during shift. Incumbent may be potentially exposed to irate/hostile individuals.

Incumbent works extended/evening hours and weekends and travels out of town for training, sometimes overnight.