• Successful completion of high school or equivalent (GED or California Proficiency Certificate)
• One (1) year of experience working public contact employment defined as customer service, a call center, or a closely related field where substantial face-to-face or over-the-phone contact was made with the public

Acceptable Substitution: Completion of the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Public Safety Dispatchers’ Basic Course may be substituted for the one (1) year of required experience.

• Read, write, spell, and speak in concise English
• Learn correct telephone answering techniques, policies, and procedures
• Follow oral and written instructions
• Learn and interpret maps
• Proficiency in typing and keyboard skills

• Base salary for the trainee classification is $91,837.20 to 111,602.40*
• Paid vacation and sick leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Competitive retirement
• Shift differential
• Bilingual pay
• Tuition reimbursement
• Annual uniform allowance not exceeding $500**
• PSCS and PSRTD are represented by the bargaining unit Municipal Employees’ Federation (MEF)

Our call takers are trained for both fire and medical emergencies. The training process has two parts and takes about six months. This includes:

1. Call taking academy (eight weeks)
2. On-the-job call taking training (12-16 weeks)
3. Probationary period (12 months)

• Answering 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls for fire department and medical assistance
• Obtaining information from callers
• Providing life-saving instructions to callers until responders arrive* 
• Entering data into a computer-aided dispatch system
• Complying with call taking policies

Public Safety Communication Specialists and Public Safety Radio Dispatchers generally work across three shifts; however, they may sometimes be required to work non-standard shifts, weekends, or holidays.

1. Day Shift (6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
2. Swing Shift (2:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
3. Midnight Shift (10:30 p.m. - 6:30 a.m.)

Shifts are based on an alternate nine-hour schedule (every other set of days off includes three days off), or an eight-hour schedule (five days a week), based on the needs of the Department. The Department will assign the shift schedule during training.

There is a swing shift differential pay of $2.25/hour and night shift of $2.50/hour.  During critical incidents, or to maintain staffing levels, mandatory overtime is required.

• Successful completion of high school or equivalent (GED or California Proficiency Certificate); AND
• One (1) year (2,080 hours) of experience receiving, processing, and/or dispatching calls in a radio dispatch or call center; OR 
• Three (3) years (6,240 hours) of experience working in public contact employment

• Read, write, spell, and speak in concise English
• Learn correct telephone answering techniques, policies, and procedures
• Follow oral and written instructions
• Learn and interpret maps
• Proficiency in typing and keyboard skills

• Base salary for the trainee classification is $98,563.92*
• Paid vacation and sick leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Competitive retirement
• Shift differential
• Bilingual pay
• Tuition reimbursement
• Annual uniform allowance not exceeding $500
• PSCS and PSRTD are represented by the bargaining unit Municipal Employees’ Federation (MEF)

Our dispatchers are cross-trained in both call taking and radio dispatch for fire- and medical-related emergencies. The training process has three parts and takes about 18 months. These include:

1. Call taking academy (eight weeks)
2. On-the-job call taking training (12-16 weeks)
3. Radio dispatch academy (four weeks)
4. On-the-job radio dispatch training (16-20 weeks)
5. Probationary period (12 months without a trainer)

• Answering 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls for fire department and emergency medical assistance
• Obtaining information from callers
• Providing life-saving instructions to callers until responders arrive*
• Entering data into a computer-aided dispatch system
• Complying with call taking and dispatching policies
• Accurately deploying responders to the correct location, equipped with the information they need to handle the emergency
• Supporting the needs of responders throughout emergency incidents; they assist incident commanders with managing and tracking resources, mobilizing logistical needs, and ensuring personnel accountability and safety

Public Safety Communication Specialists and Public Safety Radio Dispatchers generally work across three shifts; however, they may sometimes be required to work non-standard shifts, weekends, or holidays.

1. Day Shift (6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
2. Swing Shift (2:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
3. Midnight Shift (10:30 p.m. - 6:30 a.m.)

Shifts are based on an alternate nine-hour schedule (every other set of days off includes three days off), or an eight-hour schedule (five days a week), based on the needs of the Department. The Department will assign the shift schedule during training.

There is a swing shift differential pay of $2.25/hour and night shift of $2.50/hour. During critical incidents, or to maintain staffing levels, mandatory overtime is required.