Public Safety Dispatcher II

Salary : $102,479.64 – $130,704.72 Annually

Location : Santa Clara, CA

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 58-23-340C

Department: Police/Communications Division

Opening Date: 07/24/2023

Description

THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESDIES THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT.MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW.

This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process. It is recommended to apply immediately. The review of applications received will occur at the end of each month.

**To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must meet the below minimum qualifications:

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED;

AND

• The equivalent of two (2) years of paid employment experience in public safety dispatching within the past five (5) years of which at least one (1) year included solo status; or

OR

• Five (5) years of current paid employment with a public safety agency or private emergency medical services agency, with high level Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio and/or telephone operation;

OR

• Successful completion of probationary period as a Public Safety Dispatcher I with the City of Santa Clara.

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION: Possession of a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic certificate, which may be substituted for six (6) months of the solo status experience. Please upload a copy of your certificate.

The City
The City of Santa Clara is a “full service” city – one of only a few communities in the Bay Area that has its own police, fire, library, recreation, and electric, water, and sewer utilities, as well as all of the other departments and civic amenities expected in a thriving community. Santa Clara is a family-oriented and business-friendly city, led by a city government that has developed an award-winning ethics program and a commitment to fostering public trust. Located in Santa Clara County at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, about 45 miles south of San Francisco, Santa Clara is a strategic regional hub, convenient to freeways, airports, railroads, expressways, light rail, and other public transportation.

The DepartmentThe men and women of the Santa Clara Police Department take tremendous pride in providing the community with outstanding service through the “Santa Clara Way” of service. In partnership with the citizens, the team provides law enforcement services with professional and dedicated staff. The team will always identify and resolve problems utilizing all available resources and perform services professionally and with a high level of integrity. To learn more visit our .

The PositionAs a Public Safety Dispatcher II, this non-sworn classification dispatches public safety, fire, and emergency medical services out into the community. The successful incumbent will be responsible for receiving incoming calls for police, fire, or medical assistance and dispatch necessary units. This classification is distinguished from the Public Safety Dispatcher I by a broader range of responsibility due to a higher level of experience and training.

Candidates must attain a passing score on each phase of the examination process to qualify for the Eligible List. A department interview will be required prior to appointment.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the journey-level classification in the non-sworn flexibility staffed Public Safety Dispatcher I/II series. Incumbents are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from the class of Public Safety Dispatcher I in that the latter is the entry level class where incumbents are trained on full range of dispatch functions under immediate supervision. This class is distinguished from the Senior Public Safety Dispatcher in that the latter has full responsibility for supervising a shift of Public Safety Dispatchers I/II.

Typical Duties

Each position in this classification may not include all the duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all the duties that may be performed.

• Operates base radio console equipment, transmitting and receiving routine and emergency messages
• Receives emergency and routine requests for services from the public via 9-1-1, alternate emergency lines, and business lines
• Dispatches appropriate emergency vehicles, equipment and personnel in response to those requests, in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Coordinates emergency operations between various departmental personnel and equipment
• Operates data terminals for information pertaining to daily public safety operations, and general emergency services
• Maintains written logs, files, and computer information in the prescribed manner
• Updates computer files and performs other clerical functions and tasks as directed
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED; and
• The equivalent of two (2) years of paid employment experience in public safety dispatching within the past five (5) years of which at least one (1) year included solo status; or
• Five (5) years of current paid employment with a public safety agency or private emergency medical services agency, with high level Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio and/or telephone operation; or
• Successful completion of probationary period as a Public Safety Dispatcher I with the City of Santa Clara.

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

• Possession of a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic certificate, which may be substituted for six (6) months of the solo status experience.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Classroom education involving fire science or law enforcement related studies.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES

• Possession of a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Certificate and a valid Medical Priorities Dispatching System (MPDS) Certificate are required prior to the completion of the probationary period.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Must be able to perform all the essential functions of the job assignment. All candidates will be required to pass a City background investigation, which will include fingerprinting and may include polygraph and/or psychological testing.

PERMANENT CITY EMPLOYEES PREFERENCE POINTS
Current permanent employee candidates who receive a passing score on the examination will have an additional five (5) points added to his/her final score.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• General public safety radio and telephone communications systems
• Police and fire emergency procedures
• Primary roads, streets, highways, major buildings, and public facilities within the City’s boundaries

Skill in:

• Reading and interpreting maps; and maintaining accurate records

Ability to:

• Read, write, spell, and speak in clear, concise English
• Learn correct telephone answering techniques, policies and procedures
• Operate computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system with sufficient speed and accuracy to document field activity and create calls for service within response criteria guidelines
• Analyze situations quickly and accurately, while taking effective action to assure public safety provider and citizen safety
• Follow verbal and written instructions
• Communicate clearly and distinctly using radio and telephone equipment
• Maintain composure and work accurately in emergency situations
• Work in a team-based environment and achieve common goals
• Establish and maintain tactful, courteous, and effective working relationships with those contacted during the course of work, including the general public
• Work in a confined area, wearing a headset which restricts physical movement about the work area
• Accurately enter information into the CAD system while simultaneously receiving information by phone or radio
• Retrieve data from CAD terminal or other keyboard device, maintain appropriate documentation of previous events, details, and conversations
• Work in a highly structured environment where all communications are recorded or documented and reviewed as public record
• Handle multiple priorities and organize workload
• Extract information or data from other computer systems
• View multiple video display terminals for extended periods of time in low variable light conditions
• Distinguish and interpret the meaning of colors on video display terminals
• Distinguish and comprehend simultaneous communications from several sources
• Work continuously or uninterrupted as required, standing or sitting for extended periods of time
• Perform with a high standard of customer service, professional conduct, and civic responsibility
• Use emergency medical questioning techniques and provide medical instructions via telephone when required
• Type at a net rate of 35 wpm on a computer keyboard

Additional Information:
You must answer all job-specific questions in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applications must be filled out completely (i.e. do not write “see resume or personnel file.”). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a complete City Application and meet the below minimum qualifications:

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED; and
• The equivalent of two (2) years of paid employment experience in public safety dispatching within the past five (5) years of which at least one (1) year included solo status; or
• Five (5) years of current paid employment with a public safety agency or private emergency medical services agency, with high level Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio and/or telephone operation; or
• Successful completion of probationary period as a Public Safety Dispatcher I with the City of Santa Clara.

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION: Possession of a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic certificate, which may be substituted for six (6) months of the solo status experience. Please upload a copy of your certificate.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at This position is continuous: Applications will be reviewed at the end of each month for consideration to the position. If you are interested in applying you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, before the position is closed.

City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #10
Public Safety Non-Sworn Employees Association

This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara’s benefits available to Bargaining Unit #10 employees in 2023. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager’s Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.
Retirement:

• Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
  • Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula – employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
  • New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula – employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
• Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
  • Employee pays 6.20% up to $8,853.60 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay

Health Insurance:

• City contribution up to $1489.84/month, based on enrollment in a CalPERS health plan
• Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after date of hire
• If an employee enrolls in a plan with a premium that is less than $1261.76/month, they will be paid the difference in cash
• An employee is eligible for $830.93/month of the City’s health contribution, even if they opt-out of City-offered health insurance. An employee can receive an additional $430.83/month if they sign an annual attestation and provide proof of other group coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable. Contact Human Resources for more details

Dental Insurance:

• Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
• City pays lowest cost of employee only plan ($22.22 for 2023); additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective on the first day of the month following three full calendar months of employment

Vision Insurance:

• Choice of two VSP plans
• City pays the lowest cost employee only plan ($9.00 for 2023); additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after date of hire

Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA):

• City contributes $100.00 a month toward employee’s VEBA account. Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)
• If account balance is less than $2,000 upon separation, then account funds can be used immediately

Life Insurance:

• City pays for $50,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage. Employer premium is $9.55/month
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
• Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children

State Disability Insurance (SDI):

• Employee pays 0.9% of gross pay; max deduction of $1,378.48 (includes PFL)
• 7 day waiting period. Maximum benefit is $1,620/week for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on earned wages in a specific 12-month period

Paid Family Leave (PFL):

• Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
• No waiting period. Minimum benefit is $50/week. Maximum benefit is $1,620/week. Benefit is based on past quarterly wages

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance

• Benefit is 2/3 of basic wage up to $7,500; max of $5,000/month
• City paid benefit. City pays $.558/$100 of insured earnings
• 30 calendar day waiting period
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment

Deferred Compensation:

• Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
• Employee may contribute up to the lesser of $22,500/year or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules. Employees over 50 years of age may contribute up to $30,000/year
• Additionally, the City contributes $300.00 a month toward employee’s 457(b) account. This dollar amount will factor into the above mentioned IRS rules and limits

Flexible Spending Account (IRS Section 125 Plan):

• Employee may contribute up to $3050 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $300 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan

Vacation:

• Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
  • For 1 – 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
  • For 5 – 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
  • For 10 – 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
  • For 16 – 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
  • For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
• Maximum vacation accrual is 400 hours
• Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 60 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out the following calendar year

Sick Leave:

• Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
  • Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
  • Up to 40 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
• Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
• Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service and sick leave cap (balance as of 01/01/2004 plus 1,500 hours)

Compensatory Time Off (CTO):
Employees may accrue CTO in lieu of overtime hours up to a maximum of 200 hours for Police Non-Sworn and 100 hours for Fire Non-Sworn

• 16 hours of CTO is credited to employees each January 1st (prorated if hired after January 1st)

Holidays:

• Thirteen (13) paid eight-hour holidays per year

Bilingual Pay:

• If the Department Head determines that there is a significant need or benefit, on a regular basis, to having the employee certified in a particular language other than English, a certified bilingual employee is eligible for $45/bi-weekly or $90/bi-weekly for advanced certification bilingual pay

Night Differential Pay:

• Employees are eligible for 5.0% night differential pay for all hours worked between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Additional Premium Pays:

• Community Service Officer IIs, Police Records Specialist IIs, and Public Safety Dispatcher IIs assigned to train newly hired employees in eligible classifications are entitled to 5% training pay for the actual hours worked performing those duties
• Dispatcher classifications: 2.5% of base pay for Intermediate POST Certification. Additional 2.5% of base pay for Advanced POST Certification (up to 5% total)
• Police Records Supervisor classification: 2.5% of base pay for Records Supervisor POST Certification
• Employees may receive a maximum of 2% of base pay for either a bachelor’s degree (if not a minimum requirement of the classification) or master’s degree (if BA/BS is a requirement)

Uniform Allowance:

• $600 for eligible classifications

Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement. See CMD 26 for details

Psychological Counseling:

• Employees in Unit 10 who work in the Police Department are eligible for the same psychological program as Unit 2, and employees who work in the Fire Department are eligible for the same psychological program as Unit 1 (See MOU for further details).

Employee Assistance Program:

• Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. City paid benefit.
• Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year; City paid premium is $4.03/month
• Appointments can be face-to-face appointments with an MHN network provider, phone appointments, or web- video appointments
• Employees may call Managed Health Network (MHN) confidentially at 1-800-227-1060

Retiree Medical Reimbursement Program:

• Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
• Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $406.00/month in 2023 (amount adjusted annually)
• After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $243.00/month in 2023 (amount adjusted annually)

Paid Meal Break:

• Employees in all Communications Dispatcher classifications and in the classifications of Police Records Specialist II, Police Records Supervisor, Community Service Officer I/II, and Jail Service Officer will be paid for the meal break during the regularly scheduled shift and will be subject to call back during the meal period

01

Please select the option that best demonstrates your education for the Public Safety Dispatcher iI.

• I possess at least a High School Diploma or GED.
• I DO NOT meet the minimum education requirement at this time.

02

Please select the option that best demonstrates your experience for the Public Safety Dispatcher iI.

• I have at least two (2) years of paid employment experience in public safety dispatching within the past five (5) years of which at least one (1) year included solo status.
• I have at least five (5) years of current paid employment with a public safety agency or private emergency medical services agency, with high level Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio and/or telephone operation.
• I possess a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic certificate, which may be substituted for six (6) months of the solo status experience. Therefore, I have at least two (2) years of paid employment experience in public safety dispatching within the past five (5) years of which at least six (6) months of solo status.
• I have successfully completed the probationary period as a Public Safety Dispatcher I with the City of Santa Clara.
• I DO NOT meet the required experience at this time.

03

I possess a valid California POST Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Certificate. (If yes, please be sure to upload a copy of your certificate to your application).

• Yes
• No

04

I possess a valid Medical Priorities Dispatching System (MPDS) Certificate. (If yes, please be sure to upload a copy of your certificate to your application).

• Yes
• No

05

I am willing and able to work nights, weekends and holidays.

• Yes
• No

Required Question