Communications Officer

Douglas County Sheriff's Office is hiring for a full-time position, as well as creating a hiring list, to include excellent full-family benefit package, OPSRP/PERS retirement and availability of deferred compensation retirement savings.

Department Overview:
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division dispatches for 8 law agencies and approximately 26 fire/medical agencies within Douglas County. Douglas County is 5,134 square miles.  The full-time resident population in the County is 113,748. Douglas County Communications answers roughly 231,668 calls a year, of which approximately 53,768 are 9-1-1

Position Overview: An employee in this position is responsible for performing quick, efficient, and accurate dispatching of calls and messages with public safety units and personnel in the field This position works a rotating shift schedule and is eligible for membership with the Douglas County Law Enforcement Association bargaining unit. This position receives emergency and non-emergency calls from the public and relays information to the proper Public Safety Agency.  Provides communications and resource information to the field units of Police, Fire, Ambulance and others.

PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED "Disqualifiers" BEFORE COMPLETING A DOUGLAS COUNTY APPLICATION FORM.
 
Essential Job Duties: 
This is not an exhaustive or all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, duties or functions associated with the job.  

• Receives calls and dispatches Police, Fire and Ambulances within a central communication center; answers 9-1-1 and non-emergency lines, assists callers with medical aid instructions as necessary;
• Checks records, warrants and information updates;
• Creates and retrieves computer entries;
• Answers emergency and non-emergency questions, routes callers to proper resource;
• Performs emergency and non-emergency radio communications to field units. 

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS: Applicant must meet the following qualifications 

• Two years of work-related support experience of a progressively responsible nature (examples of which may include, but not limited to, prior experience in: communications/dispatch, law enforcement, medical, law office, or clerical) or satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and training.
• Within one year of employment, must receive tele-communicator and emergency medical dispatch certifications.
• Requires a minimum typing speed of 35 wpm.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communications skills and be able to simultaneously perform multiple tasks of listening, talking and entering information

Preference will be given to applicants with dispatch or communications experience.SCREENING & EVALUATION
Selection Process: Applicants will advance through the following phases of the selection process:
 1. Initial screening based on minimum qualifications
 2. Skills Test
 4. Oral interviews
 5. Extensive background investigation (including criminal, personal and work-related elements)
 6. Psychological Exam
 7. Chemical detection screen
 8. Physical exam
 9. Hearing exam
 
 Applications will be further evaluated during the background investigation for honesty, integrity, and maturity.
 
Note: Applicants may be disqualified after unsuccessful completion of any phase of evaluation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION TESTING AND SELECTION PROCESS
 
OUR APPLICATION PROCESS HAS CHANGED. Frontline testing is required prior to being invited for an interview.  PLEASE REVIEW COMPLETELY.
 
Applicants must take the Frontline written/video exam and transfer their scores to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.  Testing is available through the National Testing Network (NTN) and can be completed online at home as well as several locations in and out of the state. Click here to schedule Frontline testing (or transfer a score). 

Note: We strongly encourage candidates to complete the Work Attitude Questionnaire available after the Frontline test has been completed. Completion of the questionnaire is requested by NTN, but is not required by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and will not be used in the testing evaluation at this time.
 
 
STEP 2: Department ("in- house") interview, and other post-offer tests
 
Eligible candidates who successfully pass Step 2 may be invited to a department ("in- house") interview based on hiring needs. Please ensure that you have submitted an application online at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/douglasor
 
If a conditional offer is made, candidates must also pass post-offer job-related psychological, physical evaluation and drug testing for the use of prohibited drugs.
 
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: At any time during the application process applicants may have their background packet activated and assigned to a background investigator. Background investigations are comprehensive; therefore they can average six (6) to eight (8) weeks to complete. Delays in processing your background investigation may be caused by not completing all entries, not submitting required documents, or references not responding to an investigator’s inquiries. If at any time during the hiring process it is determined by the Sheriff’s Office that the candidate does not pass the background investigation the candidate will be notified, and the application will be inactivated. This may occur prior to, during, or after any of the testing phases and/or placement on the eligibility register.
 
Selection Process: Screening of applicants based upon minimum qualifications listed above; completion of a written examination and physical ability test; oral interview; extensive background investigation; psychological test; physical exam and chemical detection screen.
 
Note: Applicants may be disqualified after unsuccessful completion of any phase of evaluation.

Work is primarily performed in a crowded, noisy office environment and employees must be able to work all shifts, which includes nights and weekends.  Requires bending, color identification, gripping with hands and fingers, hearing alarms and voice conversation, keyboarding, kneeling, lifting/carrying up to 14 pounds, pulling, pushing, reaching, sitting, standing.  Will wear telephone headset for long periods of time.

Salary : $27 - $34