Sheriff's Dispatcher II

The Position

*** Accepting Applications through March 30, 2025 ***

Bargaining Unit: DSA - Deputy Sheriff's Non-Sworn Rank & File Unit

Why Join Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff?
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is the largest law enforcement agency in Contra Costa with over 1,100 sworn and professional employees dedicated to providing the highest level of law enforcement and customer service. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff strives to maintain the highest standard of professional integrity and ethics. The Office of the Sheriff is dedicated to pursuing excellence in performance throughout the organization and in the community through the quality of its personnel.

The Office of the Sheriff is recruiting experienced law enforcement dispatchers to fill positions in the Sheriff's Dispatcher II classification.

Sheriff's Dispatchers are assigned to the Communications Center located in Martinez, California. The facility operates on a 7-day, 24-hour schedule. Sheriff Dispatchers are responsible for receiving incoming emergency and non-emergency police, fire, and medical calls; determining the appropriate response; prioritizing and dispatching units in accordance to established Sheriff policies and procedures; entering and retrieving information from teletype networks and computerized data systems; radio communication with 15-20 patrol units operating in the field; providing additional dispatch services to fire departments, medical units and the County Office of Emergency Services.

Weekend, holiday and overtime work is required. All overtime is compensated at 1-1/2 times regular hourly rate.

We are looking for someone who:

• Is able to act promptly, logically, and decisively
• Has the ability to communicate clearly
• Is able to read, comprehend and retain information
• Will maintain a calm and professional demeanor even under stressful situations
• Has the ability to adapt to changing situations
• Possess multi-tasking abilities
• Is highly self-motivated
• Will display a high level of integrity

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Receiving routine and emergency telephone calls
• Answering questions from the public
• Receiving and transmitting radio traffic
• Using computer-aided keyboard and data entry equipment or manually recording and relaying information (often of an emergency nature) to appropriate field units, such as: patrol units, other police agencies, fire departments, ambulance companies, the County Public Works Department and the Office of Emergency Services
• Receiving, transmitting, and recording teletype and data systems messages
• Dispatching from a mobile command center or a mobile command vehicle, as requested
• Assisting with Communications Training Program and providing on-the-job training to new dispatchers

A few reasons why you might love this job:

• You will make a direct impact on the public and Contra Costa County residents through your work
• You will have the ability to demonstrate your moral and ethical decision-making skills
• You will utilize your fact-finding abilities to identify needs, make decisions and address issues
• You will grow your career with many opportunities for advancement within Contra Costa County

A few challenges you may face in this job:

• You must remain calm to effectively handle high-stress situations
• This position requires that you are careful about details and thorough in completing tasks
• You will need to maintain composure when faced with callers in aggressive, angry, or emotional situations
• You will need to make quick decisions and act promptly, often without knowing the entirety of the situation

Competencies Required:

• Professional & Technical Expertise : Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Handling Stress : Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Professional Integrity & Ethics : Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability : Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Leading the Organizational Culture : Driving the organization’s culture through establishing and enforcing norms and/or behaviors in addition to processes
• Decision Making : Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Managing Performance : Ensuring superior individual and group performance
• Visionary Leadership : Taking a long-term view and building a shared vision with others; acting as a catalyst for organizational change
• Handling & Resolving Conflict : Managing interpersonally strained situations
• Building & Maintaining Relationships : Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Oral Communication : Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Writing : Communicating effectively in writing

Read the complete job description at www.cccounty.us/hr.

The employment list established as a result of this examination may remain in effect for six (6) months.

Minimum Qualifications

License Required: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Out of State valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License will be accepted during the application process.

Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D. equivalency or high school proficiency certificate.

Experience: One year of full-time or its equivalent experience within the last two (2) years performing law enforcement emergency dispatch duties on a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System at a California P.O.S.T. participating law enforcement agency; or successful completion of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Dispatcher I Training Program within the last 3 years.

Typing Proficiency: Accurately type at a speed of no less than 40 words per minute.

Certificate Required: Possession of a California P.O.S.T. Basic Dispatch Certificate

Other Requirements: Must pass a thorough background investigation, medical screening, and psychological evaluation prior to employment.

There is no substitution for a valid California P.O.S.T. Basic Dispatch Certificate. This certificate is a mandatory requirement for this position, and candidates lacking it will not be considered.

Selection Process

Application filing and evaluation: Applicants will be required to complete a supplemental questionnaire at the time of application, applications will be evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the next phase of the recruitment process.Sheriff's Dispatcher Typing Assessment: Candidates that clearly demonstrate that they possess the required minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in an online typing assessment. The typing assessment will consist of three (3) five-minute timed typing tests. The scores attained on the three (3) typing assessments will be averaged to determine candidate's average net WPM. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to type at least 40 average net words per minute. Note, a typing certification will NOT be accepted in lieu of the required typing assessment; all candidates are required to take and pass the typing assessment. Candidates are only permitted to participate in the typing assessment once every 6 months. (Qualifying - 40 WMPS)About the CritiCall Performance Assessment: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for the position may be invited to participate in an in-person CritiCall assessment, which includes a typing test. CritiCall is a specialized software used to evaluate the skills and abilities essential for public safety dispatchers. The test is timed and assesses various competencies relative to the Sheriff's Dispatcher II classification, such as: decision making, data entry, call summarization, memory recall, prioritization, map reading, verbal ability, reasoning ability, perceptual ability and typing speed ability . (Weighted 100%)

• Candidates may reapply only after six (6) months have passed since their most recent assessment. Upon reapplication, the new score will replace the previous one. Scores from other agencies or previous assessments outside of this process will not be accepted.
• Testing will take place in Martinez, CA on specified dates provided in this job announcement. Candidates must pass all required sections in the assessment to move forward in the recruitment process.
• For more information regarding the CritiCall test, applicants may visit their website at: https://criticall911.com/dispatcher-testing/applicants/ .

4. Departmental Interviews: TBD

TENTATIVE EXAM DATES

Filing Period: February 25, 2025, through March 30, 2025

CritiCall Assessment Dates: May 2025



The Human Resources Department may change the examination steps noted above in accordance with the Personnel Management Regulations and accepted selection practices.

For recruitment specific questions, please contact Norma Martinez at Norma.Martinez@hrd.cccounty.us. For any technical issues, please contact the GovernmentJobs’ applicant support team for assistance at +1 855-524-5627.

CONVICTION HISTORY

After you receive a conditional job offer, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have received a conditional job offer. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with Contra Costa County. If you accept a conditional job offer, the Human Resources department will contact you to schedule a fingerprinting appointment.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Contra Costa County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.


To find more information on Benefits offered by Contra Costa County, please go to https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1343/Employee-Benefits

Closing Date/Time: 3/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• Contra Costa County Human Resources Department

• 925-655-2100

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