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911 Telecommunicator
Receives information requiring law enforcement, fire and/or medical responses and transmits information via radio and/or phone to proper emergency or non-emergency services. The nature of the work performed involves receiving, evaluating and prioritizing telephone (911 and non-emergency) and radio requests for service. Transforming the information into proper radio message format, determining jurisdiction and dispatching of proper emergency service agencies. Refers other requests to appropriate city, county, or private agencies. Records and monitors status of personnel and equipment and coordinates operations through effective radio and telephone communications.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensures all equipment in the Communications Center is operational or reports any malfunctions to the Communications Director, Technology Systems Manager, or Shift Lead
- Operates terminal for IOWA/NCIC following Iowa Rules and Regulations on inquiries, entries, modifications, cancellations, locates, criminal histories, and administrative messages.
- Reads and signs off on the IOWA/NCIC Intercom as required
- Answers incoming phone lines including Clinton Police Department, Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, Camanche Police Department, Dewitt Police Department, intercoms, “hot lines”, and all other phone lines terminating in the communications center.
- Maintains all log books stored in the Communications Center.
- Operates radio console receiving and transmitting messages.
- Assigns all requests for assistance.
- Operates computer aided dispatch system, where input of information along with output of information is necessary.
- Dispatches for all Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS organizations with service area in Clinton County.
- Performs Emergency Medical Dispatching Duties.
- Monitors status of calls to ensure calls for service are expediently dispatched and processed within the framework of procedures and policies.
- Maintains arrest warrants.
- Maintains protective orders.
- Receives and broadcasts emergency weather information.
- Attends required and authorized training.
- Stays alert and ready to take action on all situations that may arise.
- Accurately completes tasks assigned on a daily log sheet.
- Ability to work flexible hours including weekends, nights, and holidays.
- Handles difficult and sensitive situations involving staff or people and agencies outside of the unit’s jurisdiction, when the shift lead is not available. Exercises judgment and discretion and makes decisions in emergency situations.
- Ability to handle stressful situations that could be life threatening.
- Ability to work with the general public on the phone that may have verbal outbursts deemed inappropriate or offensive.
- Ability to both speak and write the English language is required. Ability to speak Spanish would be desired.
- Participate in required job training.
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications Requirements - (Education and Experience):
- High School Diploma or general education degree (GED). Additional relative training in emergency communications or a closely related field or experience as a 911 Telecommunicator is desirable, but not required.
Minimum Qualifications – (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- One must successfully complete orientation.
- Computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to type at least 30 words per minute
- Availability for shift work.
- Availability to report to work in all weather conditions.
- Successful completion of a thorough background investigation including submission of fingerprints, medical physical, psychological exam, and a drug screen.
- Comprehensive knowledge of communications policies, principles, procedures and related local, state, and federal regulations.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the functions and operations of the Communications Center and its related equipment and capabilities.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the service areas (Clinton County) layout including but not limited to, streets, highways, and utilities.
- Thorough understanding of the computer aided dispatch system.
- Skill in relating to people in emergency situations.
- Ability to relate to but not limited to shift leads, communications center administration, emergency responders, co-workers, and the general public.
- Ability to maintain perspective and good judgment in high stress and life-threatening situations.
- Ability to speak clearly in a well modulated voice, use good diction and elocution.
- Ability to operate a computer using specialized equipment and related software.
- Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and oral instructions on an inventive basis as necessary.
- Comprehensive knowledge of records confidentiality and public records release laws.
- Ability to perform a wide variety of difficult communications and technical tasks with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time sensitive deadlines and in high stress emergency situations.
- Ability to quickly learn and put to use new skill and knowledge brought about by rapid changing information and/or technology.
- Ability to use a wide variety of office equipment and other technical machines includes fax machine, alarms, etc.
- Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of the assigned task.
- Ability to control telephone conversations in order to efficiently obtain accurate information in order to provide correct, understandable instructions to the emergency responders.
- Ability to receive and efficiently carry out instructions from the emergency responders.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize and work in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records. Ability to type reports in a timely fashion.
Job Skills
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action
Job Abilities
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Observation Abilities - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity
Tools and Technology
- Digital video cameras, surveillance, and audio recorders
- Equipment issued for self and public protection
- Ability to Drive car to training or incident scenes
- Email software
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Office software
- Electronic records software
- Communications Center Telephone System
- Cellular phone
Work Environment:
- Primarily performs duties in an indoor office environment.
- Work within highly stressful situations.
- Ability to work steadily on a computer, phone, and in bright and dim lighting conditions.
- Ability to work with the general public that may have verbal outbursts deemed inappropriate or offensive.
- Ability to occasionally work in all types of weather when sent to incident scenes.
- Ability to occasionally work near dangerous situations including but not limited to crime scenes, barricaded subject scenes, fire scenes, natural and man-made disasters when sent to incident scenes
Physical Demands:
- Sitting/Standing: Remaining in the seated position or on one's feet in an upright position for long periods of time.
- Walking: occasionally.
- Lifting: Occasionally raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling) up to 25lbs.
- Carrying: Occasionally transporting an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms, or on the shoulder.
- Fingering/Handling: Frequently seizing, holding, grasping, turning, picking, pinching, or otherwise working with hand, hands, or fingers (e.g. operating a computer and other office machinery, preparing written materials for public distribution).
- Talking: Frequently expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word to impart oral information to others, including members of the public, and to convey detailed spoken instructions to others accurately.
- Hearing: Frequently communicating with others, including members of the public. Must be able to interpret questions and exchange accurate information in these situations. Most communication is done over the phone and radio.
- Vision: The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and determining the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned. Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors.
- Mental: Ability to endure verbal and mental abuse when confronted with the hostile views and opinions of the general public and other people encountered in an antagonistic stressful environment.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
- Successfully complete the Iowa Law Enforcement Telecommunicator Academy during the probationary period.
- Successfully complete Emergency Medical Dispatch certification during the probationary period. (Recertify every 2 years)
- Successfully complete Emergency Fire Dispatch certification during the probationary period. (Recertify every 2 years)
- CPR Certification during the probationary period. (Recertify every 2 years).
- IOWA/NCIC Certification within the first 6 months of employment. (Recertify every year).
Supplemental Information:
- Clinton County is an EEO employer and will engage in the interactive process where necessary to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be implemented to permit any person to perform the essential functions of the job.
- Job Type: Full-Time
- Department: Communications
- Salary Range: 25.98/ hour after probation
- Posted: 11/3/25
- Expires: 11/28/25
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