Minimum Training & Experience

The City of Palm Bay is actively recruiting Communications Officers and Communications Officer Trainees.

Please Note: The starting salary for a Communications Officer Trainee is $38,242. Once Public Service Telecommunicator (PST) certification is received, the employee will receive a promotional increase of 5% or the minimum of the paygrade ($46,483), whichever is greater at the time of promotion.

Newly Hired (entry Level) Employees Of The Communication Center May Be Eligible For a Lump Sum Signing Payment At The Chief’s Discretion Based Upon The Following Schedule

Newly hired (entry level) Communication Officer Trainees, with PST certification not yet achieved may receive a one-time signing bonus of $2,500. Payment of the bonus will be as follows: 25% at hire, 25% at 6 months, and the remaining 50% of the bonus paid upon completion of probation. If the employee resigns during the first three (3) years of employment, the employee is required to reimburse the City for the full amount of the sign-on bonus that has been received up until that date. Repayment is to be made within 3 months of resignation date.
Newly hired (entry level) Communication Officers, who possess a PST certification and have one or more years of experience in the field, may be eligible for a lump sum signing bonus at the Chief’s discretion not to exceed $4,000. Payment of the bonus will be as follows: 25% at hire, 25% at 6 months, and the remaining 50% of the bonus paid upon completion of probation If the employee resigns during the first three (3) years of employment, the employee is required to reimburse the City for the full amount of the sign-on bonus that has been received up until that date. Repayment is to be made within 3 months of resignation date.

Graduation from high school, or GED. Requires typing skills and multi-tasking skills. Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License and have and maintain an acceptable driving record.

Special Requirements

Must be able to accurately type a minimum of forty (40) WPM. Adjusted or Net typing test score must be 40 wpm or greater.

Within twelve (12) months of being assigned to the position, must receive training in dispatching police units and attain 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification through the Department of Health. This certification is the individual’s responsibility. Direct supervision is required until this certification is achieved. Employee will promote to Communications Officer upon completion of training and certification.

Must be available to work rotating shifts, weekends, holidays and during emergencies.

Must be able to work 12 hour shifts as needed.

Within six (6) months of being assigned to the position, must attain certification by the Criminal Justice Training Section of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in operation of the Florida Criminal Information Center and National Crime Information Center.

EMERGENCY DECLARATION STATUS

Code 1: Essential Employees may be required to work during an undeclared emergency and/or declared emergency. On an incident by incident basis, the employee's Department Head will make the determination as to who will be required to work.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under general supervision, trains in performing specialized public safety communications and radio work for the City Police Department. Work involves training in receiving incoming emergency and non-emergency calls for service and taking appropriate action including the dispatching of police personnel and operating a computer terminal connected to the Florida Crime Information Center, National Crime Information Center, the National Weather Service and a variety of local, regional and/or state emergency response databases. Work also includes training in transferring fire and medical calls to Brevard County Fire/Rescue and monitoring for police response, dispatching units from the City Police Department, and coordinating operational support with federal, state, and local public safety agencies including the Brevard County Sheriff's Department, Highway Patrol, wildlife services, animal control, etc. Hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Reports to the Shift Supervisor.

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBLITIES

Essential Job Functions

Trains in receiving emergency and non-emergency calls for service by telephone or radio; obtaining and documenting essential information to include associated history and determine the proper course of action.

Trains in dispatching the appropriate police units, and/or relays requests to the appropriate service agency.

Trains in Monitoring 911 calls for fire or medical emergency services response.

Trains in documenting incoming calls and dispatching information into an automated system; entering information pertinent to calls for service; dispatching units responding times and actions taken; maintaining records of calls for service and dispatching activities to include notifying on-call personnel, wrecker services, Fire/EMS personnel, mutual aid activities, etc.

Trains in operating and maintaining emergency and non-emergency equipment such as the 911/administrative telephone, trunked radio system, computer-aided dispatch system, mapping system, audio playback, City networked computers, and various software programs; troubleshooting minor operating problems.

Trains in assisting officers and other department personnel with the means provided in the Communication Center.

Trains in running queries, entering and interpreting information in state/national network which includes the Florida Crime Information Center, the National Crime Information Center and a variety of local, regional and/or state emergency response databases.

Trains in providing real time information and corresponding with other law enforcement or public services jurisdictions computer networked systems.

Trains in processing and documenting all information and maintaining the status of emergency response units and state of emergency equipment by use of the computer-aided dispatch system and/or manually tracking.

Ability to read and interpret geographical maps and provide accuracy.

Learns to relay information to emergency response personnel, and City departments, coordinate emergency service response with other public safety agencies.

Ability to manage confidential information.

Additional Job Functions

Performs other related work as required.

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position responsibilities, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary that are a logical assignment for the position.

This position is covered under the NAGE White Collective Bargaining Agreement

Health Insurance: Health care plan options include HDHP, OAPIN and OAP through Cigna.

Dental Insurance: Dental coverage is offered in three plans that include DHMO & PPO High/Low plans.

Vision Insurance: Vision coverage includes an annual eye exam, frames and lenses or contact lenses in lieu of eyeglasses.

Life Insurance: The City of Palm Bay provides each employee with life insurance in the amount of one time their annual base salary at no cost. Additional coverage is available at the employee's cost up to the Guaranteed Issue amount of $250,000.

Dependent/Spouse Life Insurance: The City of Palm Bay provides each employee with dependent/spouse life insurance in the amount of $5,000 per dependent at no cost. Additional coverage is available at the employee's cost.

Short Term Disability: Coverage pays 66 2/3% of employee's annual base salary during a short-term disability period not to exceed 26 weeks.

Long Term Disability: Coverage pays 66 2/3% of employee's salary at time of disability after a 180 consecutive day waiting period.

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan: City contributes a base of 3%. Employees may contribute up to 6% and the City will match the employees contribution.

Holidays: 10 holidays, 1 birthday holiday and 1 anniversary holiday.

Paid Leave: Accrue 96 hours of vacation per year, accrued hours increase after 10 years of service based on years of service. Accrue 96 hours of sick leave per year.

Tuition Reimbursement: Upon completion of the initial probationary period, employees are eligible for tuition and book reimbursement for college level courses for Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. (Currently frozen due to budget)

01

Do you have a High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent?

02

Do you possess a valid Driver's License and maintain an acceptable driving record?

03

Do you have a certification from the Criminal Justice Training Section of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in operation of the Criminal Information Center and National Crime Information Center?

04

Do you possess a Florida 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicator Certificate from the Department of Health?

05

Are you willing to work rotating shifts and overtime: Example: Days: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Evenings: 3:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Midnights: 11:30 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.

06

Are you willing to work on weekends and holidays?

07

Will you be willing to work during emergencies such as hurricanes? Especially when your family leaves the state for their own safety?

08

Are you willing to work 12-hour shifts?

09

Can you handle a heavy volume of telephone call all day, placing calls on hold to answer other incoming calls?

10

Are you willing to have your calls monitored and recorded?

11

Are you willing to wear a headset all day?

12

Are you willing to submit to a background check, drug test, psychological and polygraph tests?

13

Are you willing to take callers who are emotionally upset? For example, persons who are angry, frightened, depressed or excited?

14

Are you willing to tolerate abusive or threatening language from callers who, because of their problems, take out their emotions on you?

15

Are you able to remain emotionally detached in order to respond to situations in a positive, mature and helpful manner?

16

Are you able to deal with life and death situations multiple times during a shift?

17

Are you able to listen to a person while their child or parent is dying in their arms?

18

Are you willing to respond back to work in the case of an emergency, even though you just finished an eight hour shift?

19

Are you willing to talk to a person who wants to commit suicide?

20

Are you willing to take directives and orders and abide by them even if you don't agree with them?

21

Can you perform all the duties required by the job description?

22

Do you have problems dealing with many different kinds of personalities and diverse cultural backgrounds?

23

Do you have any problems working in an area where florescent lighting is used?

24

Has your driver's license been suspended or revoked within 1 year for failure to attend a court ordered driving school?

25

Has your driver's license been suspended or revoked within 1 year for failure to pay two or more traffic fines?

26

Have you been involved in a chargeable accident within the past three years?

27

Have you received more than three moving traffic violations within the last three years?

28

Has your driver's license been suspended or revoked within 1 year for failure to submit to a chemical test for intoxication?

29

Have you been convicted of voluntary or involuntary manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle in the past five years (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)?

30

Have you been convicted in the past five years for failing to stop and render aid; as required under state and federal law in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the death or injury of another? (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)

31

Have you been convicted in the past five years for driving a motor vehicle or being in actual physical control while having an unlawful blood alcohol level or while under the influence of alcoholic beverages or any substances controlled under any state or federal law? (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)

32

Have you been convicted in the past five years for attempting to elude police? (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)

33

Have you been convicted, as an adult, within the last 5 years, of a felony offense? (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)

34

Have you been convicted of a misdemeanor offense within the last 3 years? (Convictions by City definition will include a plea of "no contest", or a judicial decision to withhold adjudication)

35

Do you have any criminal wants or warrants pending?

36

Do you have any misdemeanors or felony charges pending?

37

Have you used marijuana in the past year?

38

Have you used cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, barbiturates, inhalants, or designer drugs such as GHB, Rohypnol (Roofies), Ecstasy, Special K (Ketamine), hallucinogens such as LSD, PCP, Ice Mescaline, Psilocybin (Mushrooms), abuse of any prescription drugs or more than one cycle of steroids within the past 5 years?

39

Have you ever been involved in the manufacturing, trafficking or sale for profit of any illicit or illegal drugs?

40

Have you ever been disciplined by any employer(s): current or past? (Discipline shall include any and all verbal reprimands, written reprimands and/or suspensions)

41

If you answered yes to the previous question, please be specific and provide the dates of all discipline(s) as well as all reason(s). If none please indicate N/A.

42

Have you ever been terminated or asked to resign from any employer(s) in your lifetime?

43

Have you ever been given the opportunity to resign in lieu of termination?

44

Have you ever resigned while still in a probationary status with a job?

45

If you answered yes to question(s) 42, 43 and/or 44, please provide full details of the terminations and/or resignations. (include employer name, dates and circumstances surrounding the termination/resignation).

46

Have you ever received customer or citizen complaints?

47

If Yes, what were the nature of the complaint(s) and the outcome of the investigation(s)? If none please indicate N/A.

48

If you have military experience, have you ever been tried on charges, or the subject of a summary court, deck court, courts martial, Captain's Mast, company punishment, or any other type of disciplinary action while a member of the Armed Forces?

49

If you answered yes to the previous question, please provide a detailed explanation. If no, please indicate with N/A.

Required Question

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Communications Officer