Pay Grade/Pay Range: $25.36/hour

Department/Organization: 513101 - Police Operations

Normal Work Schedule: Varies; some weekends & holiday hours required.

Note to Applicants: The application process for the Police Communications Operator involves multiple steps and normally occurs over a three-month period. Once applications are submitted and reviewed for minimum screening requirements, applicants must successfully pass an emergency communications center exam. There will be several testing sessions with a maximum of 9 applicants in each session. Applicants will receive an email within 5 business days of the job posting closing date regarding the testing process and testing dates and times. Test scores will be emailed to applicants no later than five days after the testing date. Applicants with the highest passing scores will be scheduled to appear before an interview panel. The interview dates are TBD. Please be aware that it is the applicant's responsibility to advise the University of Alabama Recruitment Office and UAPD of any changes in address, phone numbers, email, etc. For additional details about the recruitment process send an email to uapdrecruit@ua.edu.

Job Summary: Working under moderate supervision, the Police Communications Operator receives and processes requests from a variety of sources to include multiple telephone lines and radio frequencies for emergency and non-emergency assistance. Dispatches appropriate personnel in an efficient and timely manner. Operates various on-line systems to enter, update and retrieve data. Maintains a variety of logs and files.

Additional Department Summary: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully complete a written exam, comprehensive background check, psychological assessment, and drug screen.

Required Minimum Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent. Alabama Criminal Justice Information System certification or ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire.

Additional Required Department Minimum Qualifications: Must successfully complete a written exam, comprehensive background check, psychological assessment, and drug screen. Ability to work shifts with varying schedules to include holidays and be on stand-by during emergency threatening situations, such as severe weather, natural disasters, etc. Final candidates who are not current University of Alabama employees must submit to and successfully pass a post-offer drug screen

Skills and Knowledge: Oral and Written Communication: Good listening, comprehension and communications skills. Ability to actively listen and communicate effectively and coherently.

Judgment and Decision Making: Ability to utilize independent judgment. Ability to effectively prioritize situations and information and make appropriate decisions quickly based on information received especially during a stressful situation.

Interpersonal Relationships: Must be able to maintain appropriate and constructive behavior and attitude in response to difficult or adverse situations. Ability to work autonomously as well as to work effectively with other team members. Must be able to maintain good interpersonal and working relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, citizens, and other law enforcement agencies/personnel. Ability to work shifts with varying schedules to include holidays and be on stand-by during emergency threatening situations, such as severe weather, natural disasters, etc.

Professionalism: Must represent the department to other agencies and citizens with a courteous, helpful, accurate and business-like attitude in all telephone and personal contact. Must be able to remain calm under all circumstances, maintaining a professional tone at all times. Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Quality of Work: Must be able to provide high quality, accurate work. Must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and remain focused under stress. Ability and willingness to show initiative in completing work assignments.

Other Abilities: Hear and understand sound sources coming through a communications headset; Speak and write English clearly; Read and discern visual images on a variety of media; Type accurately on a computer keyboard while conversing with callers.

Technical Knowledge: Must acquire and maintain a working knowledge of public safety communications equipment, practices and procedures to include but not limited to: departmental protocol and instructions, department specific software systems, the University of Alabama campus buildings and locations, appropriate law enforcement codes.

UA Core Competencies: Ethics/Integrity, Student/Customer Focused, Self-Development, Collaborating/Building Relationships, and Adaptability/Flexibility.

Preferred Qualifications: Previous dispatch experience. Previous law enforcement or emergency response dispatch experience. Previous experience in a law enforcement environment.

Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, genetic or family medical history information, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" Poster