how do i become a 911 dispatcher?

Question

I am 18 and i want to beome a 911 dispatcher i heard it was pretty good money and i want to get into law enforcment when i am 21 anyways and i figured that would look great on my resume. how do i become a dispatcher? i am attending my local community college right now taking criminal justice.. what do you guys suggest i do to get into this line of work at such an early age? also what are the requirements.

Answer 1

In New York you have to take a civil service exam for dispatching. You should be able to find out when and where the test is being given at your local government center.

Answer 2

I don't know what area in CA, you're in, but I'm here in Los Angeles where the titles vary, right along with the educational requirements. Now, I can only point you to certain schools and you can inquire about their requirements and find out more about the titles that they refer to as the 911 dispatchers and the rest you have to do yourself. POST, stands for Peace Officer Standards and Training or in other areas, or unlike the other poster here, it stood for something else. Either way, that's why I said when you inquire from a particular educational institution, they'll tell you-every agency's methods is different. 911 Dispatchers, the title that they call this, when taking the civil service or servant exam, is Police Services Representative. The educational dept., which are many, but one that sticks out is the Rio Hondo College in Whittier, CA. This educational institution is the "tops," in my book for here in the Southern CA region. Now, I can't recall what their website link is, since it's been years ago when I attended their school. You can Google it and see what you come up with. They have on-line courses, which is why I'd recommend this school to you. They have police, corrections, ambulance, dispatchers and other titles, with their own unique programs-check it out. As for the POST training, it depends on the agency and where they go to get their training. Again, I went to a community college (West Los Angeles College in Culver City, CA), with other law enforcement professionals and the training varied. I'm not going to give you some misinformation, because it could've changed since then. Anyhow, Google this information to get the recent website links for these institutions. If you need further help, I'll be more than happy to assist you with your request. Good luck in this situation.

Answer 3

Well for one you have to go through a background check, and an oral exam. It is a good idea that you will need to have fast typing skills and have quick reactions. You also need to memorize codes for what your county uses. Each county (mostly) rarely uses the same codes. They are usually different. So if you want to look into it, try scheduling a session with one. I just went to one today and it was amazing how they know where the caller comes from and what info is stored in their computers.

Answer 4

First of all, many agencies require a person to be 21. There is no way around that.



Secondly, your education and personal life will take a backseat to the 911 profession. Being a 911 Telecommunicator isn't a "foot in the door" job. It requires dedication and ALOT of training. You'll be working nights, weekends and holidays, and probably when you have classes scheduled. 911 is a whole profession in and of itself and needs to be treated as such. If you can make it work with school, good luck. Do alot of research before you decide if you think this is the right profession for you.

Answer 5

Go to cop school.

Answer 6

Go into your local Sheriff's Office or Police Department and ask for an application. They generally accept an application from anyone but most departments now have pretty strict hiring processes for dispatchers. You will have to pass a background check and ofcourse have an oral board. You will also most likely have to take a typing speed test because this is an important quality in a dispatcher. Once you have done all of this they will compare you with the other applicants and hopefully you are hired. If/when you are hired you can work for so long before you have to go to the dispatcher academy, its kind of like the academy for patrol officers but it is specifically for dispatchers and is not nearly as long.



This all differs from state to state ofcourse but sooner or later all departments will be like this.



If you have clean record that is a great start. As far as preparing, I would take as many computer classes as you can and practice your typing. Also I would take a speech class or something similar because you have to be comfortable talking (broadcasting) over the air in a calm and clear manner.



I have a ton of respect for dispatchers, they have a truly hard job. Good luck!

Answer 7

If you live in a big city and walk into the Police or Sheriffs station and ask for a dispatchers application they will look at you like you have 3 heads. If it's a small town I guess you could walk in and ask.



You obviously know how to use a computer so see if you can find the requirements for your municipality on-line. You could call the departments non emergency number and request help. You can also contact the mayors office and ask for info.



Good luck, it is a good job and you are never too young to work.

Answer 8

I believe you can go apply to be a dispatcher right now. I dont think anything is required.