As a Dispatch Specialist your responsibilities include:

• Answer 9-1-1 and Non-Emergency calls from the public.
• Determine appropriate response to 9-1-1 and Non-Emergency calls by sending Police, Fire or Medical.
• Dispatch LVMPD officers on calls that require police response.
• Accurate documentation of the 9-1-1 and Non-Emergency calls and officers radio traffic.
• Provide citizens referrals to other agencies, such as District Attorney, Constable, Family Court, and Mental Health etc.

Knowledge & Skills Gained:

Call Taking Skills
New Dispatch Specialists enter a 10-week 9-1-1 Academy. You will learn how to handle and process Emergency and Non-Emergency calls from the public.

You will be taught how to:

• Work the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) & Vesta Phone systems.
• Determine criteria for officer response on calls.
• Handle extreme emergencies.
• Identify hazards for officers responding on calls.
• Refer citizens to other resources when appropriate.

After completing the 9-1-1 Academy you will spend the next 17 weeks training one on one with a Communications Training Officer (CTO) to become proficient at taking emergency and non-emergency calls. Once you are deemed competent in all areas of call taking, you will be released to work independently answering calls.

Dispatching Skills
At one year you are assigned to the three-week Dispatch Academy where you will learn how to properly dispatch officers on calls.

You will be taught how to:

• Speak on the two-way radio communications system.
• Understand Policy and Procedures for dispatching police officers.
• Proper terminology to use on the radio.
• Maintain officer's status.
• Update calls (Events) to accurately reflect what is occurring.
• Work emergency incidents such as vehicle pursuits, officer involved shootings, explosive devices, etc.

After completing the Dispatch Academy you will spend the next 35 weeks training one on one with a CTO to become proficient at dispatching officers. Once you are deemed competent in all areas of dispatching you will be released to work independently dispatching officers.

Career Advancement:

Once you have completed two years of probation, you will continue to learn and build your dispatching and call taking skills.

• At two years you are eligible to train new employees, this comes with a bonus of an 8% pay increase while you are training.
• At four years you are eligible to compete for the position of Communications Supervisor. This position supervises a squad of approximately 7-15 employees, handles the daily operations of the dispatch floor and is responsible for ensuring the Command Staff is notified of any emergency situations.
• As a Communications Supervisor you are eligible for the appointed position of Shift Manager. This position supervises the Communications Supervisors and reports directly to the Bureau Director.

Your choice to join the LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT is an exciting one, becoming a Dispatch Specialist II maintains that excitement throughout your career.

Please call 828-3880 to schedule a sit along with a Dispatch Specialist II and see what we do first hand. It's an experience you won't forget.

To have all of your questions answered by a Dispatcher, please e-mail us at DispatchRecruitingTeam@lvmpd.com or call 597-6607 or 597-6608.