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1. What are the minimum requirements to be a Public Safety Dispatcher with Placer County?

Please visit the Placer County Human Resources page to view the Public Safety Dispatcher job classification and current minimum requirements. 

• Public Safety Dispatcher I
  Select the job title of Public Safety Dispatcher I to view the minimum qualifications 
• Public Safety Dispatcher II
  Select the job title of Public Safety Dispatcher II to view the minimum qualifications 

2. What are the selection standards for a Public Safety Dispatcher?

Placer County Sheriff’s Office follows the same selection standards for a Public Officer and employee outlined by California Penal Codes §832 and §832.05; Government Codes §1029 and §1031 and the California State Commission on California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST), Regulations 11 CCR §1956-1960. In addition, our Agency follows the guidelines set forth by the State Commission on California Peace Officers Standards and Training’s (POST), Regulation 11 CCR §1959, when conducting a Pre-Employment background investigation. California Government Code, in part, specifies at a minimum every Public Officer and employee shall:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (Government Codes §1031(a) and §1031.5)
• Be at least 18 years of age (Government Codes §1031b)
• Be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record (Government Codes §1031(a) and §1031.5)
• Be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation (Government Codes §1031d)
• Be a high school graduate, pass the General Education Development test or have attained a two-year or four-year degree from an accredited institution (Government Codes §1031e)
• Be free of any felony convictions (Government Codes §1029(a)1
• Successfully complete a Verbal, Reasoning, Memory, and Perceptual Abilities Assessment as determined by the use of the California Commission POST written examination. (11 CCR §1957)
• Ability to complete an Oral Communication Assessment as determined by California Commission POST (11 CCR §1959)
• Ability to perform the essential job functions of the position as demonstrated by meeting the California Commission POST Medical Evaluation standards. (11 CCR §1960)

3. What are the typical duties of a Public Safety Dispatcher?

Our Dispatchers provide Law, Fire, and Emergency Medical Dispatch Services for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. They do this with integrity, compassion, command presence, and dedication to our Agency’s Mission Statement and Core Values. View job specifications  and select the job title of Public Safety Dispatcher I/ II for the classification specifications which include examples of essential duties.

4. I currently work as a peace officer for another law enforcement agency and am interested in applying to Placer County Sheriff’s Office, what is the application process?

Our Agency values the knowledge and experience each lateral applicant has earned. Applications for employment under the Public Agency Eligibility List (PAEL) are continuously accepted. For information on lateral transfers from another agency, and to download forms, please visit our employment portal and look for the job title of “employees from other public agencies.” Here you will find the requirements for the lateral (PAEL - public agency eligibility list) process as well as required documents and application.

5. What is the application process for Public Safety Dispatcher?

To begin your career as a public safety dispatcher, please visit our employment portal for a list of current recruitments. The entry level public safety dispatcher I must be an open recruitment to submit an application. Employees of other Public Employee Agencies may apply at any time. Placer County has an automated job-application service called JOBS you will need to access to submit an application for position(s) you are interested in applying for.

6. What if applications are not currently being accepted for Public Safety Dispatcher?

If our Agency is not currently accepting applications, you can submit an interest card for the position(s) you are seeking and the County’s Online job-application service (called JOBS) will electronically email a notification when the an application can be submitted. Interest cards stay on file for up to 12 months. To submit an interest card, sign up for “Notify me of New Job Openings”. Follow the instructions on submitting your interest. You can check any Job Group you are interested in. Please note Public Safety Dispatcher Positions are listed under “Public Safety/Law Enforcement”.

7. What is the testing process for Public Safety Dispatcher?

Each recruitment job bulletin will indicate the testing process for the open recruitment. Public Safety Dispatchers must be able to satisfy the POST selection standards by successfully completing a written examination and oral board interview prior to appointment. If your application is accepted, you will be notified via the email address provided on your application of the confirmed date and location prior to the scheduled examinations. Notification for each phase of the recruitment process will be by email. Please contact the Placer County Human Resources Department at 530-889-4060 with any email address changes for all applications submitted.

8. I’ve taken the P.O.S.T. Public Safety Dispatcher written test in the past, and have a T-score; can I have it applied to Placer County’s written exam?

Within certain guidelines you can have your t-score transferred. Please contact Placer County Human Resources at 530-889-4060 prior to the application submittal deadline for each recruitment if you are interested in transferring your T-Score.

9. What is the selection process for a Public Safety Dispatcher?

Selected candidates who are certified to the Sheriff’s Office may be scheduled for a series of Agency Panel Oral Interviews. Candidates selected from the outcome of the panel interviews will then meet with the Division Commander for a final determination. Our Agency is looking for exceptional candidates and will accept nothing less than your best in an interview. To ensure your success, you may want to utilize all available tools to prepare. 

In addition to learning about our Agency and getting to know some of our Public Safety Dispatchers, the POST website has a variety of information on how to prepare for a job as a public safety dispatcher. Candidates that pass the Agency Interview will be required to complete a POST Personal History Statement and will be subject to a background investigation using POST guidelines. Upon receipt and review of the background report, a conditional offer of employment may be made, and the final candidates must then pass a Pre-Employment psychological and medical standards exam.

10. Where can I be assigned to work as a Public Safety Dispatcher?

Our Agency’s Dispatch center is located at:
Auburn Justice Center Building
2995 Richardson Drive
Auburn., CA 95603

11. After being hired, what kind of training am I provided as a Public Safety Dispatcher?

All dispatchers new to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office will go through a dispatch training program designed to teach the necessary skills and knowledge required to work in our communications center. In addition, all entry level public safety dispatchers must attend the POST Public Safety Dispatchers Basic Course where they will receive a minimum of 120 hours of course instruction prior to the completion of a probationary period. The course prepares each student for the basic roles, responsibilities, and duties of a public safety dispatcher within the law enforcement agency.

12. What kind of special assignments/ teams are there for a Public Safety Dispatcher?

• Certified Dispatch Training Officer 
• Incident Management Team 
• Peer Support Member 
• Tactical Dispatcher

13. What pay incentives are available to a Public Safety Dispatcher?

Some of the following pay incentives are negotiated items between the county and the union. These incentives can change with contract changes. We offer:

• Additional pay incentive Bilingual language depending on assignment and qualifying exam
• Additional pay incentive if assigned to swing or graveyard shifts
• Certified Training Officer Pay - 5% of the base hourly rate on all hours of training
• Longevity pay - after 5 years at top step as a public safety dispatcher receive 5% of base hourly rate