Salary Range: $ 48,427.00 - 59,323.00

Target Hire Date: 10/28/2023

Schedule: The Public Safety Communications Center operates on a 24X7 365 basis. The typical shifts for
this position are 0600-1800, 1800-0600 and 1200-0000. Vacancies are filled in a manner that best fit the needs of the community and or the agency.
The two week schedule is as follows:

• Work Monday Tuesday
• Off Wednesday Thursday
• Work Friday Saturday and Sunday
• Off Monday and Tuesday
• Work Wednesday and Thursday
• Off Friday Saturday and Sunday

Who We Are:

Known as "The Peak of Good Living", the Town of Apex is a rapidly growing Wake County municipality with a current population of 70,000 and was ranked in 2015 as Money Magazine's Best Place to Live in America. Our current workforce is comprised of over 540 full-time employees and over 125 part-time/seasonal staff. Our Human Resources Department - with the support and confidence of Town leadership - is committed to providing best-in-class HR programs for our employees, with a mission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability that maximizes individual and organizational potential. We offer a generous benefits package, and have a highly competitive compensation program. More than that, the Town is an awesome place to work, as evidenced by the 96% job satisfaction rating received in the last employee opinion survey conducted with our employees.

General Statement of Duties
Performs communications and varied tasks receiving emergency and non-emergency calls from the public, dispatching appropriate response and updating status of public safety personnel.
Distinguishing Features of the Class
An employee in this class works an assigned shift and receives incoming emergency and non-emergency calls, dispatches and maintains contact with police units; dispatches calls for fire, and mutual aid as required. Work includes operating dispatch equipment, computer terminal connected to the Division of Criminal Information (DCI) and the National Crime Information Center, and using State of NC databases for items such as warrants and missing persons. Work also involves the performance of detailed record keeping, monitoring public and private alarms, data entry and filing of police incidents and filing of related documents, and updating status and locations of public safety personnel. Employees work closely with more experienced Telecommunicators, but may work independently without the assistance of a team member / partner as needed. Work requires frequent public contact requiring tact, firmness, decisiveness and the ability to obtain necessary information from people who are under extreme stress and choose appropriate courses of action. Work is performed in accordance with departmental policy and state and federal law, supplemented with specific directions from sworn personnel. Work is normally performed under the supervision of the Telecommunications Supervisor and is evaluated through observation, monitoring of radio communication, discussion and review of reports.
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties and Tasks

• Receives emergency and non-emergency telephone calls and personal requests for assistance concerning police services, crimes, fires, rescue and other needs or general information, transfers emergency and non-emergency calls to appropriate agencies as needed.
• Operates a variety of electronic equipment to maintain contact with police and fire personnel and other law enforcement units; monitors numerous radio frequencies to assist with coordinating police, fire and EMS activity and assignments; provides current information about the situation as it is received and/or background information from the DCI and other computer systems; updates status and locations of public safety personnel; contacts other agencies as needed.
• Records all requests for assistance in CAD systems and assigns case numbers as needed.
• Identifies the location of callers to dispatch the proper public safety agency or transfer them to the appropriate agency for dispatch.
• Monitors activities of officers on patrol and makes radio contact to ensure safety.
• Operates a computer terminal connected with the Division of Criminal Information and the National Crime Information Center to obtain driver's history, vehicle registration data and criminal record information; maintains communications logs and reports including the nature of calls, actions taken, and the times involved.
• Accesses, enters and updates data in local/state/national databases as needed; enters and updates files for wanted / missing persons or stolen property; maintains in house documentation of entries and their status.
• Accesses various databases to obtain information on people and property that is used by officers as part of their investigations.
• Answers emergency and non-emergency after hours utility calls such as power outages or other problems with the town electrical system and water or sewer line breaks or public work's needs; notifies the designated on-call employee to explain the problem.
• Maintains appearance of the communications center by performing light maintenance work.
• Participates in on-the-job training to maintain certification and skills.
• Responds appropriately to media calls maintaining appropriate confidential information.

Additional Job Duties
Performs other related duties as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Working knowledge of internal procedures for documenting and responding to all requests for emergency and non-emergency assistance;
• Working knowledge of geographical and topographical features of the Town and surrounding areas, and of the Town's infrastructures to include all transportation routes, buildings, and residential areas.
• Knowledge of laws and policies regarding confidential information.
• Knowledge of standard telecommunications technology and equipment used in law enforcement and/or public safety settings.
• Knowledge of hazards in public safety incident response and ability to obtain information needed by arriving units.
• General knowledge of public safety policies and procedures for responding to emergencies.
• Skill in emotional de-escalation and customer service excellence.
• Ability to operate technical, computerized equipment.
• Ability to communicate precisely with high degree of accuracy and clarity.
• Ability to deal with the public courteously but firmly under stressful conditions.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, calmness, and emotional maturity under stressful conditions.
• Ability to maintain concentration and mental alertness over multiple hour shifts.
• Ability to recognize potentially dangerous or hazardous situations based on verbal descriptions.
• Ability to accurately receive and clearly transmit communications to appropriate units and parties.
• Ability to set and follow effective work priorities and multi-task by working simultaneously on different calls with different agencies and staff.
• Ability to speak clearly and distinctly.
• Ability to maintain accurate and complete work activity records and files.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of stooping, reaching, lifting, fingering, grasping, talking, speaking clearly and hearing; ability to sit or stand for long periods of time.
• Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally; up to 10 pounds of force frequently; and a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Must possess the visual acuity to operate computer equipment and read a computer screen, perform visual inspections and maintain and review written and computerized records and reports.

Desirable Experience and Education
Graduation from high school and some communications, dispatching or other public contact work preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Associate degree and previous public safety and emergency communications experience preferred (or other / additional promotional criteria as defined in the Department’s career advancement criteria).
Special Requirement
Possess or ability to obtain a valid Division of Criminal Information operator's certificate along with NC Sheriff’s Education Training and Standards Basic Telecommunicator and NIMS/ICS certifications within six months of employment.

What We Offer:

Not only is the Town "The Peak of Good Living", but it's also a great place to work! We strive to "reach the peak" of being an employer of choice by providing competitive salaries and excellent benefits, including:

• Paid medical, dental, vision, & life insurance for employees
• Contributions to the NC Local Government Pension and NC401k Retirement Plans
• Traditional sick & vacation leave
• Paid parental, caregiver, community involvement, and bereavement leave
• 13 paid holidays plus an additional floating holiday
• Longevity pay
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive wellness program, and more!

Keep In Mind:

Providing a safe work environment for our employees is a top priority, therefore all new hires must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test, post-offer functional testing (if required by position), background verifications including references, criminal record and driver's license checks prior to employment.
The Town of Apex provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political affiliation or marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.