Position Details
**In addition to fully completing an application with the Cook County Sheriff's Office and meeting all noted minimum requirements, all applicants MUST successfully complete testing offered through the National Testing Network (www.nationaltestingnetwork.com), as described in the 911 Telecommunicator Assessment section below, to be considered for this position. The testing must be completed no later than May 30th, 2021**
Characteristics of the Position General Overview:
The Cook County Sheriff's Police Department Emergency Communications Center, located in Des Plaines, Illinois is seeking applicants for the position of Telecommunicator.
The center continues to rapidly grow as additional agencies are consolidated into the Cook County ETSB. The service population is increasing 275,000 residents in 2021.
Qualified candidates will be placed on an eligibility list.
View our recruitment video at https://cookcounty911.com/careers/
The Emergency Communications Center is multi-jurisdictional operation that receives and dispatches police, fire and emergency medical service requests for service in Cook County, as well as Metra rail lines located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kenosha (WI), Lake, McHenry and Will counties. The center is a high activity environment that processes over 1,700 phone calls a day. The Telecommunicator position supports a twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) days a week operation where applicants must have the ability to work rotating shifts that include weekends and holidays.
Telecommunicators are responsible for answering Emergency 911 and non-emergency calls for all unincorporated areas of Cook County, as well as assisting those jurisdictions that do not have Emergency 911 systems or contract dispatch agencies. Telecommunicators enter all emergency data into the Premier One Computer Aided Dispatch (P1 CAD) system. The Telecommunicator, from the information received, determines the nature of the call (police, fire, EMS, or other emergency) and assigns its priority using designated codes and dispatches the appropriate beat car to the scene using the radio and P1 CAD system. Telecommunicators are responsible for entering, retrieving and accurately interpreting information contained in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (L.E.A.D.S.) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system and for responding to public works, utilities, and community service calls for assistance and/or repair.
Key Responsibilities and Duties:
- Enters all emergency data into a Premier One Computer Aided Dispatch (P1 CAD) system.
- Receives information and requests for additional personnel or equipment from field units; informs field units of potential threats, risk, and hazards, such as involvement of weapons, hazardous materials, or violent subjects.
- Dispatches, via radio or telephone, emergency and other calls for service to the proper police agencies and units; always maintains strict radio discipline; complies with Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) regulations; department policies and procedures in the transmission of all radio traffic; maintains radio communications with department units to aid and coordinate operations.
- Assists with the maintenance of records, maps and all communications equipment and performs administrative, clerical tasks and data entry and retrieval essential to the efficient operation of the communications center.
- Cancels, Confirms, Enters, Locates, Modifies and Validates records into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) and/or the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system.
- Responsible for adhering to LEADS policies.
- May assist in the on-the-job training of new Telecommunicators personnel, and/or assist or relieve other Telecommunicators, as required.
- Keeps informed of County ordinances, Department Policies, State Statutes, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other law enforcement related information/documents.
- Maintains and cares for communications console station and related equipment.
- May be required to review transcripts and/or tape recordings related to the investigation of complaints/calls for service and may be required to testify in court.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Actively listens to others and understands their needs and situations; writes and speaks English in an understandable manner; assertively controls conversations in order to quickly and accurately gather pertinent information and communicates this information professionally and precisely to the proper recipient.
- Reads and understands correspondence, directives and General Orders; willingness to support and carry out directive and the mission of the agency.
- Acts in a decisive manner, using good judgment; assesses problems and situations; anticipates needs and evaluates alternatives; deals professionally with emergency and stressful situations to avoid over-reaction; maintains flexibility in adjusting to situations and procedures.
- Deals with people with a high degree of personal integrity; sensitive to other's problems without direct involvement; excludes personal biases from work performance; has ability to accept criticism and/or discipline; has tact and diplomacy; strives to promote a cooperative atmosphere in the Communications Center and maintains a positive attitude.
- Must have emotional stability, self-motivation, loyalty and commitment to the organization, to include the County, as well as agencies the 9-1-1 Center serves; willingness to take the initiative; be dependable; display maturity in relationships with others; have good personal appearance and self-confidence.
- Ability to represent the organization to other agencies and citizens with a courteous, helpful, accurate and business-like attitude in all radio, telephone, computer and personal contract.
- Detects and corrects errors; performs multiple tasks simultaneously; coordinates heavy workloads to maintain organization and utilizes work time properly and productively.
- Successfully acquires working knowledge of radio equipment, telephone and computer functions during probationary period; updates and maintains such knowledge on a continuous basis; acquires and applies knowledge of equipment limitations and alternatives.
- Possess knowledge of the service area, surrounding area and cooperating agency procedures and resources.
- Possess the ability to quickly learn new information and initiate improvements in both technical and procedural areas.
- Ability to work up to twelve (12) hours at a time, continuously wearing a communications headset that will cover one (1) ear or fit within the ear canal of an ear, while retaining the ability to hear and understand other outside sound sources not coming to this ear piece; ability to read and discern visual images on a variety of media; ability to remain seated at the same workstation for up to twelve (12) hours at a time, while maintaining the ability to type accurately on a computer keyboard, all while conversing with callers.
- Must be able to work any and all shifts of a twenty-four (24) hour, per day period.
- Must be able to report for mandatory overtime, four (4) hours before the start of your scheduled shift OR four (4) hours after your scheduled shift.
- Must be able to speak and express oneself in a clear and articulate manner.
- Possess knowledge of techniques and procedures used in operating emergency communications equipment. Possess knowledge of customer service standards and best practices.
- Possess knowledge of applicable Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS)/National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system and guidelines.
- Possess skill in operation emergency communications radio equipment.
- Possess skills in empathetic listening techniques.
Miscellaneous Requirements: WORKING CONDITIONS
This position is in a call center environment, with exposure to multiple computer screens and requires work under stressful conditions. Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time and continuously wearing a headset which restricts movement in the work area. The hours of operation are twenty-four (24) hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five (365) days a year. The employee is primarily scheduled for shift work hours and work periods may have permanent or rotating days off, frequently requiring the employee to work holidays, weekends, evenings and nights.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Possession of a High School Diploma or General Education Development (G.E.D.) test certificate.
- As of the date of application, candidates must have reached their 20th birthday.
- Possession of a valid Driver's License. (The Sheriff's Police Department Emergency Communication Center is in Des Plaines, Illinois; the location has limited access to public transportation).
- Must be capable of working up to twelve (12) hours at a time, continuously wearing a communications headset that will cover one (1) ear or fit within the ear canal of an ear, while retaining the ability to hear and understand other outside sound sources not coming to this ear piece; ability to read and discern visual images on a variety of media; ability to remain seated at the same workstation for up to twelve (12) hours at a time, while maintaining the ability to type accurately on a computer keyboard, all while conversing with callers.
- Typing skills (30 w.p.m. with 90% accuracy), familiarity with computer keyboards and data inputting, clearly legible handwriting and proficiency in spelling.
- Must successfully pass written examination(s).
- Must successfully pass an oral interview panel.
- Must successfully pass a hearing and vision test. Must successfully pass background investigation(s).
- Must meet all unit requirements to the satisfaction of the Director of Communications within the contracted three hundred and sixty-five (365) day probationary period.
- Must possess the ability and willingness to work any or all assigned shifts of a twenty-four (24) hour day period and be available to emergency call-in; overlapping of shifts and/or overtime may be required.
- Must successfully obtain certification from the State of Illinois as a Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) Operator within ninety (90) days of hire and maintain current certification throughout course of employment.
- In addition to fully completing an application and meeting all noted minimum requirements, all applicants MUST successfully complete testing offered.
Preferred Qualifications:
- One (1) or more years of professional, full time work experience as a 9-1-1 police dispatcher in the last 3 years.
- One (1) or more years of professional work experience in the use of the Premier One Computer-Aided Dispatch (P1 CAD) system.
- Possession of a current Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) certification.
- One (1) or more years of professional, full time work experience in a multijurisdictional 9-1-1 Center.
- One (1) or more years of professional, full time work experience as a Police 9-1-1 Dispatcher AND trained as an Emergency Medical 9-1-1 Dispatcher AND/OR a Fire 9-1-1 Dispatcher.
- Completion or current enrollment in a Public Safety Communications course resulting in obtaining a vocational training certificate.
**In addition to fully completing an application with the Cook County Sheriff's Office and meeting all noted minimum requirements, all applicants MUST successfully complete testing offered through the National Testing Network (www.nationaltestingnetwork.com), as described in the 911 Telecommunicator Assessment section below, in order to be considered for this position. The testing must be completed no later than May 30th, 2021**
911 Telecommunicator Assessment:
The Cook County Sheriff's Department offers full testing services for Emergency Communications through the National Testing Network, Inc.
To fill out an application and schedule a test, go to:
www.nationaltestingnetwork.com
Select Telecommunicator/9-1-1 Communications and sign up for the Cook County Sheriff's Department
What to expect at the www.nationaltestingnetwork.com website:
- Completion of the application process on NTN website and www.cookcountysheriff.org
- Review all information related to the Cook County Sheriff's Department, including minimum requirements, salary and benefits.
- Detailed information about the testing process (entry level test).
- Schedule your own convenient test time; tests are offered multiple times a week.
- Take high quality, job simulation tests in a standardized, fair testing environment.
Upon completion of the entry level exam, all applicant scores are automatically forwarded to the Cook County Sheriff's Department. Applicants who fully complete an application, meet the minimum qualifications for the position and attain a passing score on the entry level exam will be placed on the Cook County Sheriff's Department's eligibility list for the Telecommunicator / 9-1-1 Communications position. The Cook County Sheriff's Department will contact successful applicants on the eligibility list and will invite them to continue to participate in other stages of the selection process. National Testing Network is a service provided to conduct entry level testing and physical abilities testing in a standardized, professional environment. National Testing Network does not replace the Cook County Sheriff's Department's responsibility and decision making in the testing process. All applicant results are provided to Cook County Sheriff's Department, where the final decisions are made.
The duties listed are not set forth for purposes of limiting the assignment of work. They are not to be construed as a complete list of the many duties normally to be performed under a job title or those to be performed temporarily outside an employee's normal line of work. The Cook County Sheriff's Office prohibits all unlawful discrimination in its hiring and promotional process.