Interoperability Communications Bureau Careers

Become a Highly Trained Law Enforcement Dispatcher

The Department of Public Safety employs civilians to manage the four Communications Centers located throughout the state: Des Moines, Storm Lake, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids.

Law Enforcement Communications Center Specialists support field personnel 24/7 by rapidly and efficiently broadcasting information and maintaining continuous contact among DPS personnel and other emergency response agencies.

DPS Communication Centers offer unique, challenging, and rewarding career paths to choose from. Entry level positions as a Law Enforcement Communications Center Specialist 1 allow you to begin your career with a high school diploma.

After one year of service and with favorable performance evaluations, you can be "trainee-journeyed" into a Law Enforcement Communications Center Specialist 2.

Further advanced career opportunities can lead to a career as a Leadworker or a Communications Center Manager.

Communications Center Specialist 1

Description:

Comprehends and communicates emergency, public safety, and criminal justice related data via telephone, a variety of telecommunications methods, and two-way radio. Makes immediate independent decisions and takes decisive action to preserve life and property; performs related work as required.

Work Examples:

• Maintains security and ensures operation of the communications center at all times
• Continually aware of peace officer's safety and takes appropriate action
• Receives, interprets, and determines priority data for transmission
• Obtains, organizes, and disseminates confidential criminal data and records, emergency and disaster information, traffic and traffic safety information; incorrect decisions may result in human injury or death
• Complies and constructs information on persons wanted for major crimes, stolen vehicles and property, missing persons, and other similar matters
• Determines proper response procedures, personnel, and equipment
• Summarizes and documents all telecommunications and related information

Education / Experience:

Graduation from high school or GED

Special Requirements:

• Ability to pass a thorough background investigation by the Division of criminal investigation
• Ability to pass a physical and psychological evaluation provided by the Department of Public Safety which includes normal hearing with a loss not exceeding a 25 decibel average in either ear at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 cycles, vision corrected to 20/20 and normal speech

Salary:

$47,008.00—$69,118.40

Communications Center Specialist 2

Description:

In addition to the all of the above, the following items are also included within the Communications Center

Specialist 2 position: 

Work Examples:

• Receives child and/or adult abuse calls, obtains report data from complainant using specified guidelines for forwarding to Case Workers
• Monitors the computerized switching system, isolating system problems and notifying proper repair services
• Receives road report data from other communications centers, condenses information, and enters it into the computer system for state and nationwide agencies on an ongoing basis
• Monitors and runs cross checks for IOWA System entries; receives and enters into the IOWA System all Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation warrants
• Provides paging service for various state agencies
• Monitors towed vehicle files

Education / Experience:

Two years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience as a Communications operator, dispatcher, or radio operator in a city, county, state, federal, commercial or industrial communications center; 
OR 
Any equivalent combination of education and experience on the basis of one year of full-time experience equals 30 semester hours of college level course work in law enforcement or a related field with a minimum substitution of two years;  
OR 
Employees with current continuous experience in the executive branch that includes experience equal to 12 months of full-time work as a Communications Center Specialist 1 shall be considered qualified. 

Salary:

$50,252.80—$76,336.00

CURRENT OPENINGS

View current DPS Communications Center job openings HERE