Senior Public Safety Dispatcher

Salary : $135,843.60 - $173,840.16 Annually
Location : Santa Clara, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 32-25-725
Department: Police/Communications Division
Opening Date: 05/19/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: 10
Weighting Plan: 100% Oral, Qualifying Written

Description
The Department:

The men and women of the Santa Clara Police Department take tremendous pride in providing the community with outstanding service through the "Santa Clara Way" of service. In partnership with the citizens, the team provides law enforcement services with professional and dedicated staff. The team will always identify and resolve problems utilizing all available resources and perform services professionally and with a high level of integrity. To learn more visit our
The Position:

Under general direction, supervises the work of employees responsible for providing the full scope of dispatching operations on an assigned shift. Duties include but are not limited to, providing input on division policies and procedures, resolve most complex dispatching calls, and supervising Public Safety Dispatcher I/IIs. Incumbents perform the full range of dispatch duties. Performs related work as required.
Additional Information:

Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write "see resume, NA, or personnel file."). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application packets may be submitted online through the "Apply Now" feature on the job announcement at Applications will be reviewed on a bi-weekly basis for consideration to the position. If you are interested in applying you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, before the position is closed.

THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT.MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW.
The annual salary range for this position is $129,374.88 - $165,562.08. This position may be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.
Lateral Public Safety Dispatcher Hiring Incentive Program

$7,500 recruitment incentive

• $2,500 is paid in the first pay period

• Please review the Side Letter Agreement for more information:

Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Graduation from high school or possession of a GED and five (5) years' experience in public safety dispatching.
For calendar year 2025, the minimum qualifications are revised to remove the required three (3) years of which must be with the Santa Clara Police Department, Dispatch Unit. Effective January 1, 2026, the City will revert to the prior minimum qualifications.
Acceptable Substitution:

None.
License/Certifications:

Possession of a P.O.S.T. Basic Dispatch certificate and a Medical Priorities Dispatching System (MPDS) certificate is required.
Desirable Qualifications:

Supervisory experience and/or classroom education involving fire science, law enforcement, or general supervision is highly desirable.
Other Requirements:

• Primary roads, streets, highways, areas, major buildings, and public facilities within the City's boundaries;
• The use of various departmental forms.

Follow this to view the entire Class Specification, which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
Candidates must attain a passing score on each phase of the examination process to qualify for the Eligible List. A department interview may be required prior to appointment.
Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
PERMANENT CITY EMPLOYEES PREFERENCE POINTS: Current permanent employee candidates who receive a passing score on the examination will have an additional five (5) points added to their final score.

The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or
City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #10
Public Safety Non-Sworn Employees Association

This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara's benefits available to Bargaining Unit #10 employees in 2026. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager's Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.

Retirement:

• Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
  • Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula - employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
  • New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula - employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
• Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
  • Employee pays 6.20% up to $11,439 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay

Health Insurance:

• The City contributes up to 100% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee Only and Employee + 1 Dependent plans, and up to 90% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan of the Employee + 2 or More Dependents plan
• Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
• No cash difference is paid if an employee elects a plan cheaper than the max City contribution
• To be eligible for the City's contribution toward health, employees must be on a paid status for at least 80 hours in the month prior to the month of coverage
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
• Employees hired on or after 1/1/2024 who opt-out of City-offered health insurance and provide annual attestation and acceptable proof of alternative required coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable, are eligible for a cash-in-lieu amount of $250/month. Contact Human Resources for more details

Dental Insurance:

• Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Vision Insurance:

• Choice of two VSP plans
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA):

• City contributes $100.00 a month toward employee's VEBA account
• Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)

Life Insurance:

• City pays for $50,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
• Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children

State Disability Insurance (SDI):

• Employee pays 1.3% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
• 7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Paid Family Leave (PFL):

• Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
• No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information.

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance

• Benefit is 2/3 of basic wage up to $7,500; max of $5,000/month
• City paid benefit. City pays $.558/$100 of insured earnings
• 30 calendar day waiting period
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment

Deferred Compensation:

• Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
• Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules
• Additionally, the City contributes $300.00 a month toward employee's 457(b) account. This dollar amount will factor into the above mentioned IRS rules and limits

Flexible Spending Account (IRS Section 125 Plan):

• Employee may contribute up to $3,400 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $7,500 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $340 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan

Vacation:

• Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
  • For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
  • For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
  • For 10 - 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
  • For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
  • For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
• Maximum vacation accrual is 400 hours
• Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 90 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out the following calendar year

Sick Leave:

• Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
  • Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
  • Up to 40 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
• Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
• Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service

Compensatory Time Off (CTO):

• Employees may accrue CTO in lieu of overtime hours (maximum accrual is set by department)
• 16 hours of CTO is credited to employees each January 1st (prorated if hired after January 1st)

Holidays:

• Thirteen (13) paid eight-hour holidays per year
• 7.5% of base salary for Public Safety Dispatcher I/II and Senior Public Safety Dispatcher classifications, paid every pay period

Bilingual Pay:

• If the Department Head determines that there is a significant need or benefit, on a regular basis, to having the employee certified in a particular language other than English, a certified bilingual employee is eligible for $45/bi-weekly or $90/bi-weekly for advanced certification bilingual pay

Night Differential Pay:

• Employees are eligible for 5.0% night differential pay for all hours worked between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Additional Premium Pays:

• Community Service Officer IIs, Police Records Specialist IIs, and Public Safety Dispatcher IIs assigned to train newly hired employees in eligible classifications are entitled to 5% training pay for the actual hours worked performing those duties
• Dispatcher classifications: 2.5% of base pay for Intermediate POST Certification. Additional 2.5% of base pay for Advanced POST Certification (up to 5% total)
• Police Records Supervisor classification: 2.5% of base pay for Records Supervisor POST Certification
• Employees may receive a maximum of 2% of base pay for either a bachelor's degree (if not a minimum requirement of the classification) or master's degree (if BA/BS is a requirement)

Uniform Allowance:

• $600 for eligible classifications (per MOU)

Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement

Psychological Counseling:

• Employees in Unit 10 who work in the Police Department are eligible for the same psychological program as Unit 2, and employees who work in the Fire Department are eligible for the same psychological program as Unit 1 (See MOU for further details)

Employee Assistance Program:

• Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
• City paid benefit

Retiree Medical Reimbursement Program:

• Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
• Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $425.00/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)
• After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $254.00/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)

Paid Meal Break:

• Employees in all Communications Dispatcher classifications and in the classifications of Police Records Specialist II, Police Records Supervisor, Community Service Officer I/II, and Jail Service Officer will be paid for the meal break during the regularly scheduled shift and will be subject to call back during the meal period

01

Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, omissions, stating "see resume" or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question completely and in your own words (without the use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools, including but not limited to Chat GPT, Microsoft AI, or any other AI tool), and that your responses can be verified from information included within your application?

• Yes
• No

02

Please select the option below that best describes how you meet the education minimum qualifications for Senior Public Safety Dispatcher.

• I possess a high school or equivalent education.
• I do not have a high school or equivalent education.

03

Please select the option below that best describes how you meet the experience minimum qualifications for Senior Public Safety Dispatcher.

• I have five or more years of experience in public safety dispatching.
• I do not meet the minimum experience requirement for Senior Public Safety Dispatcher.

04

Please describe your five or more years of experience in public safety dispatching including the agencies you have worked for.
05

I confirm I possess and have uploaded my P.O.S.T Basic Dispatch Certificate.

• Yes
• No

06

I confirm I possess and have uploaded my Medical Priorities and Dispatching System Certificate.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

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