Communications Officers

Joining Our Team – Becoming a Communications Officer

Public safety communications can be a very exciting, challenging, and rewarding profession that requires both physical skills and mental abilities. Communications Officers must be able to make decisions and act on them with limited time and information in situations where there is an element of danger.

Communications Officer Applicants must successfully pass a thorough background investigation that includes a criminal and driver’s history record check, psychological exam, polygraph exam, oral interview, drug test, and medical exam. Once completed, Communications Officer Recruits attend a basic training seminar at the Communications Center. During this training, the Communications Officer recruit will learn the basics of the job and what is expected of them. They are then assigned to a Communications Training Officer working on one of the four shifts.

Within six months of employment, newly hired employees must attend the state mandated Basic Communications Officer training. This training lasts for one week and takes place at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia. The overall training period typically takes 8 to 10 months. Progress is tracked daily through written reports until the recruit has completed the training process. Because the 911 Center operates 24 hours a day, all Communications Personnel must be able to work 12 hour rotating day and night shifts as well as weekends and holidays.

Qualities of a good Communications Officer include:

Qualifications

Salary

Career Path

Benefits

Applications

After successfully completing the Communications Officer Entry Level Testing Procedure, a thorough background investigation including a polygraph will be conducted. Applicants will then have to complete a psychological examination, employment physical, and drug screening process. Failure to pass either of these tests will result in disqualification.

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Salary

The starting salary for communications officers is $30,955. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly basis.

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Career Path

Communications Officers face many opportunities while working with Athens-Clarke County Central Communications. Listed below are the positions that are available to Communications Personnel.

Communications Officer

Communications Officers perform specialized work duties that involve receiving and processing requests for emergency assistance within the Communications Section. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to; receiving, classifying, and prioritizing incoming emergency calls; dispatching appropriate police, fire, and emergency personnel; operating telephones, communications equipment, and law enforcement computers; acting as a liaison between callers and police/fire/emergency representatives; and performing additional tasks as assigned. Upon completion of the hiring process, Communications Officers must become GCIC/NCIC certified and P.O.S.T Certified by the State of Georgia. Incident Management (N.I.M.S.) certifications must be obtained during the first week of employment. Communications Officers work 12 hour shifts that rotate from day to night shift every sixteen weeks. This is the entry level position in the Communications Center. A high school diploma or GED is required for this position.

Senior Communications Officer

Senior Communications Officers perform the same basic duties of a Communications Officer. In addition, Senior Communications Officers serve as Training Officers for new employees and are the first level of supervision in the Communications Center. Communications Officers are eligible for promotion to this position after two years of successful experience as a Communications Officer and after specific training requirements have been met.

Communications Supervisor

Communications Supervisors report to the Communications Administrator and are responsible for the management of one of each of the four shifts in the Communications Center. Their duties include shift scheduling, quality control, and interfacing with other ACCPD supervisory personnel as well as individuals from other Athens-Clarke County Departments. Upon promotion to this position, Communications Supervisors must attend GCIC Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) Training and the Athens-Clarke County Supervisory Skills Training Program. Communications Supervisors must have at least three years experience with Central Communications and must have served as a Senior Communications Officer for at least one year.

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Benefits

Athens-Clarke County provides its employees with the following benefits:

• Life Insurance
• Group Medical Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Credit Union
• Short-term/Long-term disability pay

Vacation and Holiday Leave

Employees earn 9 paid holidays per year.

Vacation is earned from the date of employement, but may not be taken during the first six months of service. Vacation time earned is based upon the number of years of service with the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government.

Years of Service Full-Time (years) 0 - 4.99 5 - 9.99 10 - 14.99 15 - 19.99 20+

Accrual Rate Rate (days) 10 12 15 18 20

Sick Leave

Sick leave is earned at the rate of 8 hours per month. Leave may be used after one month of service.

Military Leave

Employees who are members of a National Guard or military reserve unit are permitted up to 18 paid days of military leave per year.

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Communications Officer Applications can be obtained at the following locations:

Athens-Clarke County Police Department
3035 Lexington Road
Athens, GA 30605

Athens-Clarke County Human Resources
375 Satula Avenue
Athens, GA 30603

Or download an application at:
www.athenshr.com

If you are interested in a career in Public Safety Communications or have questions regarding Athens-Clarke County Central Communications
please contact:

Keith Kelley
911 Communications Administrator
Athens-Clarke County Police Department
706-613-3330
keithkelley@co.clarke.ga.us

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