I'm applying for a Police Dispatch job in my AO. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or advice for an interview. What kind of skills or abilities are required? The job doesn't have any requirements other than willingness to obtain a certain certification within 6 months.

I have worked as an EMT in the past, and currently work as an Armed Security guard. I'm a fairly quick typist and very skilled with computer systems. Heck I'm currently studying for the CCNA Routing and Switching certs. But I can use a better job than Security.

I know that the ad has "Skills and abilities required" listed... but I want to hear from ACTUAL dispatchers and not what some HR department wrote up.

Good skills help, but it's the psychology that will make or break you. A friend of mine is a 911 dispatcher and she's played me some recordings of her "greatest hits." Not sure I'd be able to handle that. You've got to be calm, yet empathetic, and have a very thick skin.  I've heard some truly heartbreaking shit.

15 yr 911 Dispatcher here and the Psych test along with the Polygraph were the most surprising part for me when I applied.

Typing, short term memory, multi-tasking, active listening and being able to sort thru the BS people spout to you everyday are huge. Most of these can be learned as you do the job but there are some people who just aren't suited to work in this environment. I would say a type A personality is a plus...but then again there is a reason I'm not on the street dealing with people in person hahahaha.

The ability to multi task is critical for a dispatcher. If you can't do multiple things at once, you'll never be a good dispatcher.

Been dispatching for the past 3-4 years, work for a multi agency dispatch (fire, police, & EMS). We rotate around every day we work so your never doing the same thing.

Have thick skin, get used to be cursed out and people screaming at you for stuff out of your control. Some people abuse the system, while others are honestly just freaking the hell out cause they have never been put in a stressful situation before.

We don't have a pscyh test for our interview process, which I think would help.

I've had some calls that I can still remember everything, the good and the bad.

It's a thankless job, pay is crap, hours suck, you'll work holidays with no extra pay, but when you do get to do some good in this world there isn't a better feeling