The Communications Unit provides radio and telephone support services to department personnel and the public.
The Communications Unit is staffed 24-hours a day with highly trained and dedicated Public Safety Dispatchers, who receive emergency and non-emergency law enforcement calls for assistance and services. They are responsible for assessing the nature and priority of calls for assistance, determining and assigning the appropriate resources, as well as, tracking and documenting the resulting response and disposition via a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Public Safety Dispatchers answer telephones and operate a variety of two-way, multi- frequency radio equipment and communicates with police officers, parking enforcement officers, Community Service Officers, and other university employees.
Public Safety Dispatchers work with neighboring/allied agencies to provide fire and medical assistance to the UCSB community. They monitor alarm systems for fire, hazard, security, and intrusion; and handle the after-hours notification to campus and housing facilities personnel for urgent maintenance needs. Additionally, Public Safety Dispatchers assist in the facilitation of sending emergency and timely warning notices to the campus community, when needed, and assist the public via the lobby walk-up window for the police department.
Hiring
We are always looking to add dedicated public servants to our team. To apply please follow the instructions HERE
Training
Dispatch training is governed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). For a comprehensive explanation of the jobs and requirements of Dispatcher in California, please reference the following PDF from POST: HERE.
Individuals applying for a public safety dispatcher position in California are required to meet several statewide minimum standards for employment. These standards include:
- fingerprint and DMV records checks
- background investigation
- medical examination
- oral communication skills evaluation (employment interview)
- verbal, reasoning, memory, and perceptual abilities assessment