Overview
The St. Petersburg Police Department's Communications Center is accepting applications at this time.
Job Functions of a PST Trainee
- Involves handling incoming emergency and non-emergency calls on an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system and using a computer aided dispatch system.
- Involves receipt and transmission of radio messages and dispatching police units to emergency and non-emergency situations throughout the City.
- Employees work rotating shifts which cover 24 hours each day and include holidays and weekends.
- Newly employed PST Trainees are assigned monthly to a shift in order to complete their training. Shifts include days, evenings and midnights. Days off are assigned on a rotational basis and will include working on holidays and weekends.
- As a condition of continued employment, newly hired PST Trainees must complete the 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Program and pass the Florida PST Certification Exam within 11-1/2 months of appointment to the position.
- Also as a condition of continued employment, newly hired PST Trainees must successfully complete calltaker, teletype, and dispatch training within 24 months of appointment to the position. Once completing all required training, the PST Trainee is promoted to a Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST).
Requirements for PST Trainee
- Must possess a high school diploma or GED
- Must be able to work shift work including Days, Evenings, and Midnights, including weekends and holidays
- Good oral and written communication skills
- Have excellent customer service skills
- Ability to multi-task
- Have familiarity with computers using Windows
- Have accurate typing skills (20 wpm minimum preferred)
- Must submit a resume
Three Year Commitment Period
The St. Petersburg Police Emergency Communications Center and its employees are an integral part of our law enforcement mission to serve and protect. The PST Trainee/Public Safety Telecommunicator is an extremely rewarding career but requires significant dedication and substantial training. Due to the imperative need to remain fully staffed to best serve the community and the amount of time and expenditures required to fully train a Communications Center employee, the Police Department, in return for providing the extensive training and incurring the associated costs, will require a three (3)-year commitment from all employees hired as a PST Trainee/Public Safety Telecommunicator. This commitment will prohibit the employee from working in any other City of St. Petersburg department for three (3) years immediately following the date of hire if they resign for their position. This will also preclude employees from applying for a position with any other City department until after the three-year period, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties in writing.