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Employment at the 9-1-1 Center (Department of Public Safety Communications)
New employees are paired with senior public safety communicator trainers who will provide a comprehensive, and structured classroom and on-the-job call taker training program. They remain with the trainer until they have successfully completed the training program and are fully qualified in all aspects of receiving, classifying and processing emergency and non-emergency calls for service.
New employees are required to successfully complete the Compulsory Minimum Standards Dispatch Course mandated by the Department of Criminal Justice Services within their first two years of employment. After qualifying and demonstrating proficiency as a call taker, employees are assigned to training personnel to learn other functional areas of the Center such as police dispatch, fire and EMS dispatch, and teletype.
To be considered for employment, you must be able to meet the following standards:
- Be 18 years of age at date of appointment.
- Be a high school graduate or possess a valid G.E.D. certificate recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Illegal drug use will be scrutinized with respect to established criteria.
- Have never committed, been involved in or convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor.
- Be of good character and reputation.
- Have the ability to perform essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations made upon request.
Summary of Employee Benefits
Retirement:
Employees work under the Uniform Retirement
System. Under this retirement system, an employee is required to work 25
years to receive full retirement benefits.
Annual Leave:
Employees with less than three years of service
earn 13 days of annual leave per year, between three and 15 years of
service - 19 1/2 days per year, over 15 years of service - 26 days per
year. Employees may accumulate up to 30 days of annual leave (up to 40
days after 10 years service).
Paid Holidays:
There are 11 ½ paid holidays per year.
Sick Leave:
Sick leave accrues at a rate of four hours per
payroll period (13 days a year) and may accumulate without limit.
Health Insurance:
Fairfax County employees have the option of
enrolling in several health plans which are available in individual, two
party, or full family coverage (three or more). Fairfax County
contributes 85 percent of the costs for individual coverage and 75
percent of the cost for two party and family coverage in these health
plans. Individual and family dental coverage is also available at group
rates. Salary insurance and universal life dependent care, hospital
confinement and medical spending, are other benefits offered to county
employees. The cost of these plans is borne entirely by the employee.
Group Term Life Insurance:
Employees eligible for benefits receive
County-paid life insurance after six months of employment; this coverage
is equal to their annual salary. Additional coverage of 1 or 4 times an
employee's annual salary is available at age banded rates. Dependent
coverage of $12,500 for a spouse/$6,250 for children or $6,250 for a
spouce/$2,500 for children is available for an additional $2.50-$5.00 per
month.
Deferred Compensation: (Contributions and Earnings are tax deferred)
You may contribute up to $14,000 per year. If you are over age 50, you
may contribute an additional $4,000 (total $18,000) per year.
Contributions must be earnings deducted from your paycheck. Employees who
have not contributed the maximum allowed by law may contribute additional
funds if they have reached or are within four years of their normal
retirement date. These catch-up provisions limit total contributions to
$28,000 in 2005. The actual amount of additional contributions allowed is
calculated by subtracting the total amount previously deferred from the
maximum amount allowed by law. The dollar limits for contributions are
increasing for 2006 as follows: Normal contribution: up to $15,000;
including age 50 catch-up provision: up to $20,000; including catch-up
within four years of retirement: $30,000.
Equipment:
All uniforms and equipment are furnished by the
department.
Current Fairfax County Salary Scales - (July 8, 2007)
There are 26 bi-weekly pay periods each year. The
following pay scales are based on a 40 hour week.
PSC I (P-15) $36,220 - $41,929
PSC II (P-17) $38,030 - $44,025
PSC III (P-20) $44,025 - $53,513
PSC Assist. Supervisor (P-21) $46,226 - $56,188
PSC Squad Supervisor (P-22) $48,538 - $58,998
Shift Differential Pay: $.90 for evening shift and $1.10 for midnights. For information about shift schedule, please go to the DPSC Shift Schedule.
Salaries shown above are base salaries only, and do not include holiday pay, overtime for roll call or shift differential.
DPSC Candidates with applicable Public Safety Communicator experience may be hired above the minimum salary.
Application Process
The selection process ensures that only highly qualified candidates are selected. The following components of the dispatcher selection process must be completed and passed by every applicant.
- Computer-based Job Simulation Test
- Organizational Compatibility Test
- Panel Interview
- Polygraph Examination
- Background, DMV, & Credit Investigation
Denial Criteria
Criminal Activity:
- Must not have committed, been involved in or been convicted of a felony.
- Must not have been convicted of a misdemeanor, which was of a serious nature.
- Must not have committed an undetected crime of a serious or repetitive nature.
- Must not have been arrested or pattern of arrests that would affect public confidence in the Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC).
- Crimes against property committed as a juvenile will be considered on an individual basis.
- Must not have used, possessed or distributed certain narcotics/substances as elaborated immediately below.
Narcotics / Substance Use:
- Must not have used any narcotic, other drug or substance, in violation of law in the 12 months prior to the date of filing this application.
- Must not have used a “Schedule 1 Drug”, i.e. LSD, Mushroom, Ecstasy, Peyote, Heroin, etc within 36 months prior to the date of filing this application.
- Must not have used two of the above listed “Schedule 1 Drugs” at anytime during the applicant’s lifetime.
- Must not have used a “Schedule II Drug”, i.e. Cocaine, Crack, PCP, Methamphetamine, etc.) more than 3 times the applicants lifetime.
- Must not have used marijuana more than 50 times as an adult (18 years of age or older) or more than 50 time within the past 60 months.
- Must not have had involvement in the distribution of controlled substances which resulted in monetary or material gain to include illegal narcotics and substances.
- Must not have used anabolic steroids after age 18 or more than 3 times prior to age 18.
Additionally...Pertaining to Traffic Offenses:
- Must not have been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) related offense within 36 months prior to the date of filing this application.
- Must not have been convicted for reckless driving, hit and run or other serious offense within 12 months prior to filing this application.
- Must not have been involved in a pattern of traffic violations or driver license suspensions that reflects personal irresponsibility and/or a disregard for the law.
To Apply
Please go to the Fairfax County Jobs page.
Contact the Recruitment Officer at 571-350-1717
or 1-888-234-1587, TTY 711 concerning employment opportunities
with the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications.
For other employment opportunities with Fairfax
County, go to the Fairfax County Jobs
page.
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