Communications / Dispatcher

The Milledgeville Police Department is currently accepting applications for Communications Officer / Dispatcher positions supporting daily operations and public safety services.

Communications Officer / Dispatcher

Applicants must be United States citizens with no felony convictions, or misdemeanor convictions involving violence or moral turpitude.

Minimum qualifications:

• Current Georgia or National Communications Officer Certification (or must attain certification within 6 months of hiring)
• Current GCIC–NCIC Certification (or must attain certification within 6 months of hiring)
• High School Diploma or equivalent

Applicants should also be able to:

• Speak clearly and distinctly
• Follow oral and written instructions
• Multitask and manage multiple radio/phone channels
• Think clearly and act quickly in emergency situations
• Operate teletype equipment to communicate with hearing-impaired citizens
• Work shift schedules including nights, weekends, and holidays

Job Overview – Communications Officer

The Communications Officer operates the City's Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) communication system, including answering Emergency 911 and other calls from the public requesting Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Utilities, and other City departments.

Duties include dispatching police officers to the scenes of crimes, violations, or service requests; distinguishing between emergency and non-emergency calls; maintaining police department records; and verifying/updating stolen vehicles and wanted individuals through NCIC/GCIC systems.

Work is performed with specific instructions and in accordance with departmental regulations. Communications Officers are supervised by superior officers, who review reports and records for compliance with departmental policies. Work is primarily performed in an office setting, typically seated at a desk or console.

Employment Information (2025)

The Communications Officer position supports a 24-hour communications center and operates on 12-hour shift rotations consisting of both day shifts (6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and night shifts (6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.). The current annual salary is $37,159.70.

New hires begin a six-month probationary period and are rotated through all shifts during an on-the-job training (OJT) phase that can last up to approximately six weeks. During OJT, communications trainees are introduced to call-taking procedures, radio operations, CAD workflows, and NCIC/GCIC query processes.

During the training phase, if the employee is not already P.O.S.T. certified as a Communications Officer, they will be required to submit an application to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Council for approval. Once approved, this agency will register the employee to attend the Basic Communications Officer Certification course, a 40-hour (one week) class conducted at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, Georgia, during the conditional employment period.

The offer of employment is conditional, in part, upon:

• Completion and approval of the P.O.S.T. application process
• Satisfactory performance during the on-the-job training phase
• Successful completion of the 40-hour Basic Communications Officer course

Meeting these requirements is mandatory for permanent employment status. Once training is successfully completed, the Communications Officer will be assigned to a permanent 12-hour shift rotation, determined by agency needs, current shift vacancies, and other operational considerations. Due to the nature of the schedule, permanent shift assignment may include some holidays.

Employees will also be placed on an on-call list and must be able to work at any time of day, regardless of permanent shift, to assist in covering vacant positions. Communications Officers may be moved to another shift based on personnel and staffing needs; while this is not done frequently, volunteers for shift changes may be requested before reassignments are made.

Salary & Benefits

Starting Salary

• Communications Officer – $37,159.70 (incentive pay included)

Benefits include:

• Insurance (80% Health, 100% Life)
• Vacation leave, sick leave, military leave, holiday pay
• Retirement and EAS services

Completed applications may be mailed to:
ATTN: Lieutenant J. Lopez
125 Floyd L. Griffin Jr. St.
Milledgeville, GA 31061

Note: The listed duties are illustrative only and are not intended to describe each and every function which may be performed in the job class. The omission of specific statements does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position.