Occ. Code 7335000
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST (STATE POLICE), GRADE 12
New York State Department of Civil Service
Classification Standard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS
Communications Specialists (State Police) provide twenty-four hour a day, seven-day a week communications services to sworn police members and other non-sworn public safety personnel and provide telephone answering/complaint service to the general public. These positions are located at New York State Police dispatch points throughout the State.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Communications Specialists (State Police) operate and monitor various types of communications equipment, including, but not limited to: receiver and broadcast equipment; telephone equipment; computer equipment; voice logging equipment; closed circuit television systems; electronic security systems and intelligent traffic systems equipment. Communications Specialists (State Police) must be skilled at multi-tasking. They must be able to keep in mind the nature and critical aspects of several calls at once while directing public safety resources to the highest-priority situations first. Communications Specialists (State Police) identify malfunctions and initiate repairs and are expected to be familiar with operating manuals and guidelines and comply with established rules, regulations, policies and procedural guidelines. Duties are performed under stressful conditions during emergency situations and require excellent organizational and communication skills, both verbal and written, in order to relay sufficient information to various public safety agencies responding to the emergency.
ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES
Answer telephone calls for service, both emergency and non-emergency, identify scope and type of assistance needed, and relay information to appropriate personnel for handling.
- Obtain all necessary situational and location information from the caller.
- Calm the caller in order to elicit the required information.
- Apply Emergency Medical Dispatch System when required.
- Provide weather and road condition information.
- Provide first-line troubleshooting for telephone systems and initiate repairs when required.
- Operate and maintain digital tape logging devices utilized in recording radio and telephone transmissions.
- Monitor all radio equipment and frequencies in dispatch area.
Operate and understand the technical operation of fixed and mobile communications equipment.
Operate paging systems.
Operate networked and standalone computer equipment, handle problems encountered with computer software and hardware, and initiate repair procedures.
- Maintain inventory and repair file databases, and computerized and handwritten logs.
Provide administrative support to sworn members of the New York State Police.
- Using New York State Police Information Network (NYSPIN) conduct checks for warrants.
- Reconcile information received from other law enforcement agencies with data in New York State Police files.
- May conduct training and/or assist sworn members in training and development of Trainees 1 and 2.
- Conduct training sessions of NYSPIN procedures, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) and related programs.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Appointment to Communications Specialist (State Police) is through completion of a two-year traineeship including certifications in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) and Basic Communicator.
Open competitive minimum qualifications for appointment to the traineeship are: high school graduation or possession of a high school equivalency diploma.
Date: 1/15
NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.