Public Safety Dispatcher

Centrally located in the heart of Iowa, Ames is a vibrant, progressive community with more than 66,000 residents providing an excellent quality of life. Home to Iowa State University, Ames offers year-round recreation opportunities, diverse cultural offerings, a stable economy, safe neighborhoods, and a high-achieving school district. General Information The City of Ames is looking to fill at least one position as Public Safety Dispatcher, within the Police Department. A Public Safety Dispatcher with the Ames Police Department performs work involved in the operation of a complex communications system; receives and handles both emergency and non-emergency communications from a wide range of sources; dispatches appropriate services, personnel, and and/or equipment in response to police, fire, or medical emergencies; and performs other related work as required. The work for this position is within a 24/7/365 environment and is subject to shift assignment and creates occasional mandatory overtime. SALARY The starting annual salary for this position is $57,147 ($27.4745 per hour) as of July 1, 2026. Specified months of City of Ames Dispatcher service are applied in step increases to salary, per the PPME bargaining agreement. The current steps are outlined below: July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 Months Annual Pay 0-18 $57, 147 19-36 $59,903 37 & up $69,239 HIRING WAGE INCENTIVE Anyone who begins employment from this recruitment shall receive a hiring wage incentive to equal $1000 . This incentive shall be paid in the following increments: 1) 50% upon hire 2) 25% after 6 months of employment 3) 25% after probationary period ends or 12 months of employment (whichever is later) If you have anyone who has referred you to this posting, please include their name in the Supplemental Questions response. In order to be considered for this position, all applicants must submit their online application by the deadline listed on this posting. Your application includes complete responses to the supplemental questions. Please keep in mind that submission of a resume in lieu of work history on your application or answering the supplemental questions is not sufficient. Applications submitted for this position by the application deadline may be considered for other openings in this classification for up to 10 months. Written Exam and Simulation Testing: Written exam is set for December 3, 2026, with Criticall testing to follow on December 7th and 8th, 2026 for those who pass the written exam. Further details will be emailed to those candidates who qualify for the testing components prior to each date. Interviews will commence the same week of Criticall testing for candidates with passing scores . BENEFITS Our comprehensive benefits package can be viewed at: City of Ames Benefits Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program: The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please visit: PSLF Program Please see the Residency Requirement MAP outlining in turquoise the living area boundaries required for Police Boundary or Public, Professional and Maintenance Employees Local 2003 (PPME) bargaining unit agreement for this merit position. Examples of Essential Job Functions Conducts in depth research by utilizing multiple various resources. Answers emergency and non-emergency calls for service. Receives and relays messages to appropriate personnel. Directs requests for assistance for police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) to the appropriate agency. Prioritizes calls for service and dispatches appropriate resources in accordance with established operating procedures. Provides emergency medical instruction. Operates radio console by receiving and transmitting radio communications. Maintains contact with …

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