​Police Communications Operator

A ​Police Communications Operator (PCO) performs communications activities necessary for providing emergency and non-emergency police services to the general public.  Work involves receiving, prioritizing, and determining the appropriate disposition of incoming calls from the public, PSP staff, and other agencies; dispatching State Police Troopers and relaying information over radio, telephone, and computer systems; querying, entering, and updating information in electronic record management systems; greeting and assisting station visitors; and answering questions and addressing concerns regarding agency programs, operations, and related services.  Work schedules involve rotating shifts within a twenty-four hour police dispatching environment.  Work is characterized by fast-paced multitasking between work activities and striving to mitigate stressful situations and emotionally-charged callers. 

Effective July 1, 2017, PCO’s receive a starting salary of $39,537.00 before deductions. A PCO serves a six-month probationary period.

Minimum Experience and Training

Two years of experience using two-way radio, multi-line telephone, or computer aided dispatch systems; or two years of experience using computer systems for entering, updating, and retrieving information; or completion of 60 college credits; or an equivalent combination of experience and training.

Necessary Special Requirement

• All employees must possess a clear, firm voice and no major speech, hearing, or visual impairments that would interfere with understanding verbal communication, being understood, or using electronic communications equipment and visual display equipment.
• All employees must obtain an active Public Safety Telecommunicator certification issued by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials within the probationary period and maintain the same for the duration of employment in this job.
  
• All employees must obtain active Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) and Pennsylvania Justice Network (JNET) certifications issued by the Pennsylvania State Police within the probationary period and maintain the same for the duration of employment in this job.
  

The hiring process for Non-Civil Service positions requires interested applicants to view job postings and apply on-line through the commonwealth’s employment website at www.employment.pa.gov. Select the “Open Jobs” homepage tile and on the following page, click the job title of the position to view the job posting.  To apply, click “Apply” in the top right corner of the page.  Your application will only be considered for the specific job posting you apply for.  Individuals who do not have Internet access should visit their local library or call 1-866-858-2753 to locate the nearest PA CareerLink Office.