Phoenix Recruiting 911 Dispatchers, Pay Increase Coming Mid-March

Phoenix AZ

24 March, 2021

9:03 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Phoenix: March 23, 2021 City of Phoenix Recruiting 911 Dispatchers, Pay Increase Coming Mid-March March 23, 2021 10:00 AM It is often in the worst moment of your life that you dial 911 for help, assuming someone will be there for you on the other end of the line. That someone is a 911 dispatcher. Now those dispatchers will be getting paid more for being the unseen heroes of emergency services. "There will always be crime unfortunately," Phoenix Police Communications Operator Sandra Ojeda said. "I feel good knowing I help people. I am a lifeline." Finding the right people to be that lifeline, providing the critical link between residents and the help they need In the last year, has been challenging. "I chose this profession mostly to help people," Rosenda Mendoza, a police communications operator with Phoenix, said. "I wanted a job where I can use my ability to speak Spanish, which comes in handy instead of using an interpreter." But there is a shortage of dispatchers like Mendoza and Ojeda. And the shortage isn't just in Arizona, it's part of a national trend. In Phoenix there are 344 dispatcher positions in the police and fire department. 288 are current filled, meaning the city has 56 vacancies. In an effort to fill those spots, the City of Phoenix has been evaluating recruiting efforts and pay for dispatchers. That review resulted in a pay increase of $3.10 per hour beginning March 8 for starting dispatchers. Come April, The Phoenix City Council will consider a proposal in April to increase the pay grades across of all levels of the public safety communications job series. In addition to the upcoming pay increase, Phoenix dispatchers continue to have access to other benefits including tuition reimbursement up to $6,500 per fiscal year, the City of Phoenix retirement plan, and deferred compensation. Dispatchers complete a rigorous training program before they can begin serving the public, which is fully paid for as well. Dispatchers are exposed to the community's worst moments, over and over, so mental health benefits are also a top priority. Phoenix dispatchers have a Quiet Room on site to decompress from calls. There is also an emotional support dog that roams the call center. Read more about compensation and benefits here. Dispatchers answer and direct emergency and non-emergency calls. They also dispatch officers to calls for service. In 2020, the City of Phoenix received nearly 1.2 million 911 calls, with 85% of them answered in 15 seconds or less. This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author's own.