Regional Communications Centers

What It Takes To Be A Dispatcher

Dispatching for the ISP is a rewarding, fulfilling, and exciting career. If you can calmly and accurately process information during high-stress or emergency situations, this may be the perfect job for you! These positions require excellent interpersonal skills, good memory retention, and the desire to serve the public. Regional Communications Officers (RCO) operate a base radio station and related equipment to receive messages and relay information between Idaho State Police and emergency personnel to accident and crime scenes. These positions are the critical links between police, emergency personnel, and the public.

Flexibility in Your Schedule

Successful applicants must be willing to work rotating shifts (days, swing, graveyard), weekends, holidays, etc., as our centers must be staffed 24 hours a day every year. Currently, our dispatchers work four ten-hour shifts a week.

A Clean Past

Applicants are subject to an extensive personal history background check, including substance screening and a polygraph before employment. They must have good basic computer skills, be able to type 50 net words per minute or more, and submit a certificate valid within the previous six months attesting to this skill.

Calmness Under Pressure

RCCs receive emergency calls from people with different socioeconomic backgrounds in emotionally charged and stressful circumstances. Calls are from individuals with differing levels of comprehension who may be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or in a stressful situation. Calls require patience and understanding, with prompt, courteous, and accurate attention to detail while information is handled in conflicting situations and life-threatening emergencies.

Communication Systems

Radio systems provide one of the most essential departmental services – Communications. The capability of ISP to accomplish their mission without an effective communications system would be seriously restricted. For this reason, our communication systems and procedures are streamlined, efficient, and standardized. The primary responsibility of the RCC is to ensure officer safety.

Goals

Our communications revolve around accuracy, brevity, and clarity to ensure patrol officer safety. ISP successfully handles all phases of communications through the application of these principles. Success, speed, and safety of the operation remain our primary goals.

Documentation

RCOs prepare written documentation and type reports. Successful candidates must be able to physically hear and record messages transmitted over the radio, telephone, or similar devices.

ISP mobilizes the Mobile Command Center to support incidents and special field operations to aid in the safe, successful, and peaceful conclusions of situations throughout Idaho. These might include hazardous material spills, major flooding, hostage situations, or special emphasis patrols. Centers are staffed by RCOs, Regional Communications Supervisors (RCSs), and Regional Communications Center Coordinators (RCCCs).

Need to report something on our roadways? Dial *ISP (*477) on your cell from anywhere in Idaho.