Sheriff's Dispatcher I/II - Permanent and Limited Term

Salary : $69,950.40 - $99,236.80 Annually
Location : San Luis Obispo, CA
Job Type: Permanent - Hourly
Job Number: 1026PM-300087-01
Department: Sheriff-Coroner
Division: Sheriff-Coroner
Opening Date: 10/12/2026
Closing Date: 10/22/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

About the Position

Do you have excellent communication skills and work well with a diverse group of people? The Sheriff's Office is seeking self-motivated professionals to be dispatchers.
As a Dispatcher, you are responsible for monitoring, receiving, and dispatching routine and emergency radio communications to and from Sheriff's patrol units and other law enforcement or public safety agencies. To effectively accomplish these tasks, you will be involved in securing and recording information as to the nature of a reported problem and identifying the exact location. You will be operating a CLETS (California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) computer terminal to obtain or verify information and maintaining required logs of calls and incidents. Additionally, you will prepare reports, provide information and assistance to the public, and determine availability and location of patrol units to dispatch. The County of San Luis Obispo's Sheriff's Dispatch Center provides coverage to San Luis Obispo, as well as the surrounding areas including Morro Bay and Arroyo Grande.

The written examination component of this recruitment will be held on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Click here, to learn more about the Sheriff's Dispatch Center.
Click here, to view detailed job description.

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time.

This recruitment may be used to fill available limited term positions. Employees hired into in limited term positions receive benefits equivalent to permanent, full-time employees, therefore will be eligible to earn vacation, sick leave, health, and pension benefits. The sunset date for available limited term positions is currently June 30, 2027.
The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have an interest in corrections or law enforcement, possess excellent communication and multi-tasking skills, as well as be able to exercise good judgment in emergency situations. Strong powers of observation, memory, logical reasoning, and judgment are desired. As a Dispatcher, being able to understand and carry out oral and written instructions; speak clearly; listen attentively; remember names, locations and numbers; read maps quickly and accurately; establish effective working relationships; and tactfully handle irate or upset individuals is key. Telephone operation and etiquette and the ability to learn geography of the County is a must. Excellent computer software skills with the ability to quickly and accurately type data is required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:Ability to type at a speed of 45 net wpm.

Graduation from high school or possession of a General Education Development (GED) Certificate and any combination of education, training, and experience which would provide the required knowledge and abilities.

Work experience receiving information and simultaneously performing data entry is desirable.

Dispatcher II: In addition to the above, one year of relevant work experience, including the use of radio, telephonic, or automatic communication equipment.
Licenses and Certificates:

Dispatcher I: Must obtain Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Public Safety Dispatcher certification within one year from date of appointment.
Dispatcher II: Must possess P.O.S.T. Public Safety Dispatcher certification at time of appointment.
How to Apply
Applications, including answers to supplemental questions, must be submitted online by the final filing date. To apply for this position, click "apply" at the top of this page. Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at . Confidential inquiries are welcomed.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at .

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

• A mandatorywritten exam scheduled on Friday, October 30, 2026,and a panel interview will be required as part of the exam process.

PLEASE NOTE - Candidates who have completed the POST Dispatcher exam, within 180 days prior to the exam date for this recruitment, may be eligible to waive this element of the testing process with adequate documentation provided.

• Candidates must pass BOTH the written exam and panel interview to be placed on the list of those eligible to move to the next step in the hiring process.
• Finalists will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process.

Supplemental Information

Becoming an employee of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office is a fantastic opportunity and we pride ourselves on hiring the most qualified candidates. While it is of the utmost importance for us to identify qualified candidates, equally important to this process is that our applicants have a clear, realistic understanding as to the requirements of the position in which they are applying. Below please find additional information about the position for your review:

Schedule:
A new shift starts every January, May and September. About six weeks before, shift pick is conducted where dispatchers, by seniority, select from days, cover or nights, and within those choose their days off and hours. Dispatchers work 12 hour shifts and often are required to work overtime.

Work Assignments & Training:
The probationary period is one year and comprised of approximately four to six months of one-on-one training with daily and weekly evaluations, and the remainder is OJT (On the Job Training). During this time the trainee is solely responsible for their duty stations and will receive bi-weekly evaluations.
A Successful Dispatcher:

• Thrives in a frequently negative environment; sees, hears and reads things that are sad, disgusting and disturbing; talks with parents and other family members who may get upset and angry about their case or circumstances.
• Effectively organizes and prioritizes their workload continually throughout the shift amid competing distractions.
• Demonstrates they are a productive member of the work team and have a positive, can-do attitude.

Other Conditions of Employment: Employees in this class will be required to work weekends, holidays and irregular hours.

Character: Good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation, including a fingerprint and record check.

Background Check:

To accept a position with the Sheriff's Office, you must successfully complete a Sheriff's Background Investigation. Below is a partial list of offenses or issues that may disqualify you from successful completion. Please review the below list:

• Any felony conviction
• Recent misdemeanor conviction, or any two misdemeanor convictions as an adult
• Poor employment history
• Any sale, manufacture, or cultivation of illegal drugs
• Recent use of illegal substances such as opiates, hallucinogens, injectables, cocaine, methamphetamine, or similar substance
• Poor driving record such as numerous hazardous traffic violations or chargeable accidents
• Recent conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or any two convictions for this offense as an adult
• Any act of domestic violence, as defined by law
• Any crime committed against a child
• Behavior or derogatory remarks constituting discrimination or bias toward others based on their race, religion, gender, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other protected class
• Any material misstatement of fact or intentional omission of information during the application or background process

Reasonable Accommodation Notice
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. Please call 805-781-5959 for assistance or e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us for more information.

Veteran's Preference Points
If you are applying for employment with the County of San Luis Obispo and you served in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible for veteran's preference points as part of the recruitment process. Some dependents and survivors of eligible veterans may also be eligible for preference points. for more information and to learn how to apply for this benefit. Please note that Veteran's credits must be on file with the County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office prior to the recruitment closing date indicated on the job announcement.

Compensation and Benefits
Your annual salary is supplemented by a generous benefit package.

In general, temporary employees are not eligible for County-sponsored benefits and may have limited benefit options available to them. For more information on benefit eligibility, please e-mail .

For additional information regarding the benefits listed that may be available to you, visit the associated .

Some benefits include:

- Medical (PPO, EPO. HDHP), Dental (HMO, PPO) and Vision Insurance
- Health enhancing programs such as Hinge Health, GIThrive and Carrum Health for medical enrollees.
- Cafeteria (County contribution to pay for insurance premiums)
- Free visits to the employee health clinic
- Mental Health resources/benefits including Headspace
- Voluntary insurance plans (life insurance, disability, critical illness and many more)
- A lifelong retirement benefit through the San Luis Obispo County Pension Trust
- Optional deferred compensation plan
- Tax savings accounts (medical and dependent care)
- Paid personal, sick and vacation days
- 12 paid holidays
- Employee Assistance Program
- Education and Wellness Allowance
- Post Employment Health Plan
- Family Friendly workplace policies
- Flexible work schedule options
- Rideshare commuter benefits
- Pet Insurance
The County of San Luis Obispo has been recognized as a Diamond Level Family Friendly Workplace by San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. We support our employees through: childcare assistance, flexible scheduling practices, paid and unpaid leave, comprehensive health benefits, flexible spending accounts, and employee assistance programs.

Pension Benefit and Employee Contribution Rates:
The County's pension is a defined benefit plan that provides a guaranteed monthly pension payment for life based on your time in service, wages, and other factors. The County is the primary contributor to the pension fund, but the health of the pension fund also depends on mandatory employee contributions. Employees are required to pay a percentage of their base pay towards the pension fund, ranging from 5% to 19%. This amount is deducted from your paycheck pre-tax every pay period. To find out how much will be deducted from your paycheck should you be hired for this position, please contact Pension Trust at (805) 781-5465.

Healthcare Benefits and Cafeteria Contributions:
The County offers comprehensive medical coverage to you and your family, along with two dental plan options and vision coverage. All permanent employees receive a monthly employer contribution (or 'cafeteria' contribution) to help them pay for their portion of the medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums. The amount of the cafeteria contribution varies by Bargaining Unit (BU) and the extent to which employees enroll their dependents. If the cafeteria amount is greater than your selected premiums, the remainder of the cafeteria is paid out to you in your paycheck as taxable income. If the cafeteria amount is less than your monthly premiums, you pay the remainder of the premiums with pre-tax wages.

To estimate your out-of-pocket costs (or cashback from extra cafeteria),

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