Salary: $70,990.40 - $96,220.80 Annually
Location : County of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Regular - Full time
Job Number: 25282212
Department: Sheriff
Division: Law Enforcement Support
Opening Date: 01/01/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Job SummaryJoin Our World-Class Team!The Sheriff's Office is hiring experienced individuals for the position of
Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher.
We are looking for people who are capable of taking command of situations in a sensitive and straightforward manner while showing consideration and respect to others. The Sheriff's Communications Center provides the highest quality professional public safety services to the residents of San Diego County.
Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatchers are trained to respond to 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls and are responsible for dispatching deputies in the field. This requires a candidate who can assess accurately, make quick decisions and use good judgment to ensure safety of patrol deputies.
Future Salary Increase** June 2026 - 6.03% increase to base pay (3.5% Across-the-Board + 2.53% Market Adjustment)
** June 2027 - 5.53% increase to base pay (3% Across-the- Board + 2.53% Market Adjustment)
The Communications Center is centrally located in Kearny Mesa and is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Applicants must be willing to work any/rotating shifts, on holidays or weekends.
Learn more about Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatchers HERESheriff's Emergency Services Dispatchers are responsible for handling both 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls and are responsible for dispatching deputies in the field over the radio.
Employees may be assigned training or lead roles that are eligible for premiums below:
- Eligible employees shall be paid an additional $2.50 per hour to provide training to newly hired staff in the areas of telephone and radio communications in the Sheriff's Communication Center.
- Eligible employees shall be paid 10% of their base pay when assigned as a lead dispatcher. Furthermore, employees receiving the lead premium shall not be eligible to receive the Sheriff's Dispatcher Training Premium.
***This hard-to-recruit position qualifies for the Employee Referral Reward Program. If a current County of San Diego employee referred you to apply for this position, please indicate the employee's name on your job application in the space provided. ***
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:1. One (1) year of progressively responsible full-time experience as a Public Safety Radio Dispatcher for a municipal law enforcement or fire agency within the last three (3) years and experience must include use of a Computer Aided Dispatch system and 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency call taking. Previous experience must have included the successful and verifiable completion of a radio training program administered by that agency;
OR,2.Successful completion of the Phones and Inquiry training phases of the Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Program administered by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department AND at least ten (10) months of full-time experience as a Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee
For more detailed information including about this job classification including the working conditions,
**
Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee is the entry-level position to Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher and is a separate recruitment from this one. To apply for the Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee position,
click here CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:As part of the County of San Diego's pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position.
HOW TO APPLY:Applications are completed online. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be notified and given instructions on how to schedule themselves for the performance exam. In order to be considered, all candidates who are notified that they meet the minimum qualifications must take the performance exam. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
The CritiCall performance exam can be completed online from home and is a work-simulated computer-based performance test covering the following areas:
- Call summarization
- Character comparison
- Data entry
- Cross-referencing
- Decision making
- Prioritization
- Keyboarding
- Probability
- Map reading
- Reading comprehension
- Memory recall
- Sentence clarity and spelling
For the CritiCall study guide, click hereApplicants who are successful in passing the performance examination (pass/fail) will be placed on a twelve (12) month employment list based on a score received from their employment application and supplemental questionnaire (100%). Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental application questionnaire will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying. The County of San Diego now participates in
If you're ready to bring your experience to make a difference, bring your composure, compassion, and communication skills to a career where every call matters.Apply TODAY!As an employer of over 19,000 employees, the County of San Diego is an organization committed to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. We recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans and value the unique expertise and leadership qualities they bring to our workforce. We strive to provide veterans with the resources and tools necessary to maximize their employment opportunities, and to assist veterans with their transition into civilian life by applying the valuable skills, knowledge and training acquired in service to positions and career paths at all levels within our large organization. Click on the resource links below to learn more about how the County of San Diego supports its veterans.
Veteran's Preference PolicyThe County of San Diego offerspreferential credits for military service to assist qualified applicants in transitioning from military to civilian careers with the County of San Diego.
Military Skills Translator Do you need assistance translating your military experience into civilian experience? This tool can help!
The County of San Diego and its employees embrace the vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all. Our values include integrity, equity, access, belonging, excellence, and sustainability. Each of which is infused throughout our operations. While also embracing a mission of strengthening our communities with innovative, inclusive, and data-driven services through a skilled and supported workforce. Click here for more information on our
Under California Government Code Sections 3100 - 3109, public employees are designated as
disaster service workers. The term "public employees" includes all persons employed by the state or any
county, city, state agency, or public district.
The County of San Diego is committed to valuing diversity and practicing inclusion because our diverse workforce is our greatest asset and our customers are our number one priority.
Click here to see the Non-Management Benefits Summary01
ATTENTION: This position requires specialized training. If you are unable to respond "Yes" to #1, your application cannot be considered for this position. If you are interested in starting a career in emergency dispatch, consider applying for the entry-level Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee recruitment.
Do you have one (1) year of progressively responsible full-time experience as a Public Safety Radio Dispatcher for a municipal law enforcement or fire agency within the last three years? Note: Experience must include use of a Computer Aided Dispatch system and 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency call taking.
02
Did previous experience include the successful and verifiable completion of a Phones and Inquiry training phases radio training program? Note: Candidates enrolled in the COSD Dispatcher Trainee program meet this requirement.
03
List the name of the law enforcement or municipality agency where you completed radio training if outside the San Diego Sheriff's Office. 04
Do you have ten (10) months of full-time experience as a San Diego Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee? 05
If you meet the minimum qualifications and pass the performance exam for Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee, you will be subject to a thorough background investigation which includes psychological, truth verification or other examination or test. This background investigation includes job dimensions established by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) to determine a candidate's suitability as a public safety dispatcher.
Do you understand this information? 06
Felony convictions will be disqualifying. Misdemeanor convictions may be disqualifying depending on type, number, severity, and recency.
Do you understand this information? 07
At the date and time you are completing this online application for Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher, are you at least 18 years of age? 08
Do you possess the ability to read, write, and verbally communicate in English in a fluent, clear, and understandable manner? 09
The following are working conditions associated with this role.
Select which of the following working conditions you are willing to comply with throughout employment as a law enforcement officer? (Check all that apply) - Will work shifts during irregular business hours including evenings, early morning hours, weekends, and holidays
- Will work in an environment that receives high-volume emergency calls, including life threatening situations?
- Will work overtime (defined as an excess of eight hours per day
- Will be responsible for own reliable transportation to and from work
- I cannot adhere to one or more of the working conditions listed above
10
Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?Note: The County of San Diego does not sponsor employment.
11
Please enter the last four digits of your social security number in the space below. This is used only for applicant identification purposes and will be kept confidential 12
How did you FIRST become aware of this opportunity that led you to come to the governmentjobs.com/SD County website and apply? Help us use advertising dollars wisely.
- Print Advertising
- Indeed
- Google/YouTube
- Social Media
- LinkedIn
- Referral - County Employee
- Referral - Deputy Sheriff
- Referral - Other Law Enforcement
- Recruiting Vehicle
- College / High School Presentation
- Career Fair
- Military Related
- Gym/ DMV TV
- Radio / TV Advertisements
- Community Event
- Sporting Event
- Other
13
For the above question, please share the specific job board, referral, or person so we can recognize them.If this does not apply, please indicate "n/a" below.
14
Were you referred by a County employee to apply for this position? Note: County employees may be eligible to earn cash awards for any candidates they refer to hard-to-recruit positions that are then hired.
15
If you responded "Yes" to "Referral - County Employee", in the space provided please list the name of the referring County employee. Write "n/a" if not applicable.
Required Question
