Lead Dispatcher (Police Dispatcher II)

Position Summary

San Diego State University is seeking an experienced and service-focused Lead Dispatcher to provide lead direction and operational oversight for the University Police Communications Center. This role coordinates dispatch operations, supports communications personnel, and ensures reliable emergency communications and public safety services for the university community.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Direction & Communications Center Operations

• Provide lead direction to assigned personnel, establish work priorities, review work, and provide input on employee performance.
• Oversee daily Communications Center operations, staffing, and operational readiness while ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Promote teamwork, professionalism, and high-quality service among Communications Center personnel.

Emergency Communications & Systems

• Ensure operational readiness of 9-1-1, radio, CAD, fire alarm, access control, CCTV, and other Communications Center systems.
• Receive and process emergency and routine calls, dispatch police personnel, and maintain accurate CAD records.
• Troubleshoot equipment and system issues and coordinate technical support when needed.

Police, Dispatch & Records Support

• Support police, dispatch, and records functions and coordinate assistance or mutual aid with outside agencies.
• Enter, retrieve, update, and validate information in CLETS and other authorized law enforcement databases.
• Serve as the agency's backup Agency Terminal Coordinator (ATC), as needed.

Why Join Us?

• Play a key role in supporting campus emergency communications and public safety.
• Provide leadership and guidance within a critical 24/7 communications environment.
• Work with specialized dispatch, radio, and emergency communication systems.
• Support the safety and service needs of the SDSU community.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it's like to work at the CSU—watch our video and imagine your future here: Working at the CSU.

Position Information

• Full-time, benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• Position is designated non-exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Regular work schedule will be one of the following:
• 3/12 work schedule, consisting of twelve (12) hour shifts on three (3) consecutive days during each calendar week plus an additional eight (8) hour shift every other week 4/10 schedule, consisting of four (4) consecutive days of ten (10) hours.
• Dispatchers may be required and/or mandated to work on-call assignments, work past scheduled shifts, and work overtime with short notice; work overnight shifts, rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

Safety and security is coordinated by University Police, through a force of 40 sworn police officers and 57 non-sworn support employees. Our police officers are graduates of a California Peace Officers Standards Training Academy with full arrest powers throughout the state. They undergo continued training to improve their skills as well as first aid and CPR requirements.

University Police officers are armed. They conduct foot, vehicle and bicycle patrols on campus and in the adjacent community 24 hours a day, year-round. Officers are responsible for reporting and investigating crimes and traffic accidents, enforcing state laws and local ordinances, responding to medical emergencies and all other incidents requiring police assistance.

For more information regarding the University Police Department, click here.

Education and Experience

Entry to the first level within this classification typically requires one year of verifiable experience using a switchboard and two-way radio communication system in a law enforcement or comparable agency within the last ten years and a high school diploma or equivalent. Essential entry qualifications require the ability to effectively use a phonetic alphabet, speak clearly and concisely, follow oral and written instructions, transfer information accurately, handle a wide range of interpersonal interactions effectively, and learn the use of applicable automated dispatch and law enforcement systems and databases.

Incumbents must have completed or be able to attend and successfully complete the Police Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Dispatcher Course. Incumbents who, upon hire, do not possess a P.O.S.T. Dispatcher Certificate also will be required to pass a written test related to essential dispatching skills. Additionally, incumbents must successfully pass supplemental P.O.S.T. requirements for dispatchers such as a background check, physical and psychological examinations, drug testing, and related requirements.

Key Qualifications

• Emergency call taking and public safety dispatch, including prioritizing incidents, assisting callers, and coordinating field responses.
• First-level supervision in a 24-hour communications center, including assigning work, adjusting staffing, training employees, and addressing performance concerns.
• Advanced proficiency with CAD, 9-1-1, multi-channel radio consoles, display terminals, and related communications equipment.
• Knowledge of CLETS requirements and the ability to accurately manage and safeguard information in law enforcement databases.
• Ability to monitor, troubleshoot, and coordinate support for communications center systems, including alarms, access control, and CCTV.
• Ability to coordinate mutual aid and information sharing with law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, and other public safety agencies.
• Ability to apply and improve dispatch procedures, quality standards, and training practices while recommending solutions to operational issues.
• Ability to remain composed, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and communicate clearly during high-stress incidents.

Preferred Qualifications

• Possession of a P.O.S.T. Intermediate and/or Advanced Dispatcher Certificate
• Completion of the P.O.S.T. Communications Training Officer course
• Completion of the P.O.S.T. Civilian Supervisory course
• Completion of the P.O.S.T. Tactical Dispatcher course
• Bilingual skills are desirable.

Licenses/Certifications Required

• Valid California Driver's License or the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.
• Achievement of the P.O.S.T. Dispatcher certificate.

Compensation and Benefits

San Diego State University offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.

Compensation:
Step placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience, in alignment with the department's budget and equity guidelines.

• Initial step placement is not expected to exceed Step 20 ($7,797 per month) for highly qualified candidates.
• Salary step placement for internal applicants will follow the CSUEU Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• CSU Classification Salary Range: $5,352 - $7,797 per month (Step 1 – Step 20).
• Future increases, including step advancements, are subject to contract negotiations.

Full Benefits Package Includes:

• Generous Time Off: 15 paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Retirement: CalPERS pension plan with retiree healthcare, and reciprocal agreements with other California public retirement systems, including the UC.
• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision options at low or no cost.
• Education Support: CSU tuition fee waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
• Optional Offerings: FlexCash, life and disability insurance, legal and pet plans.
• Campus & Community: Access to the library, campus events, employee groups, and volunteer and social activities.

Our benefits are a significant part of total compensation. Learn more at the SDSU Benefits Overview.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment. We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university.

SDSU's Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU's Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Apply by October 18, 2026 to ensure full consideration. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed on an as-needed basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa). Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant's current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please click here.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Sophia Faulk at srfaulk@sdsu.edu.

To apply, visit https://careers.sdsu.edu/en-us/job/562513