This position is within OCPS District Police-Communications and Records Unit (CRU). CRU serves as a critical communications resource and is responsible for coordinating district-wide police, public safety-related communications and the administration of law enforcement records. CRU’s Communications Center is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the entire year.
The CRU Communication Specialist, Senior is certified by the State of Florida’s Department of Health as 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators. They utilize complex and sensitive police and public safety communication devices, criminal justice information systems, criminal intelligence applications and related technologies to perform their duties.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Responds to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous and empathetic manner representing OCPS in a positive light.
Serves as a liaison for various departments district-wide after hours.
Answers all incoming radio and telephone calls; determines nature and location of calls; assesses scope and extent of the response necessary; dispatches appropriate field units; coordinates with external agencies and district business units and requests supplemental assistance as necessary.
Monitors and utilizes interagency law enforcement radio traffic to stay abreast of incidents that may impact operations within the district. Determines the possible impacts and makes appropriate notifications.
Coordinates appropriate response to all emergency situations by assessing the seriousness and complexity of an incident; provides guidance to students, faculty and staff in handling incidents until the arrival of emergency services; calms and reassures callers and provides responding units with pertinent information.
Provides a communications crosswalk between agencies and internal business units to ensure proper deployment of resources. Coordinates event and incident resource requirements with responders. Ensures that accurate and timely notifications are made to
department and district leadership.
Maintains regular communications with department field units, and supports their activities as required and/or requested. Continuously monitors status of department field personnel to ensure their safety. Updates department and district leadership in a timely and accurate manner on emerging events and/or incidents being addressed by field personnel or other agencies. Updates on these incidents shall be provided as required.
Accurately enters, retrieves, and compiles data from a variety of databases. Utilizes National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and related criminal justice information systems to support field-based inquiries by OCPS District Police.
Distributes teletypes generated by criminal justice information systems including but not limited to police officer safety issues, crimes in the vicinity of district facilities and schools, warrants, BOLOs and related information.
Efficiently operates computer-aided dispatch (CAD) program accurately inputting calls and other information into required fields. Ensures all incidents are coded correctly; queries system for information and tracks events. Assigns case numbers, warrants, records and other information related to calls.
Uses mapping software to support field units, and direct resources as appropriate. Maintains a high level of knowledge regarding the district’s geographical operating area using such to make informed decisions and to enhance ability to coordinate resources.
Maintains and updates police records as required by Board policy, department procedures, administrative rules, regulations, statutes and related user agreements. Completes recordkeeping functions, maintains accuracy, completeness and ensures availability for internal use and public dissemination as approved.
Monitors various fire safety, life safety and security systems to identify emerging situations that may pose a risk to district personnel, facilities and operations. Takes appropriate action to remedy situation, and report events through established channels.
Communicates with third party fire and security alarm monitoring centers regarding alarm activations, and takes necessary and appropriate actions to protect district facilities, personnel and resources.
Assists in the security of various sites by utilizing electronic security systems including AMAG Symmetry software to grant access remotely to emergency responders following departmental procedures.
Monitors weather conditions and advanced weather warning systems to identify weather-related events that may pose a risk to district personnel, facilities and operations. Makes appropriate notification as circumstances demand.
Maintains a general awareness of district events and operations to include after school activities, facilities use agreements, public hearings, special events and related activities. Acquires and maintains a working knowledge of learning communities, school locations and the location of other district facilities.
Routinely maintains situational awareness of county-wide events that may disrupt district operations or pose a risk to district personnel, facilities and resources. Makes appropriate notification as circumstances demand.
Preserves the physical security of the Communications Center restricting access to authorized personnel at all times. Ensures compliance to all criminal justice information system security procedures. Reports all violations of physical and information security standards to department leadership.
Follows all policies, processes and protocols related to the collection, use, security and distribution of law enforcement sensitive and other confidential and restricted information.
Participates in shift briefings, Communications and Records Unit meetings and other department activities (i.e., briefings, meetings, trainings and the like) as requested and/or required.
Assists the Senior Manager – Communications and Records with tasks as assigned to include but not limited to compiling and calculating statistics; coordinating shift workflow; participating in the development of standard operating procedures; processing law enforcement records; submitting work orders; assisting and training of new Communications Specialist I and IIs, updating contact lists and similar activities.
Assists the Senior Manager – Communications and Records with special projects and tasks as assigned.
Special Note: Incumbent will be assigned to shifts as part of their job function. Shift assignments are subject to be modified based on department and district operational requirements. The Communication Specialist, Senior shall also be subject to overtime, and may be required to work during holidays and other times outside of regular district business hours.
The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.
MARGINAL FUNCTIONS
While the following tasks are necessary for the work of the unit, they are not an essential part of the purpose of this position and may also be performed by other unit members.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with an emphasis in an area of study relevant to the position and four (4) years of experience working in a 911 public safety communications center; or any equivalent combination of related education, training (State of Florida Public Safety Telecommunicator training or equivalent) and/or experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential job functions. Maintains all mandatory certifications (Department of Health, CJIS, etc.), and ensures that re-certifications are completed in the timeframe allotted.
In addition, the position requires abilities, experiences and/or knowledge in the following areas:
Special Requirements:
PERFORMANCE APTITUDES
Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data and/or information using established criteria. Reviews, classifies, categorizes, prioritizes, and/or analyzes data and/or information. Includes exercise of discretion in determining actual or probable consequences, and identify and select alternatives.
Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others on how to apply procedures and standards to specific situations; exchange of information for the purpose of obtaining or clarifying details. Performs such within well-established policies, procedures and standards. Requires the ability to effectively communicate with individuals who may be agitated, distressed or under extreme mental duress.
Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate complex police and public safety radio communication equipment, safety and security monitoring equipment; computer and other standard office equipment, and other communication media such as telephone and pager systems.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and advisory data and information. Ability to speak clearly and concisely to diverse populations often under difficult and stressful circumstances.
Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive and leadership. Ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution; to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form. Involves semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action. Capable of making critical decisions during hazardous, potentially life threatening and stressful situations.
Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable. Capable of maintaining situational awareness so as to identify emerging issues or make connections to disparate events.
Typing: Must be able to type no less than twenty-five (25) words per minute error free under stressful and time-sensitive circumstances.
ADA COMPLIANCE
Physical Ability: Generally sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods walking or at an assigned work station. Requires shift work, and subject to be called in or held over to ensure minimum staffing requirements.
Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require visual perception and discrimination. Some tasks require oral communications ability. Most tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds.
Environmental Factors: Tasks are typically performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, animals/wildlife, toxic/poisonous agents, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances. Subject to field-based and other assignments to support department operations.
The Orange County School District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job when such individuals request an accommodation.
08/13/2025
Position is “Hard to Fill” will accept up to 20 years of verified experience. The “Hard to Fill” range is $19.80 to $23.76.
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