What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator (Dispatcher)

Are you a confident, enthusiastic, motivated individual who wants to make a difference in your community? Do you want to perform meaningful work in a positive and supportive team environment? If you've worked with the public or have call center experience, this is a great opportunity for you to expand your career. Apply now for one of our What-Comm 911 Telecommunicator positions. Qualified candidates are safety oriented, skilled at decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution. What-Comm 911 Telecommunicators will be required to have the ability to work independently to support and assist both the department and the public. 

Applicants interested in this position must complete testing through Public Safety Testing. Please visit the Upcoming Tests & Events on Public Safety Testing website for information regarding the testing process. Applicants that pass the written exam and typing test with Public Safety Testing and scores are made available to our agency between 8/1/26 - 10/31/26, will receive an invitation to apply.

For more information, please review the job classification.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?
Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

• $31.55/hr - What-Comm Telecommunicator-in-Training/What-Comm Telecommunicator I
• $33.13/hr - $39.55/hr - What-Comm Telecommunicator II (fully trained)

Upon promotion from What-Comm Telecommunicator I to What-Comm Telecommunicator II the salary starts at $33.13/hr. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the What-Comm (Police Dispatchers) Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy.

In addition to the hourly rate of pay, What-Comm Telecommunicators are eligible for the following compensation:

• 8 hours of Holiday Pay at the rate of 1.5 times the regular rate of pay for 12 designated holidays
• 2.5 times the regular rate of pay for overtime hours worked on designated holidays
• Shift Differential for hours worked between 2:00 pm and 6:00 am
• 1% certification premium for obtaining and maintaining Telecommunicator Certifications
• Up to 1.5% matching deferred compensation contribution
• Eligibility for 3% Master Dispatcher premium after seven years of service
• Protected bid leave time

 

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 7.34 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid designated holidays + 3 floating holidays per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month. 

Other unique benefits for working with What-Comm are:

• non-traditional work hours
• supportive and fun team members
• annual continuing education opportunities
• room for advancement, and more!

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service register that will be used to fill anticipated vacancies. This position is represented by a union.

Closing Date/Time: Sat. 10/31/26 4:30 PM
What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator in Training         

• One year of experience in a position with intensive public contact.
• Keyboard entry skills at a minimum of 40 wpm net. 
• Experience or training in the use of computer software such as word processing, spreadsheets, database management, desktop publishing programs or other business/educational software preferred.
• Experience using multi-line phone systems preferred.
• Previous experience in public safety dispatching preferred.
• Must acquire within first year of training a working knowledge of the geography of Whatcom County to include:  cities and towns, locations and names of highways, main streets, major buildings and businesses and establishments such as names of parks.  
• An individual in the What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator in Training position will move to the What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator I position in a non-competitive promotion upon successful completion of the initial training period and demonstrated proficiency in performing the call receiving function independently.

 
What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator I
In addition to the experience and training requirements listed above:

• Successful completion of the initial training period and demonstrated proficiency in performing the call receiver function independently.
• An individual in the What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator I position will move to the What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator II position in a non-competitive promotion upon successful completion of the Public Safety Telecommunicator I training period and demonstrated proficiency in independently operating all dispatch consoles as well as performing the call receiving function.

 
What-Comm Public Safety Telecommunicator II
In addition to the experience and training requirements listed above:

• Successful completion of the Public Safety Telecommunicator I training period and demonstrated proficiency in call receiving and operating all dispatch consoles independently.

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, background investigation, polygraph examination, and fingerprinting. Subject to re-check every five years.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain ACCESS Level 2 and CJIS Level 3 certification within six months of hire.
• Must obtain and maintain Telecommunicator 1 & 2 certifications within twelve months of hire.
• Must obtain and maintain certifications as required under the Washington State PST Certification Program. 
• Continuing education courses and recertification will be required as identified by the department.
• Failure to obtain and maintain appropriate certifications within established time limits will result in demotion to the lower class for which qualified, until such time as the required certification is achieved or termination if incumbent is not qualified for a lower class.
• Must pass a hearing evaluation prior to hire.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screen.
• Must have a regular form of communication such as a land line telephone or a cell phone and the willingness and ability to respond to mandatory recall to duty.
• Willingness and ability to work rotating shifts covering 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

A 12-month Civil Service probationary period applies for all Telecommunicators following placement into the Telecommunicator in Training classification.**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along.**
 
Public Safety Testing offers multiple dates and locations to complete testing; refer to the PST calendar for testing locations/dates. All testing will be facilitated by Public Safety Testing. 

Step 1: Applicants interested in this position must complete testing through Public Safety Testing. Please visit the Public Safety Testing website (www.PublicSafetyTesting.com) for information regarding the testing process.
 
Step 2: Applicants that pass the written exam and typing test with Public Safety Testing and scores are made available to our agency between 8/1/26 - 10/31/26, will receive an invitation to apply.

The City of Bellingham will use the scoring criteria recommended by Public Safety Testing.
 
Step 3: Candidates will be invited via email on a weekly basis, to complete a City of Bellingham Employment Application. (If you do not hear from us within one (1) week of testing with Public Safety Testing, please contact Human Resources at (360)778-8228; the personal history statement (PHS) is due by the date/time you apply.)  
 
If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.
 
Step 4: Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on a ranked eligibility register in November 2026 based on the Public Safety Testing score, worth 100% of the final score. Candidates will be notified of final score and rank.
 
The top scoring 15 candidates or the top 25%, whichever is greater, will be referred to the Department for additional examinations, assessments, or tests. Additional examinations, assessments or tests may include review of the Application Materials, Personal History Statement (PHS), and Interviews. Candidates may be removed from the eligibility register for failure to pass the additional examinations, assessments, or tests.
 
Please note: Candidates may be removed for the reasons specified in Civil Service Rules Section 9.11 at any time throughout this process.
 
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently.
 
Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.