Model Job Description for Public Safety Telecommunicators
1 Background
The Arizona Department of Administration 9-1-1 Program (Program) has identified the recruitment, hiring, and
retention of 9-1-1 personnel as key components to be addressed to ensure Arizona’s public safety answering
points (PSAPs) can attract and recruit qualified candidates for the role of a Public Safety
Telecommunicator (PST).
“Public Safety Telecommunicator” means an employee of a public safety agency or
PSAP, as the initial first responder, whose duties and responsibilities include:
- receiving, processing, transmitting, and dispatching 9–1–1 requests for emergency services;
- other support functions directly related to fulfilling 9–1–1 requests for emergency services; or
- dispatching law enforcement officers, fire rescue services, emergency medical services, and other public safety resources to the scene of an emergency.
2 Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this document is to assist Arizona’s PSAPs with developing a model job description that can be
used by their agency to help recruit and attract employees. This document is voluntary and is intended to guide
PSAPs when creating PST job descriptions.