1. Police Dispatcher Applicant Guide
Frederick Police Department

2. Police Dispatcher Position
Dispatchers work 24 hrs a day every day of the year
This includes all holidays and major events
A typical schedule consists of 7 working days over a two week period. The shifts are 12 hours in duration.
Dispatchers are “Essential Personnel”
This means you are required to be at work during your scheduled time regardless of major incidents, severe weather, or other issues.
Dispatchers rotate in an on-call schedule – Appx 4 days/month

3. Police Dispatcher Position
Dispatcher training lasts approximately 6 months after hire.
This includes on the job training with a trainer and an academic style Dispatcher Academy.
Successful completion of training will result in solo Dispatcher duties and various industry certifications
Various on-going training will be available to further your professional career.

4. Application Process Submission of Application Through NeoGov Site
Review of this PowerPoint
Completion of Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ)
Applicant Testing – Criticall Testing
Comprehensive Background Investigation
Polygraph Examination
Panel Interview

5. Personal History Questionnaire
This is a detailed history of your personal history.
Honesty is Important! You will be required to pass a thorough background investigation and polygraph.
This must be completed and provided to test administrators on your testing date.
Failure to bring the completed notarized PHQ to testing will remove you from this process.

6. Applicant Criticall Testing
Applicants must score 88% or above to move on in the hiring process.
Test pass/fail will not be available on the day of the test.
Someone from City HR will be in contact with you in the days following the test with your results.
You should prepare for this test as you would any other test. All required materials will be provided for you at the test site.

7. Applicant Criticall Testing
There are 14 sections to the test with a 2 hour total time limit.
Every section has a practice question that does not count against your score or time limit.
Each section tests different skills such as multi-tasking, typing speed, map reading, decision making, memory recall, etc…

8. Applicant Criticall Testing
You cannot write anything down during the test
Administrators will be available for questions
You must be on-time for the test or you will not be permitted to continue in the process.
REMINDER: You must bring your completed PHQ to be granted access to the test site.

9. Comprehensive Background
It is important to be 100% honest during this process.
Failure to disclose information during the background process will lead to your dismissal from the process.
In most cases disclosure of your background will not disqualify you from employment.

10. Comprehensive Background
The following are automatic disqualifiers for this position. If you have one or more of the following you should stop now and reapply once eligible:
Conviction of any Felony.
Involved in any felonious/ violent criminal Activity for which charges have not been brought.
Illegal Drug use within three years of application date.
Any criminal activity that has occurred within three years of the application.
Providing False information during any part of the selection process.

11. Polygraph Examination
A polygraph examination will be conducted as a part of your background investigation.
It is imperative for the applicant to be honest during all phases of this process including the polygraph.
As previously mentioned most personal history will not disqualify you from employment. Dishonesty will disqualify you from employment.

12. Panel Interview
After successful completion of the background investigation you will be invited to a panel interview.
All applicants will be asked the same series of questions.
The most qualified candidates at this stage will be selected for employment.
If you are not selected, you will be kept in a pool of candidates for future consideration.

13. Important Reminders
Applicants must bring a completed and notarized PHQ to the test site to take the test
Applicants must be up front and honest during all parts of the application process to successfully pass the background investigation
The entire process from testing to panel interview is routinely 8-12 weeks.