No certifications are needed to apply.  A Communication Officer Trainee must obtain the Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) and Florida 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator certifications with the first twelve (12) months of employment.  Both certifications are completed during on-the-job training.

Yes. There is a pre-requisite that the applicant obtains a minimum passing score of 40 adjusted words per minute.  The test is proctored at CareerSource Brevard located at 5275 Babcock Street NE, Suite8B, Palm Bay, FL 32905. 

CareerSource Brevard is open for testing on Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., no appointment needed.

The Communication Center operates 24/7/365.  Communication Officers are considered essential employees and must be flexible with working daytime, evenings, overnights, weekends, holidays, and during emergencies.  Communication Officers are scheduled for five (5) eight-hour shifts with two consecutive days off per week. The days off rotate bi-monthly.

Communication Officers are responsible for answering emergency calls from the public and sending emergency resources to accurate locations.  The responsibility comes with a certain amount of stress.  Communication Officers handle difficult situations, but also enjoy a satisfying career helping the public and their community.

A new Communication Officer Trainee is assigned to a certified Communications Training Officer throughout the entire training process.  There are three phases of training: 911/Call Taking, Teletype, and Police Radio.  The training can take from six (6) to nine (9) months, depending on the speed of the learner, and is conducted concurrently with all certifications.

An applicant works with an agency background investigator upon meeting all the pre-requisites.  The background investigator will require the applicant to fill out our background packet covering his/her employment, residential, criminal, civil, drug, education, and military history.  If the results of the background investigation are suitable for the position, he/she will take a Voice Stress Analysis, psychological evaluation, and medical/drug test.  The average background investigation, evaluation, and testing for a Communication Officer is four (4) weeks.

Employees participate in the City’s 401a plan.  Employees may elect to contribute up to 6% of their annual salary (one-time election); the City contributes 3% of your annual salary as well as a match percentage based on your elected contribution. An employee is vested within five (5) years.