WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE WHAT OUR DISPATCHERS SAY ABOUT WORKING FOR 911

Meet Sam and listen to why she enjoys her job.


Explore our employment opportunities:

To see the Dispatcher 1 job description, click here.

To see the Telecom Specialist job description, click here.

Have You Considered a Career in Public Safety?

Be a 911 Dispatcher!

At Pennington County ESCC 911, we serve our community and make a difference everyday. Take our Dispatcher Suitability Questionnaire to see if you are ready for a career at 911.

We value our employees and offer competitive pay and excellent benefits including: health, vision, and life insurance, retirement, paid time off, and on-going training. Learn more about our Employee Benefits!

HallwaySignImageAll applicants interested in applying for a Telecommunicator position will follow the hiring process below:

Step 1: All applications are reviewed and initial background checks are conducted. Review our list of disqualifying offenses here.

Step 2: Selected applicants will be invited to take a dispatching aptitude test called Criticall. Scores will be available within 24-48 hours of completion.   Applicants will be advised by phone or email of their scores.  If passing, will move onto the interview process.

Step 3: After completion of an interview, Applicants will be advised by phone or email of their status within 3 to 5 business days of the interview.

Step 4: Successful applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment will undergo a comprehensive background investigation, pre-employment health and hearing exams, and drug-testing.

Step 5: Following successful completion of all conditions, applicants are given an unconditional offer of employment at least 2 weeks prior to the start date.

If you would like more information about employment in our department, please email us at escc.general@pennco.org.

Dispatcher5Automatic Disqualifiers for Pennington County ESCC

  1. Omission or falsification of information requested and/or provided by applicant, including but not limited to:
    • Failure to disclose criminal conviction, arrest or activity,
    • Failure to disclose employer misconduct, disciplinary action or termination.
    • Falsifying education, licensure, military or certification documents or experience.
    • Any information provided or omitted with the intention to prevent derogatory information from discovery.
  2. Any felony conviction to include sealed and suspended sentences.
  3. Any Class 1 Misdemeanor convictions within two (2) years of application date.
  4. Any usage of a federal or state illegal drug within the last twelve months.
  5. Currently under investigation for criminal involvement or in process of prosecution.
  6. Currently satisfying sentence requirements such as probation, suspended license, restitution, etc.
  7. Unable to obtain a South Dakota Driver's License within 90 days of state residency.
  8. Ineligible to obtain required position specific licensure and/or certification as governed by State Statute and Administrative Rules.  

Possible Disqualifiers for Pennington County ESCC

  1. Unfavorable employment references.
  2. History of workplace misconduct.
  3. Pattern of poor character.
  4. Poor job stability.
  5. Failure to follow process instructions.
  6. Pattern of law enforcement involvements.
  7. Integrity related offenses.
  8. Other than honorable military discharge.
  9. History of confidentiality violations.

VerticalDispatcherIs a Career at 911 Right for You?

Working at 911 is incredibly rewarding. We pride ourselves in the work we do, but we also recognize it is not for everyone. Take a moment to read through this questionnaire to see if a career at 911 is right for you.

  1. Are you a person of high moral character and integrity?
  2. Do you have compassion, good judgement and a high degree of emotional self-control?
  3. Are you able to follow direction, policies, and procedures?
  4. Do you pride yourself in providing a high level of customer service and professionalism?
  5. Are you able to maintain composure and make sound decisions in highly stressful situations?
  6. Are you able to develop and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, members of various user agencies, organizations, and the public?
  7. Are you able to work in areas where light levels and noise levels vary significantly?
  8. Are you able to sit in a stationary position, answer phone calls and perform data entry for the duration of an 8 or 12-hour shift?
  9. Are you willing to work holidays, nights, and weekends?
  10. Are you willing to have your 2 days off during the week versus the weekend?
  11. Are you willing to work 8 or 12-hour rotating shifts to include two months on days, two on afternoons and two on nights?
  12. Are you willing to work overtime with little, if any, notice depending on operational needs?
  13. Are you prepared to work a full-time position that does not support secondary employment within a one-year probationary period?
  14. Are you able to work a schedule that does not allow for special scheduling requests and accommodations (i.e. school schedules, secondary employment, etc.)?
  15. Are you ready for a challenging yet rewarding job?
  16. Are your loved ones supportive of your career choice?
  17. Do you thrive in a fast-paced and exciting work environment?
  18. Do you have a desire to place service above self?