Civil Service Status
This is a Civil Service position
Hours of Work
Shift and days of work will vary depending on shift bid. Overtime and weekend work as required
Tentative Start Date
October/November 2026
Job Summary
Westcom Emergency Communications is currently seeking full-time qualified individuals to provide emergency dispatch services for the 175,000 residents of the City of West Des Moines, Urbandale, Clive, Norwalk, Waukee, and Windsor Heights. Under the general direction of the Public Safety Telecommunications Shift Supervisor, dispatches Police, Fire Department, and EMS to situations in the government entities served by Westcom. Maintains and coordinates accurate communication between Police, Fire, EMS Departments, other government entities, and the public.
Deadline to Apply
August 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Job Description
Public Safety Telecommunicator I
This position requires a High School Diploma or equivalent, plus one (1) year additional schooling or a minimum one (1) year of experience dealing with the public and/or heavy customer service contact. Previous experience in public safety is preferred. Applicants must be flexible with working various days, shifts and overtime hours, including holidays and weekends.
Special Note:
An essential function of the Public Safety Telecommunicator position is to be able to access the Iowa/National Crime Information Center (NCIC). In accordance with the Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) manual, the following criminal history would disqualify a candidate from being hired:
If the applicant pleads or is found guilty of a felony or aggravated misdemeanor, whether or not judgment is entered, access [to the NCIC system] will not be granted.
The Department of Public Safety makes the determination if access is granted to the NCIC system at their sole discretion. Candidates will not be eligible for hire if it is determined by the Department of Public Safety that they would not be granted NCIC certification.
Criminal history checks are conducted after the recruitment process is completed and the Civil Service Certified List has been approved by the Civil Service Commission.
Steps to Apply
1. Profile : You MUST complete an online Applicant Profile. A link is provided below to our Online Application System.
2. Qualifications/Certifications/Licenses : Under the Resume & Qualifications section, make sure to list any certifications or licenses you currently hold.
3. Applying for Position : Once you have completed your profile, you MUST apply for the position (The link to Finish & Apply is located on the Apply For Job section after you have completed your profile. Once you have applied, it will be listed under your My Applications tab. Any applications marked as Status: Incomplete, have not been submitted.)
All steps MUST be completed before the posted deadline to be considered for this position. We will not accept incomplete profiles. Communication throughout this process (including invitations to any examinations and/or interviews) will be made via the email supplied through the City's on-line application system. It is recommended to check your email "Junk" or “Spam” folder for emails from the City of West Des Moines. If you have any questions during the application process, please contact Human Resources at 515-222-3616.
Physical/Drug Testing
Post offer, pre-employment background check (to comply with NCIC standards), audiometric, and drug test are required.
Civil Service Exam
Applicants that submit a completed application and meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to the Civil Service Examination.
The written examination process will be open from September 9 – 23, 2026. Candidates that pass each module of the exam and exceed the typing scores for indicated modules will be invited to a mandatory orientation session and oral boards (interview), which are tentatively scheduled for September 30 – October 2, 2026 (dates are tentative and subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances).
