The Casper Public Safety Communications Center (PSCC) provides emergency dispatch coverage to approximately 73,129 people spread over a distance of 5,376 square miles; the entire population and area of Natrona County. As a 911 operator at the PSCC, you will be part of a team that includes 19 full-time and five part-time dispatchers who provide their services to ten emergency, fire, and law enforcement first-responder agencies throughout Natrona County.
Preparing for the process of how to become a 911 operator in Casper involves dedicated research and training in addition to making a successful application. The following guide will help you through this process:
 | Train for Success |
 | Increase Competitiveness |
 | Apply with the City of Casper |
 | Continue Your Training |
Step 1. Train for Success
Wyoming law stipulates that you will need to acquire the following 911 dispatcher training within two years of being hired. That said, consider the benefits of obtaining these certifications before you go in for a job interview, as they would lend to your credibility and qualifications:
- Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS)
- Emergency Medical Dispatch Certification
- CPR Certification
- Wyoming Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Dispatch Certification
Skills with the following are also valued by PSCC recruiters:
- Ability to type 55 words per minute
- Knowledge of local geography
- Bilingual
- Computer Aided Dispatching
- National Crime Information Center
Step 2. Increase Your Competitiveness
Having a degree can immediately distinguish you from your competition by showing you are able to make a commitment and possess a specific expertise. It can also help raise the ceiling on your career path. In additional to local resources, you will find additional schools online offering degrees in:
- Psychology, with courses in:
- Drugs and Behavior
- Abnormal Psychology
- Psychology of Disaster Preparedness
- Communications, with courses in:
- Effective Listening
- Intercultural Communications
- Law Enforcement, including:
- Criminal Investigations
- Tactical Communications
- Homeland Security, with a curriculum that includes:
- Terrorism Threats and Strategies
- Special Target Hazard Planning and Evaluation
Having a two or four-year college degree can also help you gain more advanced Wyoming POST certifications more rapidly.
Step 3. Apply with the City of Casper
You can apply for 911 dispatcher jobs in Casper online. To do this you will need to first create an employment account with the city. Next check the city’s jobs posting website to see if there are any vacancies for the Dispatcher I position. Since you can only apply when there are job vacancies, you can fill out a job notification form to be alerted when this position become available.
Once hired, your salary will start at $40,872 annually and can go as high as $49,691 depending on your experience and qualifications. To complete your hiring process, in addition to submitting a successful application you will need to pass:
- Extensive background investigation
- Psychological evaluation
- Polygraph examination
- Oral interview panel
Step 4. Continue Your Training
By the time you reach this point you will have successfully navigated the process of how to become a 911 operator in Casper. However your education and 911 operator training is never really complete. You can always learn new things and have your training refreshed or expanded. Aside from the required 20 hours of Wyoming POST-approved continuing training you will need to obtain every two years to keep your Dispatcher Certification current, there are many other agencies offering continuing education that will provide you with additional qualifications and improve your skills as an experienced emergency dispatcher. These include: