Communications operator vs public safety dispatcher

The differences between communications operators and public safety dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a public safety dispatcher has an average salary of $35,063, which is higher than the $31,491 average annual salary of a communications operator.

The top three skills for a communications operator include patients, customer service and emergency situations. The most important skills for a public safety dispatcher are computer aided dispatch, customer service, and CAD.

Communications operator vs public safety dispatcher overview

	Communications Operator	Public Safety Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$31,491	$35,063
Hourly rate	$15.14	$16.86
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	48,509	25,700
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	53	39
Years of experience	2	-

What does a communications operator do?

A communications operator is responsible for receiving incoming calls from customers and clients and transferring them to the appropriate department for their needs and concerns. Communications operators perform administrative duties, such as organizing directory, updating customers' information on the database, and pulling-up reports. They also help agents in responding to the customers' inquiries and processing their requests. A communications operator must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in documenting calls for audits and references.

What does a public safety dispatcher do?

A public safety dispatcher is primarily responsible for handling emergency or non-emergency calls from the public. They are in charge of identifying the caller's needs calmly and proactively, dispatching law enforcement officers or emergency responders at the scene in a timely and efficient manner. They must operate communications equipment, manage schedules, and quickly adapt to any situation as the calls can be unpredictable and critical. Furthermore, as a public safety dispatcher, it is essential to maintain records of all calls and interactions, adhering to the organization's policies and regulations at all times.

Communications operator vs public safety dispatcher salary

Communications operators and public safety dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Communications Operator	Public Safety Dispatcher
Average salary	$31,491	$35,063
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Berkeley, CA
Highest paying state	California	Pennsylvania
Best paying company	City of Round Rock	City of San Jos
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between communications operator and public safety dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a communications operator and a public safety dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Communications Operator	Public Safety Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Communications operator vs public safety dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between communications operators' and public safety dispatchers' demographics:

	Communications Operator	Public Safety Dispatcher
Average age	53	39
Gender ratio	Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4%	Male, 37.6% Female, 62.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	19%	17%

Differences between communications operator and public safety dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Communications operator example responsibilities.

Manage busy company switchboard, operating PBX or private branch exchange systems to facilitate connections.
Perform NCIC, DMV, warrant and missing person checks for police officers in the field.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.
Dispatch ambulances, tow trucks, fire department, aid cars, and other aid as requested, maintain appropriate record.
Utilize``new media,``including blogging, a collective photo site, intellipedia, and instant messaging.
Work dispatch for DPS Pecos and DPS San Angelo ,

Public safety dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage the response and allocation of police, fire, ems personnel when call for service.
Provide a and CPR instructions.
Conduct layperson CPR instruction to local communities.
Train entry dispatchers on Fire/EMS call taking and dispatching.
Provide determinant dispatch codes base on EMD and EFD standards.
Job duties are the answering, processing and dispatching of police, fire and ems services.

Communications operator vs public safety dispatcher skills

Common communications operator skills

Patients, 14%
Customer Service, 14%
Emergency Situations, 6%
PBX, 5%
Public Safety, 4%
Non-Emergency Calls, 4%

Common public safety dispatcher skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 15%
Customer Service, 6%
CAD, 6%
Patrol, 5%
Dispatch System, 4%
NCIC, 3%

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Communications Operator vs Public Safety Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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