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Police dispatcher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, police dispatchers don't need a college education. The most common degree for police dispatchers is bachelor's degree with 38% graduates, with only 27% police dispatcher graduates earning associate degree. Police dispatchers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Miami Dade College. Some good skills to have in this position include computer aided dispatch, patrol and cad.

Popular police dispatcher certifications include Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certification (EMD), Emergency Medical Dispatcher, or Emergency Police Dispatcher Certification (EPD). To improve police dispatcher qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in police dispatcher education paths.

What education do you need to become a police dispatcher?

What degree do you need to be a police dispatcher?

The most common degree for police dispatchers is bachelor's degree, with 38% of police dispatchers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 23%.
  • Bachelor's, 38%
  • Associate, 27%
  • High School Diploma, 23%
  • Master's, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a police dispatcher?

You should major in criminal justice to become a police dispatcher. 37% of police dispatchers major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a police dispatcher include business and general studies.

Best majors for police dispatchers

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice36.6%
2Business16.1%
3General Studies6.3%
4Psychology5.6%
5Communication4.0%

20 best online courses for police dispatchers

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1. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

coursera

The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

2. CVS Health Call Center Customer Service

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The demand for call center customer service representatives is huge, there are thousands of open job roles in the US alone. If you are someone that enjoys talking to people and solving problems and are ready for new experiences, then this program is right for you. Customer service in a call center is an exciting career where every day is a new day and a new adventure. If you're considering a career in retail customer service and you're someone who is passionate about providing exceptional...

3. Airline Operations: Flight Planning and Flight Dispatch

udemy
4.3
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Airline Operations: Master the essentials of aviation - aircraft operational control and dispatch...

4. Truck Dispatcher - Working with owner operators

udemy
4.6
(724)

Work and earn...

5. Introduction to Computer Information Systems

coursera

This Specialization is intended for anyone seeking to learn basic computer skills. Through 3 courses, you will study computer hardware, software, and data safety. You will also learn about digital literacy and productivity tools. These courses will prepare you for a number of jobs within the field of computer information systems...

6. Getting Started with Call Center Training

udemy
4.4
(607)

Call Center Training is essential for both new hires and existing staff to sharpen their skills and feel motivated...

7. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert

udemy
4.3
(484)

Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...

8. Basic Fire Safety Awareness

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4.3
(776)

Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...

9. NEBOSH FIRE SAFETY

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4.4
(252)

Managing Fire Safety in Workplace...

10. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

udemy
4.1
(314)

For Any Graduates/Engineering/Diploma/Arts & Science/Freshers/Home Users/Individuals/Desktop Support/FM/Service Engineer...

11. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning

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4.4
(1,467)

Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...

12. RF Basic Concepts & Components Radio Frequency- Entry Level

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4.4
(3,077)

RAHRF101 is a quick start to the basic RF topic and the prerequisite for Rahsoft RF Certificate...

13. High Voltage Electric Vehicle Safety

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4.4
(302)

Electric Vehicle Safety Battery Pack Fire Safety Electric Shock Safety Accidental Safety High Voltage Components...

14. Start Improving Customer Service

udemy
4.8
(2,040)

Creating a Customer Service advantage in Your department or business through communication and Customer Management...

15. Customer Service Foundation

udemy
4.5
(290)

An introductory course about understanding the foundations of Customer Service...

16. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

udemy
4.6
(414)

A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

17. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course

udemy
4.2
(339)

Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...

18. Winning Communication Skills for Telephone, Conference Calls

udemy
4.3
(2,677)

Improve Communication Skills - Use the Telephone Effectively! Avoid Phone Etiquette Blunders that Annoy...

19. Modulation in Communication System for RF Engineers RAHRF152

udemy
4.4
(456)

Analog and Digital Modulation simplified for Radio Frequency experts This course concentrates more on ideology than math...

20. The Complete Computer Forensics Course for 2023 PRO: CFCT+

udemy
4.2
(328)

Start Computer Forensics Career now and see your Growth step by step and Unlock your potential. Digital Forensics Police...

Average police dispatcher salary by education level

Police dispatchers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $39,141 annually. With a Associate degree, police dispatchers earn a median annual income of $38,831 compared to $37,770 for police dispatchers with an High School Diploma degree.
Police dispatcher education levelPolice dispatcher salary
High School Diploma or Less$37,770
Bachelor's Degree$39,141
Some College/ Associate Degree$38,831

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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