Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between police dispatchers and communications dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a police dispatcher has an average salary of $37,402, which is higher than the $35,153 average annual salary of a communications dispatcher.
The top three skills for a police dispatcher include computer aided dispatch, patrol and CAD. The most important skills for a communications dispatcher are computer aided dispatch, CAD, and emergency situations.
| Police Dispatcher | Communications Dispatcher | |
| Yearly salary | $37,402 | $35,153 |
| Hourly rate | $17.98 | $16.90 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 6,964 | 19,172 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Police Dispatchers are responsible for assessing incoming calls and deploying police resources using professional judgment. Their duties include answering emergency calls from agencies and the public, gathering information from police systems and call handlers, conducting priority assessments based on vulnerability and risks, and liaising with police officers to determine the logistics of place and time of an incident lodged. They also help facilitate investigations, reassure victims, and maintain accurate incident records.
Communications dispatchers are responsible for answering emergency calls and dispatch officials to sort out the situation. They are often called 911 operators or 911 dispatchers and respond to the calls from the public and relay the messages to the medical personnel, police, or the fire staff to the scene of the emergency occasion. Typical duties of communications dispatchers include receiving and responding to emergency calls, recording the calls, evaluating incidents, and prioritizing calls. Their job requires them to earn a certain certification as well as training. Interpersonal and strong listening skills are vital in this field.
Police dispatchers and communications dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Police Dispatcher | Communications Dispatcher | |
| Average salary | $37,402 | $35,153 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | City of Seattle | City of Richmond |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a police dispatcher and a communications dispatcher in terms of educational background:
| Police Dispatcher | Communications Dispatcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between police dispatchers' and communications dispatchers' demographics:
| Police Dispatcher | Communications Dispatcher | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.6% Female, 64.4% | Male, 29.6% Female, 70.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 17% | 17% |