Indio CHP hiring for Public Safety Dispatchers

The California Highway Patrol is hiring public safety dispatchers for its Indio office. Dispatchers are the first point of contact for people in emergency situations.

The CHP office in Indio covers 6,000 square miles, extending from the Arizona state line to the San Bernardino County line and from Imperial to Riverside County. California Highway Patrol responds primarily to traffic emergencies on highways and unincorporated roads.

Dispatchers are responsible for answering 911 calls, monitoring radios, communicating with in field units and collecting data. Staff members at the Indio CHP office say dispatchers are diligent workers. "They need to have really tough skin and work well under pressure," said Mariah Napier, public safety dispatcher.

Working as a dispatcher for the CHP is different than working for a municipal police department. "We primarily handle traffic in unincorporated areas, like on freeways," said Desiree Mills, public safety dispatcher. "We also manage crime incidents that occur on freeways or state routes. We receive a lot more calls because we handle all the cell phone calls that happen on and around the freeway."

Dispatchers undergo extensive training at CHP Headquarters. "Typically, we attend the Academy in Northern California for about three weeks to train on phones. Then we come back and we train on phones for about 3 months. And then we go ahead and go back to the academy for radio training for another 2 weeks and then we come back and we train on radio for about 3 months," said Mariah Napier, public safety dispatcher.

While the job is demanding, dispatchers say the experience is rewarding. If you're interested in applying for a position with the California Highway Patrol, visit their website.