How to become a 911 dispatcher in Montana
In Montana, 911 dispatchers are hired by city, county and regional 911 centers. The Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council sets the statewide standards; the credential is Public Safety Communications Officer (POST basic certificate). You must be at least 18.
Pay at the Billings City/County 911 Center (City of Billings Communication Center)
Each city and county sets its own pay.
Pay for this work across Montana
Federal survey figures for public safety telecommunicators in Montana, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 560 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $39,310 |
| Median pay | $47,640 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $61,270 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school graduate or high school equivalency diploma
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- MCA 7-31-202: must be fingerprinted with a search of local, state and national fingerprint files; may not have been convicted of a crime for which the person could have been imprisoned in a federal or state penitentiary; good moral character determined by a thorough background investigation; plus any additional qualifications set by the POST Council
- MCA 7-31-203: a local government must require anyone appointed to receive 911 requests and dispatch emergency units to be certified by the POST Council; certification standards require completing the Montana Law Enforcement Academy basic course for public safety communications officers within 1 year of hire; failure is cause for termination
- Basic certificate issued on application after meeting standards, a 6-month probationary term and 1 year of employment; acting while certification is suspended or revoked is a misdemeanor
- MLEA: public safety communicators must also be certified by the DOJ CJIN Services Section to operate Criminal Justice Information Network terminals
Source:[leg.mt.gov]
Required training
2 weeks. MLEA Public Safety Communicator (PSC) Basic Course: 'a two-week course' (2021 MLEA page); the 2024-25 schedule shows an online portion of about 3-4 weeks followed by about two weeks in person (e.g. course 104: online Oct. 5-26, 2025, in person Nov. 10-21, 2025), with separate EMD classes. MLEA says its basic courses range from 80 to 504 hours but does not give the PSC course hours. Must be completed within 1 year of hire (MCA 7-31-203). Read via Wayback copies of dojmt.gov/mlea (live site behind a bot check).[dojmt.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Montana Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Defined Benefit Retirement Plan
- Benefit formula: Members hired on/after July 1, 2011: less than 10 years of membership service, 1.5% of highest average compensation × years of service credit; 10 to less than 30 years, one fifty-sixth (about 1.786%) of highest average compensation × years; 30 or more years, 2% × highest average compensation × years (MCA 19-3-904)
- When you can retire: Hired on/after July 1, 2011: service retirement at age 65 with 5 years of membership service, or at age 70 regardless of service; early retirement at age 55 with 5 years (MCA 19-3-901, 19-3-902)
Eligibility from https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0190/chapter_0030/part_0090/section_0010/0190-0030-0090-0010.html and section_0020. City of Billings employees are PERS members (the Teamsters contract references the employer's PERS rate). PERS also offers a defined contribution plan option (not covered here).
Source:[leg.mt.gov]