How to become a 911 dispatcher in Nevada
In Nevada, 911 dispatchers are hired by city, county and regional 911 centers. The Nevada Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training (POST) - voluntary law enforcement dispatcher program sets the statewide standards; the credential is Law Enforcement Dispatcher certificate (voluntary, Nevada POST). At the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Communications Bureau, new hires start at $53,318 a year, rising to $85,037. You must be at least 18.
Pay at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Communications Bureau
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Communications Bureau, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $53,318 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $85,037 |
| Scale effective | 2025-02-12 |
LVMPD 911 Professional I bulletin C25-007 (opened 02/12/2025): starting annual salary $53,318.34; six months after hire (4% merit) $55,451.07; 12 months after hire on completing probation (911 Professional II) $57,448.08; top of the 911 Professional II range (4% annual merit increases) $85,037.19. Pay set by the Police Protective Association Civilian Employees contract. Bulletin header range for 911 Professional I: $26.57-$39.33 hourly ($55,265.60-$81,806.40). Education incentive for associate/bachelor's/master's degrees.
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Pay for this work across Nevada
Federal survey figures for public safety telecommunicators in Nevada, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 1,010 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $45,170 |
| Median pay | $60,040 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $87,240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school diploma or GED
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen/naturalized citizen or permanent resident alien without conditions on status
- No statewide training or certification mandate for 911 telecommunicators (as of 2026-10-28): Nevada POST's law enforcement dispatcher training program is voluntary (NRS 289.650; NAC 289.335)
- State has no telecommunicator hiring minimums; age, education, citizenship and the items below are the posted minimums of the largest-city agency (LVMPD 911 Professional I)
- Minimum typing speed of 35 net wpm (after errors); age 18 and citizenship/permanent residency by the date of the first test instrument
- Background investigation including a polygraph; must meet LVMPD Hiring Standards; random drug screening
- Trainees must complete the LVMPD Communications Academy and Communications Training and Evaluation Program during probation
- Voluntary POST law enforcement dispatcher certificate (NAC 289.340): currently employed as a law enforcement dispatcher, authorized NCIC user, and completed the 120-hour Commission course
- Emergency medical dispatcher certification is a separate state program (NAC 450B.456: at least 18 and complete training under a national standard or Division-approved equivalent)
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Hiring process
- Online application (screened pass/fail for minimum qualifications)
- Online CritiCall exam (weighted 100%)
- Mandatory seminar, then placement on the eligibility list
- Background investigation including polygraph (about 90-120 days)
- Communications Academy and Communications Training and Evaluation Program during probation
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Entrance exam
CritiCall (LVMPD pre-employment test). No state certification exam. LVMPD's online CritiCall pass requires an Overall Data Entry score of 3,700 keystrokes per hour or higher AND an Overall Non-Data Entry score of 70% or higher; keyboard portion requires 35 net wpm. Measures typing accuracy, call summarization, cross referencing, data entry, decision making, map reading, memory recall and sentence clarity. A passing score is reused for 18 months.[governmentjobs.com]
Required training
Length not published. No state-required initial training. The voluntary Nevada POST law enforcement dispatcher course is 120 hours (communications technology, course administration/testing, criminal law, effective communication, excited delirium, and more) (NAC 289.335). LVMPD trainees complete its own Communications Academy during probation; its length is not stated in the bulletin.[leg.state.nv.us]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Public Employees' Retirement System of Nevada (NVPERS) - Regular members
- Benefit formula: 2.25% × years of service × average compensation (highest 36 consecutive months); capped at 75% of average compensation
- When you can retire: Enrolled on/after July 1, 2015: age 65 with 5 years, age 62 with 10 years, age 55 with 30 years, or any age with 33 1/3 years; early retirement reduced 6% per full year under retirement age plus 0.5% per additional month
Rules for regular members enrolled on or after 7/1/2015 (PERS benefit rules sheet; FY25 ACFR).
Source:[nvpers.org]