How to become a 911 dispatcher in South Dakota

Pay at the Metro Communications Agency (Sioux Falls)

Each city and county sets its own pay.

The City of Sioux Falls careers pages list no pay range for Metro Emergency Communications Operators; they mention 'highly competitive pay' and hiring incentives up to $3,000 for operators hired in 2026.

Source:[siouxfalls.gov]

Pay for this work across South Dakota

Federal survey figures for public safety telecommunicators in South Dakota, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]

Requirements

• Minimum age: 18
• Education: Graduate of an accredited high school or high school equivalency certificate acceptable to the commission
• Citizenship: U.S. citizen
• Fingerprinted by a qualified law enforcement officer; good moral character
• Examined and certified by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner as able to perform the duties
• Interviewed and hired by an agency; background investigation covering driving and criminal history, prior employment, references, credit reports, social media, and training records
• No unlawful use of prescribed drugs, controlled substances, or marijuana within one year before applying for certification
• No guilty plea or conviction for any offense punishable by more than one year of incarceration (ARSD 2:05:01:02)
• May serve as a noncertified 911 telecommunicator for at most twelve cumulative months while completing the 80-hour basic course (ARSD 2:05:02:02)
• Certification expires at the end of the 24th month after leaving 911 telecommunicator employment

Source:[sdlegislature.gov]

Hiring process

1. Apply and meet minimum qualifications
2. Keyboarding exam and listen/written exam
3. Metro Communications Ops 101 presentation and interview
4. Contingent job offer
5. Psychological evaluation, background check, medical exam with hearing test, drug and alcohol screening, credit check
6. Paid two-week South Dakota 911 Telecommunicator course in Pierre plus 3 days of EMD training
7. 12-month probationary period

Source:[siouxfalls.gov]

Entrance exam

Basic 911 Telecommunicator course written and skills examinations. To complete the course an applicant must pass all written and skills examinations; a failed test may be retaken within seven days, and no test may be taken more than twice (ARSD 2:05:02:06).[sdlegislature.gov]

Required training

80 hours minimum, 2 weeks, paid. ARSD 2:05:02:05: basic course of at least 80 hours (program administration, communication skills, telecommunicator practices, legal aspects, human behavior). The AG's office runs the 2-week, 80-hour Basic 911 Telecommunicator Course three times a year; all dispatchers must attend within one year of hire. An optional 3-day EMD course follows.[siouxfalls.gov]

Pension and retirement

• Plan: South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS), Class A
• Benefit formula: Generational members (contributory service began after June 30, 2017): 1.8% of final average compensation per year of Class A credited service (SDCL 3-12C-1204); FAC = highest 20 consecutive quarters in the last 40 (SDCL 3-12C-1201)
• When you can retire: Normal retirement age 67 for Class A service, with three or more years of service; early retirement allowed in the ten years before normal retirement age, reduced 5% per year (SDCL 3-12C-1203, 3-12C-1207)

SDRS covers state and participating local government employees. Pay.employer's own retirement plan was not checked.

Source:[sdlegislature.gov]