9-1-1 Police Dispatcher

What we do

A 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher is the first person a caller speaks to when calling 9‑1‑1 or requesting police assistance. Police dispatchers keep callers calm during emergencies to gather as much information as possible and help ensure the safety of both the public and police officers. Their role is critical to the delivery of RCMP police services.

Over 1,000 police dispatchers serve as the critical link between RCMP officers and the communities they protect across the country. They provide the ever-changing information officers need to do their work.

If you're ready for a meaningful career where you can make a difference in the lives of others and contribute to keeping Canadians safe — this is the career for you!

9‑1‑1 Police Dispatchers:

answer calls from the public for police and emergency help
analyze and provide information to police officers
dispatch and track police response
search databases to help with investigations

Salary and benefits

As a 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher, you'll enjoy:

competitive salary, increasing from $65,714 to $87,946 within the first 6 years of service
paid training and extra duty pay for overtime, evening, weekend and statutory holiday shifts
incremental vacation and lifetime pension
full-time and part-time opportunities across Canada, including the possibility of transfer between 18 Operational Communications Centres, including unique locations such as Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon
medical, dental and family health plans
promotional and professional development opportunities

For experienced police dispatchers from police agencies in Canada, you'll enjoy:

a competitive salary in line with your prior work experience (PO-TCO-02)
unlimited career opportunities - as an RCMP 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher you are a federal public service employee, meaning you can apply for and transfer to other RCMP and Government of Canada jobs

Read more about our experienced police dispatcher program here.

A unique work environment

As a 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher, you'll be expected to:

work shifts, including nights, evenings, weekends and holidays
remain calm in crisis situations and be exposed to traumatic, violent and disturbing events
be exposed to multiple screens, lights and noise disturbances for extended periods of time
work on short notice and overtime to meet operational needs
testify in court
travel for training and operational requirements

This career places you at the centre of critical moments and some situations can be challenging. That's why the RCMP invests in health programs and services, so you can continue to perform at your best while prioritizing your mental health and well being.

Qualifications and requirements

To apply to become a 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher, you must:

be a Canadian citizen or have permanent status in Canada
have a secondary school diploma, or employer approved alternatives (acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience)
not have a criminal record and be three years clear of any illegal activity
meet and maintain the medical profile standards established for the position
be proficient in English, and French if the position is bilingual
type 40 net words per minute

To apply as an experienced police dispatcher, you must:

have successfully completed a Canadian police call-taking and dispatching training program
have a minimum of two years experience as a telecommunications operator, within the last five years
meet all of the above qualifications and requirements of a regular applicant

9‑1‑1 Police Dispatchers are designated a safety-sensitive position and employees must comply to the RCMP's Substance Use Policy, which includes the use of cannabis.

If offered employment with the RCMP, you must be fit for duty when reporting to work, which includes not being impaired by alcohol, drugs or other substances. The policy reflects the duty of care the RCMP has for its members and the communities it serves.

Our communication centres

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Montreal, Quebec
Ottawa, Ontario
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Regina, Saskatchewan
Edmonton, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Kelowna, British Columbia
Surrey, British Columbia
Courtenay, British Columbia
Prince George, British Columbia
Whitehorse, Yukon
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Iqaluit, Nunavut

Find jobs and apply

If you meet all the qualifications and requirements, you may continue with the application and selection process.

Specific qualifications for each position are listed in job opportunities on GC Jobs.

For more information, attend a career presentation.

Experienced police dispatchers are encouraged to contact a recruiter for detailed information about the application process.

Application process

Listed below is the 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher application process. If you have questions about the application process, please contact a Recruiter or attend a career presentation.

Step 1: Submit an online application

Submit an online application on the Government of Canada's GC Jobs website. Search for opportunities labelled "9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher Trainee".

Before submitting your application, review and make sure you meet the qualifications and requirements. Your application must demonstrate how you meet the essential qualifications of the 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher Trainee position.

For bilingual positions, you will undergo language testing during the application process

Applicants that meet the screening criteria for the position will be required to attend a Career Presentation before proceeding to Step 2 of the application process.

Step 2: CritiCall pre-employment assessment

We'll contact applicants to schedule a self-administered and electronic exam called CritiCall. This exam evaluates multitasking and decision-making skills.

Applicants who successfully complete the CritiCall pre-employment assessment and are selected will advance to the next step of the application process.

If you do not successfully complete this step or any of the following steps, your application will be closed and we will let you know when you can reapply.

Step 3: Structured interview

During the interview, we'll ask questions to find out how you behaved in certain past situations. The questions also help assess the decisions you would make in hypothetical scenarios. The interview is approximately one hour in duration. Your Recruiter will provide you with a guide to help you prepare for the interview. Applicants who successfully complete the interview and are selected will advance to the next step of the application process.

Step 4: Undergo a security and medical assessment

You will complete an online application and we'll conduct reference checks and a field investigation to determine if you're eligible for the required security clearance. These checks review your personal finances, education, previous employment and character references. Applicants must be three years clear of any illegal activity.

You will need to complete a medical assessment that consists of a hearing test and a psychological assessment. Your Recruiter will provide with you the information on how to complete your medical assessment including forms and timelines to submit your documents.

You may need additional health assessments depending on the employment conditions for the province or territory where you're applying.

The security and medical assessments step may take between 8 and 12 weeks to complete. To avoid delays, please ensure all forms are complete and accurate before submission. Also, we expect for you to schedule and attend appointments when requested.

Successful applicants that are selected will be contacted and offered employment to participate in the 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher Training Program. The offer will include information about training dates, salary and benefits.

Training

After accepting the job offer, you will participate in an extensive core training program that is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to become a 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher. The location and duration of the training depends on the hiring location.

The core training program has two classroom components:

Call-taking (up to 4 weeks)
Dispatching (up to 2 weeks)

You'll receive a trainee's hourly wage of $33.58.

After completing the classroom training, you'll enter the field coaching program (up to 600 hours). You'll work in the operational communications centre under the direct supervision of a certified field coach.

Welcome to the job

Once you complete the field coaching program, you will be eligible to promote to a 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher position (TCO-02) and begin to work on your own. Your hourly wage will increase to $36.94.

Contact us

The RCMP holds recruiting events including career presentations for people interested in 9‑1‑1 Police Dispatcher careers. Events are held in several communities throughout the year.

B Division - Newfoundland and Labrador: Email: psapplicants@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
C Division - Québec: Email: cdiv_rhfp-hrps@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
D Division - Manitoba: Email: rcmp.doccrecruiting.grc@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
E Division - British Columbia: Email: e_911recruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: 9‑1‑1 police dispatcher careers in British Columbia
F Division - Saskatchewan: Email: rcmp.foccrecruiting-fstorecrutement.grc@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Telephone: 639-625-3770
G Division - Northwest Territories: Email: goccrecruiting-gstorecrutement@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
H Division - Nova Scotia: Email: hdiv-occstaffing@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
J Division - New Brunswick: Email: nbrcmpocc.stogrcnb@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
K Division - Alberta: Email: rcmp.koccrecruiting-kstorecrutement.grc@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
L Division - Prince Edward Island: Email: lpshr-rhfpl@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
M Division - Yukon: Email: mdiv_occ_recruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
O Division - Ontario: Email: rcmp.odivo_pscm_staffing-dotation_fpmc.grc@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
V Division - Nunavut: Email: vdiv.occ.recruiting-divv.sto.recrutement@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Date modified:: 2026-04-23

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Royal Canadian Mounted Police