Becoming employed as a QPS Comms officer.

[Matt8342]

Hi Guys,
While I am studying at university to become a paramedic as it is my passion. I would love to be able to do Queensland Police Communications whilst I am studying as this is probably my second passion. I know all the radio standards for the QPS as I am a keen and enthusiastic scanner. I have been told these are just public jobs you are able to do while not being employed by the QPS as a police officer. I was hoping someone on these forums might know the steps that I may need to take to make this job become possible. Not hugely related to scanning but any help would be appreciated. I have been looking on the Qld govt. jobs site for over 6 months now and set out job alerts for this type of job but nothing has come up, are there any other steps I would need to take? Any info is helpful!

Thanks, Matt!

[Phantom]

Honest Question :- How do you know all the radio standards for the QPS?

Have you thought about going to your local station and enquiring? I am sure looking thru the government websites will give you the information you seek.... Most things government are easily accessible due to their nature....

https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au

[railscan]

Honest Question :- How do you know all the radio standards for the QPS?
Have you thought about going to your local station and enquiring? I am sure looking thru the government websites will give you the information you seek.... Most things government are easily accessible due to their nature....
https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au

As someone who has been there and done that, albeit in NSW, the local police station would not have the foggiest idea about a radio communications officer's job. Generally speaking you will be required to have a good knowledge of the area in which you will be deployed, IE: Brisbane know Brisbane, Gold Coast know the Gold Coast etc. Be able to read a map and be able to communicate with persons at various levels, be able to take control of a situation while under extreme pressure, be able to multi task, be able to handle multiple situations, be able to type accurately at whatever word rate set by the department, excellent keyboard and computer skills, be able to spell (IE: through as opposed to thru), have a voice suitable for transmission by radio/telephone. There is probably a few more that I have missed but you will get the idea. One other thing, don't let them know you are a scanner enthusiast, there is a certain degree of mistrust of those who are and don't make out that you know anything, go in as if you are a novice.

Good luck and I can let you know the name of a good psychiatrist. You will need it.

R

[Phil]

One other thing, don't let them know you are a scanner enthusiast, there is a certain degree of mistrust of those who are and don't make out that you know anything, go in as if you are a novice.
R

i tend to disagree with your statement, a Police Communications Officer who was originally employed at PCC Brisbane and now has moved on elsewhere as a Comms Officer, he was known by the QPS for using a Police Scanner, i find a general understanding of there radio procedures isnt the issue more the arrogance for unwillingness to learn

[railscan]

One other thing, don't let them know you are a scanner enthusiast, there is a certain degree of mistrust of those who are and don't make out that you know anything, go in as if you are a novice.
R

i tend to disagree with your statement, a Police Communications Officer who was originally employed at PCC Brisbane and now has moved on elsewhere as a Comms Officer, he was known by the QPS for using a Police Scanner, i find a general understanding of there radio procedures isnt the issue more the arrogance for unwillingness to learn

Your opinion and you are welcome to it, however from personal experience I know otherwise, as stated albeit in NSW.

R

[Pumper_50]

One other thing, don't let them know you are a scanner enthusiast, there is a certain degree of mistrust of those who are and don't make out that you know anything, go in as if you are a novice.
R

i tend to disagree with your statement, a Police Communications Officer who was originally employed at PCC Brisbane and now has moved on elsewhere as a Comms Officer, he was known by the QPS for using a Police Scanner, i find a general understanding of there radio procedures isnt the issue more the arrogance for unwillingness to learn

I wonder if they knew before his employment?

They may have been more accepting given they found out during his employment, and as such knew him a little better so didn't pre judge him on his hobby.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk

[Phil]

No he was a moderator of a forum dedicated to scanning prior to his employment and stated he had a general understanding on radios at his meeting, that being said a lot has changed as we didn't have the apps freely available when he started


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rapps_101]

There's a lot of misinformation in this thread

To the OP:
You need to wait for vacancies to be advertised on the qld government jobs site.
You'll need (IIRC) 40wpm at 99% accuracy (proven with a typing certificate)
These days you also need to pass a hearing test which is pretty straight forward

When you say radio standards do you mean priority codes, job codes, call signs etc?
Brisbane tends to be a little more 'professional' with how it operates but because it's encrypted you wouldn't have heard much (if any) of it before. Also the call signs are a little different.

You'd be able to ask at a station however they might not have much knowledge about how we work, they also won't really be able to give you any info on how to get a job here. A lot of police on the road in Brisbane haven't been in the centre.

I can assure you that local knowledge of the local area isn't a prerequisite.

[SACFS Firey]

https://ambulance.qld.gov.au/rec-emd.html

I know its not police, but i have met more than a few dispatchers who have cross decked between services during their careers. Experience is experience, and it may help for your chosen career.