If you’re job hunting, the Florida Highway Patrol says you could move through the hiring process quickly — with testing, interviews, and background steps happening in one place.
FHP is holding a two-day streamlined hiring event for dispatchers at its Sanford regional communications center, where dispatchers serve as “The critical link” between the public and troopers on the road.
“They’re going to come in. We’re going to do the critical assessment, which is a skills test on the computer — just testing your typing skills, things like that, retention,” said kristen Costa, a communications manager who works in highway safety.
Costa said applicants who pass can move to an oral interview, then fingerprinting. FHP says a background investigator will also be on site so the background process can start right away.
For those hired, Costa said the job requires extensive training — and can be one of the most rewarding roles in public safety.
“If I can talk to you on the phone … you’ve just been in a crash, whatever the case may be, and I’m the person that’s got to kind of calm you down, get the information so we can get you help,” Costa said.
When and where
The event is scheduled for:
- Friday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Location: Sanford Regional Communications Center, 4975 Wilson Road, Sanford, FL 32771.
What to bring, who can apply
FHP says applicants must be 18 or older and should bring:
- A resume
- A government-issued photo ID
- Pay and shifts
According to FHP, the base salary is $37,936.80.
FHP says applicants who live in Orange, Brevard, Seminole, Osceola, or Lake counties may qualify for an additional $5,000 in “Critical market pay,” bringing the total to $42,936.60.
Shift hours listed by FHP include:
- Day shift – 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Evening shift – 1:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (15% shift differential)
- Midnight shift – 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. (10% shift differential)