Job Details

State Trooper

The State of South Carolina, Department of Public Safety, is seeking candidates for the position of State Trooper. This is a full-time employment opportunity with a salary range of $57,361.00 to $80,622.00 annually. The position is available statewide in South Carolina.

Applicants must apply online as the department will not sponsor employment visas for this position. The selection process can take several months and requires applicants to travel to Columbia, SC, at their own expense, a minimum of four times. When completing your Work History on the state application, you MUST provide an accurate and specific answer to your "Reason for Leaving" (Resigned, Terminated, Laid-off, etc.). Failure to be completely truthful may be grounds for disqualification. Do not attach any formal training documents to this application. This information will be requested at a later time.

Job Responsibilities

Enforce all vehicle laws and other criminal laws. Patrol the highways of the state of South Carolina. Investigate collisions. Serve as a witness in criminal and civil courts. Maintain reports concerning enforcement activities. Provide information to the public regarding vehicle laws. Responsible and accountable for handling public funds.

Candidates must be hired into full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in one of the designated SCHP Critical Market Areas. The Sign-On Bonus will be paid over a series of five (5) payments as described below:

• First Payment – The employee will be paid a bonus amount of $1,500 upon the successful completion of all basic training, Criminal Justice Academy Class 1 certification training, field training, and any applicable law enforcement training requirements established for the SCHP.
• Second Payment – The employee will be paid a bonus amount of $2,000 after the successful completion of twelve (12) months of continuous service to the SCHP Critical Market Area.
• Third Payment – The employee will be paid a bonus amount of $2,000 after the successful completion of twenty-four (24) months of continuous service to the SCHP Critical Market Area.
• Fourth Payment – The employee will be paid a bonus amount of $2,000 after the successful completion of thirty-six (36) months of continuous service to the SCHP Critical Market Area.
• Fifth Payment – The employee will be paid a bonus amount of $2,500 after the successful completion of forty-eight (48) months of continuous service to the SCHP Critical Market Area.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

State Minimum Requirements - A high school diploma and experience performing patrol or investigative duties with a public law enforcement agency. A bachelor's degree may be substituted for the required law enforcement experience.

Agency Minimum Requirements - Must have at least a high school diploma and the following additional requirements:

• Must be a US citizen and at least 21 years of age prior to the hire date.
• Must be able to perform all essential and marginal job functions of a State Trooper.
• Must be a resident of South Carolina and have a valid South Carolina driver's license.
• If you are an out of state applicant, you must be a resident of South Carolina and have a valid South Carolina driver's license prior to the effective date of hire.
• Selected applicants must attend and successfully complete the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) Training Program.
• While in training you are required to live at the SC Criminal Justice Academy during the week and will not be permitted to stay on the weekends.
• Selected applicants are required to pass a pre-employment physical fitness test.
• You will also be required to participate in daily physical training.

All qualified applicants will be required to participate in an extensive background investigation to include credit check, criminal history check, driving history, history of drug use, employer and reference check, a polygraph examination, and interview board.

The background investigation will consist of contacting your current and ALL of your former employers. Please note that if you answer "NO" on the state application to the questions asking "May we contact this employer?" this will not allow the SCHP to conduct a thorough background investigation and you will not move forward in the process. Once this has been successfully completed, qualified candidates will undergo a medical screening which will consist of a TB and respiratory test, drug test and eye examination.

Candidates must meet 20/20 vision standards OR no more than 20/200 uncorrected, corrected to 20/100 or below. Candidates must also be capable of distinguishing, without corrections, three colors: green, yellow and red.

NOTE: Applicants must meet Additional Requirements to be considered for the position.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), or national origin. The department prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), or national origin.