Job Details

State Trooper

Employer: State of South Carolina

Salary: $58,222.00 - $80,622.00 Annually

Location: Statewide, SC

Job Type: FTE - Full-Time

Agency: Department of Public Safety

Hiring Range - Min. $59,386.00 - Hiring Range - Max. $82,166.00

EEO Statement: Equal Opportunity Employer

Agency Specific Application Procedures: APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE. The Department of Public Safety will not sponsor employment visas for this position.

The testing and selection process can take several months and applicants are required to travel to Columbia, SC a minimum of four times at their own expense. 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. Residency Requirement (specifics): State Troopers must reside in their assigned Post. If the Trooper resides outside of their assigned Post, the residence must be in a location that will allow them to respond within 45 minutes to the county line in which their assigned Post is located. Veteran Preference Statement South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.

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 public regarding vehicle laws. Responsible and accountable for handling public funds.

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: In-State Applicants - Must have graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy as a Class One Certified Officer. OR Out-of-State Applicants - Must have graduated from or completed a basic law enforcement course or equivalent (including Military/Federal Training) based on the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy requirements and be able to provide documentation of completion, in addition to the curriculum or syllabus showing the hours and topics of the training, a completed Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) letter from your current or most recent agency; and a letter of good standing from your current or most recent agency.

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 Justice Academy (Special Basic Class) and 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.
• If you are an out-of-state applicant, you will also be required to supply the employment office with the following documentation to be considered for the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Special Basic (Out-of-State Transfer): Certificate of Completion - Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) course, A copy of the curriculum/syllabus showing hours and topics of training, A completed letter (POST) from your current or most recent agency, A letter of good standing from your current or most recent agency.

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 Tuberculosis (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.

Additional Comments

County assignments are based on critical need areas. This means you may or may not be assigned to your county of choice. Your assignment will ONLY be based on "existing needs." Therefore, if you are unable to relocate to a critical need area, an offer of employment may be rescinded.

Starting salary for certified South Carolina Class I Law Enforcement Officers will range from $59,386 - $82,166 depending on the length of time you have been certified as a Law Enforcement Officer and actively employed in a law enforcement position prior to being hired at SCDPS.

The next step after submitting this application will be an administrative review (Credit/Criminal/Driving Checks). If you successfully pass the administrative review, you will be invited to attend a Physical Agilities Test (PAT). Start physically preparing NOW for the test as the appointment comes VERY QUICKLY. For the PAT appointment, you will need to bring with you the following documents: A copy of your high school diploma, a copy of your DD-214 (member 4) military discharge (if applicable), a copy of your birth certificate (or naturalization certificate) and a copy of your South Carolina driver's license (you will also need the official original copies of any out of state driver's license records you have held in any other state within the past five (5) years). Start gathering these documents NOW, and have them ready so you can attend the PAT appointment. In accordance with the agency's policy regarding Testing-Designated Positions, all applicants will be required to submit to a mandatory urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to employment.

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.