Charleston County Sheriff Department Jobs
The members of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office provide a number of specialized services to help keep the citizens of this South Carolina County safe. Ranging from a K9 team to a marine patrol, the Deputy Sheriffs of Charleston County have a wide range of law enforcement training.
Here are the steps you must go through if you’re interested in learning how to become a Sheriff’s Deputy in Charleston County:
- Meet the Basic Qualifications
- Written Examination
- Physical Fitness Testing
- Polygraph Examination
- Psychological Examination
- Background Check
- Interview
- Medical Examination
- Attend South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy for Training
Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications to Become a Sheriff Deputy in Charleston County
You need to meet the following requirements to be an acceptable candidate for a Charleston County Sheriff Deputy:
- You cannot have had any convictions besides minor traffic offenses.
- You must have reached 21 years of age.
- You must possess either a:
- GED
- High school diploma
- You must be in possession of a valid SC driver’s license.
Step 2. Written Examination
You will have to take a written exam to ensure that you have the basic skills to become a Deputy Sheriff in Charleston County.
Step 3. Physical Fitness Testing
Once you have successfully completed your written examination, you will be invited to take a test of your physical fitness.
Step 4. Polygraph Examination
After you qualified with your physical fitness test, you will undergo a polygraph test about your background.
Step 5. Psychological Examination
Once you have passed your lie detector test, you will be examined by a psychologist to make sure that you have the fortitude to be a Deputy Sheriff in Charleston County.
Step 6. Background Check
After you have been found to be psychologically fit, your background will be investigated. This involves a NCIC check, along with checks of your:
- Credit history
- Employment history
- References
Step 7. Interview
Once you have been cleared by your background investigation, a panel will interview you to help ascertain whether or not you have the proper demeanor to be a Charleston County Deputy Sheriff.
Step 8. Medical Examination
After you have succeeded in being chosen to join the ranks of the Deputy Sheriffs in Charleston County, you will undergo a complete physical examination. This includes drug screening.
Step 9. Attend South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy for Training
Having been cleared by a doctor, the next step will be to go to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and be trained as a Deputy Sheriff. You will be trained with coursework and rigorous physical training. You will be tested on your ability to:
- Crawl
- Climb
- Through a window
- Up a fence (chain link)
- Up stairs
- Drag a 150 lb simulated body 20 feet
- Run and change directions as you run
- Jump
- Broadly
- Over low hurdles
Greenville County Sheriff Department Jobs
The greater than 400 deputies of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina handled over 13,000 reported crimes in the county in 2011. Crime rates from 2009 to 2011 did not increase appreciably.
Following these seven steps will help you learn how to become a Sheriff’s Deputy in Greenville County:
- Meet the Basic Qualifications
- Interview
- Background Check
- Polygraph Examination
- Physical, Medical, and Psychological Testing
- Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training
- Undergo Field Training
Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications to Become a Sheriff Deputy in Greenville County
You must meet certain requirements if you want to be considered for a job as a Greenville County Sheriff Deputy:
- You must have South Carolina residency when commissioned.
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You must have either a high school diploma or a GED equivalent.
- You must U.S. citizenship.
- You must have a South Carolina driver’s license.
- You must not have a criminal history.
- You must have had an honorable discharge (if applicable).
- You cannot have any illegal drug usage within two years of your application date.
Step 2. Interview
Once you have been selected to be a candidate suitable to be a Deputy Sheriff in Greenville County, a panel of people will interview you to assess your interests, character, and suitability to proceed with the hiring process.
Step 3. Background Check
After you have passed your interview and found to be one of the most highly qualified candidates to become a Deputy Sheriff in Greenville County, the department will thoroughly investigate your background. They will check such things in your history as your:
- Credit
- Driving
- Criminal
- Civil Checks in every county that you have lived in
Step 4. Polygraph Examination
Once your background check has cleared you to proceed with the hiring process, your next step will be to take a lie detector test.
Step 5. Physical, Medical, and Psychological Testing
After your polygraph examination has shown all of your statements to be true, you will be offered employment conditionally. You will be given a test to assess your physical ability. You will also be screened by a physician and psychologist to make sure your physical and mental health is good enough for you to become a Sheriff Deputy in Greenville County.
Step 6. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training
Once you have successfully passed your physical, medical, and psychological training, you will be trained at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy for 12 weeks. You will take coursework in law enforcement and the judicial system, along with a physical abilities test that simulates the physical tasks required in a law enforcement job. These include:
- Crawling
- Climbing
- Stairs
- Chain-link fence
- Through a window
- Running
- Changing directions while running
- Jumping
- Broad type
- Low hurdles
- Dragging a 150 pound weight for 20 feet
Step 7. Undergo Field Training
After you have completed your academy training, you will be trained in the field for 12 weeks. You will be paired alongside a Master Deputy Instructor who will demonstrate the position for 4 weeks. You will then be transferred to the following divisions for 2 weeks:
- Burglary
- Communications
- Forensics
- Judicial services
- Narcotics
Your next step will be 4 additional weeks in Uniform Patrol, followed by two weeks of observation.
Richland County Sheriff Department Jobs
Over 550 uniformed officers work for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. It is one of the largest law enforcement departments in South Carolina.
Here are the steps you need to take if you’re interested in learning how to become a Sheriff Deputy in Richland County:
- Meet the Basic Qualifications
- Background Check
- Physical Agility Test
- Firearms Test
- Written Examinations
- Polygraph Examination
- Board Interview
- Sheriff’s Interview
- Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training
Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications to Become a Sheriff Deputy in Richland County
You must meet the following requirements if you want to be considered for a job as a Richland County Sheriff Deputy:
- You must have a high school education:
- High school diploma
- GED
- You must not have any of the following convictions:
- Criminal domestic violence
- Criminal offense involving moral turpitude
- Criminal offense that has a sentence of a year or more
- DUI
- Involuntary manslaughter
- Reckless homicide
- Leaving an accident’s scene
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You must lack a history of using illegal drugs.
- You must possess a driver’s license that is valid in South Carolina.
- You must provide a birth certificate or a comparable document.
- You must provide documentation from a medical examiner or licensed physician that you are in good health.
Step 2. Background Check
Once you have been found to be qualified and chosen to be a candidate for Deputy Sheriff in Richland County, the department will thoroughly investigate you and your background to make sure that you are of good character. This process includes:
- Fingerprinting
- Check for felony convictions by the:
- South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Credit check
Step 3. Physical Agility Test
After your background check has been successfully completed, you will have to perform all of the following tasks in 6:18:
- 200 yard run
- 20 steps on an aerobics step bench
- Push-ups 15 times
- Sit-ups 15 times
- 20 steps on an aerobics step bench
- Push-ups 15 times
- Sit-ups 15 times
- 200 yard run
Step 4. Firearms Test
Once you have been found physically fit to be a Deputy Sheriff in Richland County, your skill in using firearms will be examined.
Step 5. Written Examinations
After you have been found to be able to shoot well, you will take two different writing tests. One will examine your ability to spell, while the other will involve writing an essay. At this time, you will also complete a booklet in preparation for your polygraph examination. You will also have to give written consent to be able to be examined by a polygraph specialist.
Step 6. Polygraph Examination
Once you have passed the written examinations, you will undergo a lie detector test to ensure that your answers about your background have been truthful.
Step 7. Board Interview
After you have passed your polygraph examination, you will be interviewed by a panel to ensure that you are a good candidate to be a Deputy Sheriff in Richland County.
Step 8. Sheriff’s Interview
Once you have been recommended by the Interview Board, the Sheriff will interview you to make the final decision about your application.
Step 9. Attend Sheriff’s Academy for Training
Once the Sheriff has approved you as a candidate, you will undergo training to become a Deputy Sheriff in Richland Academy. This will take place at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.
This training will involve coursework on procedures involved in being a law enforcement officer. Your training will also have a strong physical component. You will have to pass a test of physical abilities including:
- Running straight and changing directions
- Climbing
- Fence (chain-link)
- Stairs
- Through a window
- Dragging a weight that weighs 150 lbs for 20 feet
- Crawling
- Jumping both broadly and low hurdles