Police Academy Requirements In South Carolina & Qualifications Needed to Be a Police Officer in South Carolina
If you want to be a police officer in the state of South Carolina, the process is not going to be easy. In fact, sometimes the hiring process may take upwards of six months. Basically, don’t quit your day job until you get hired.
You’ll have to successfully complete the lengthy employment application correctly. After that, you’ll have to pass the physical fitness test, written exam, polygraph test, and the oral board interview just to name a few other steps in the process.
The toughest test of them all will be waiting for you at the South Carolina police academy. To be perfectly honest with you, the recruits that you see on day one won’t be there on the final graduation day. Some recruits will simply quit, while others will get dismissed because of poor scores on the curriculum course exams.
That’s why it’s so important to study up on the police academy curriculum no less than two weeks before you go to the academy. You can study up on the curriculum by downloading a police academy preparation guide at any law enforcement website.
Here are some of the requirements needed to be a police officer in South Carolina, as well as what is needed to enroll in the police training academy.
South Carolina Police Academy Requirements and South Carolina Police Officer Qualifications
- At least 21 years of age
- US Citizen (South Carolina Residency is not required)
- High School Graduate or GED
- 20/20 vision OR no more than 20/100 corrected to 20/20
- NO CRIMINAL RECORD
- Driving Record shall be clear of any suspension for the last 5 years as a result of alcoholic beverage or dangerous drug violation, or leaving the scene of an accident. The overall driving record will be evaluated placing emphasis on the severity, date and age, time span, and number of violations accumulated.
- Must be able to perform all of the essential and marginal job functions of a police officer.
Here’s a complete list of the state approved law enforcement training academies in South Carolina. If you want information on tuition, physical fitness test, and the curriculum course exams. Contact the facility directly below.
SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL
5400 Broad River Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29210
Phone: 803-896-7920
Fax: 803-896-7922
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Charleston, South Carolina)
2000 Bainbridge Avenue
Charleston, SC 29405
Phone: 843-566-8551
South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy
5400 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29212
Phone: 803.896.7777
