Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Careers

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office recognizes that the hiring process is a key event in the operational effectiveness of any law enforcement agency. As a result, we are committed in our effort to actively recruit highly motivated, quality individuals for positions in law enforcement. As a Deputy Sheriff, you will become part of a team dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for its citizens. Our agency is known as one of the most professional and innovative law enforcement agencies in the southeast.

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Hiring Process
Job Opportunities
Employment FAQs

Hiring Process: Interested persons enter a highly competitive selection process.

Apply online
Oral interview board
Typing test (Communications)
Physical abilities test (Deputy I)
Rigorous background investigation
Polygraph examination
Medical exam
Psychological testing
Drug screen
Final hiring decision

DEPUTY I (Non-certified)

Non-Certified: Less than 1 year of experience with or without state certification, annual salary shown based on an 85.75 hour pay period with overtime included on a Uniform Patrol schedule.

Salary:

$21.99/Hr with a high school diploma or GED
($50,681 per year)
$23.09/Hr with an Associate’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($53,215 per year)
$24.19/Hr with a Bachelor’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($55,749 per year)
$25.29/Hr with a Master’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($58,283 per year)
Bi-Lingual (Spanish) 5% over starting pay
Current Basic EMT Certification may receive 2.5% over starting pay upon completion of field training
Current Paramedic Certification may receive 5% over starting pay upon completion of field training

South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy: Once employed as a deputy sheriff, you will complete four weeks of academy training at the Greenville County Center for Advanced Training. You will then complete eight weeks at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia.

Overtime Pay: Any hours worked in excess of 80 hours (bi-weekly) are compensated at a rate of time and a half.

Holiday Pay: Any hours worked during one of the 11 scheduled paid county holidays is compensated at a rate of time and a half. In addition, you will be compensated for the 8 hours of scheduled holiday pay.

Benefits:

Free Standard Medical Health Insurance for employees with participation in clinical health assessment including a $500 health care reimbursement account for medical-related expenses.
Vision Insurance.
Free Dental Insurance for employees.
Life Insurance (County provides $50,000, additional supplemental insurance can be purchased).
State law enforcement retirement at 27 years of service.
Annual leave is accrued per pay period (accrual rate depends on years of service).
Sick leave is accrued per pay period.
Workers’ Compensation.
Up to $600 tuition reimbursement per course for undergraduate courses. Up to $700 tuition reimbursement per course for graduate courses.
Take home car available after successful completion of Field Training Program.

Applicants Must:

Be of good moral character.
At least 21 years of age.
A South Carolina resident when commissioned.
A US citizen.
Able to successfully complete a medical examination, physical abilities test, polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug screening, and background investigation.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Have a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
Have a good driving record.
Have a clean criminal history.
Have a satisfactory credit history.
Must not have a Bad Conduct Discharge or Dishonorable Discharge from the military (if applicable).

Note: Applicants must not have been convicted of a DUI within 5 years of the application date.

DEPUTY II (Certified)

Pay Scale Prior Experience Non-GCSO

Pay Scale Prior Experience With GCSO

Pay Incentives: Deputy II

Experience incentive will be based upon years of service
Associate’s Degree (Law Enforcement Related) 5% over starting pay
Bachelor’s Degree (Law Enforcement Related) 10% over starting pay
Master’s Degree (Law Enforcement Related) 15% over starting pay
Bi-Lingual (Spanish) 5% over starting pay
Current Basic EMT Certification may receive 2.5% over starting pay upon completion of field training
Current Paramedic Certification may receive 5% over starting pay upon completion of field training

South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy: Certified officers from other states may qualify for a two-week cross-over training held at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Center for Advanced Training. Out-of-state certified officers must have at least one year of law enforcement experience since their date of certification to qualify for the two-week cross-over training. Officers with less than a year of experience would need to complete the entire twelve-week South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.

Overtime Pay: Any hours worked in excess of 80 hours (bi-weekly) are compensated at a rate of time and a half. Deputies assigned to Uniform Patrol work a scheduled 85.75 hours per pay period.

Benefits:

Free Standard Medical Health Insurance for employees with participation in clinical health assessment including a $500 health care reimbursement account for medical-related expenses.
Vision Insurance.
Free Dental Insurance for employees.
Life Insurance (County provides $50,000, additional supplemental insurance can be purchased).
State law enforcement retirement at 27 years of service.
Annual leave is accrued per pay period (accrual rate depends on years of service).
Sick leave is accrued per pay period.
Workers’ Compensation.
Up to $600 tuition reimbursement per course for undergraduate courses. Up to $700 tuition reimbursement per course for graduate courses.
Take home car available after successful completion of Field Training Program.

Applicants Must:

Be of good moral character.
At least 21 years of age.
A South Carolina resident when commissioned.
A US citizen.
Able to successfully complete a medical examination, polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug screening, and background investigation.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Have a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
Have a good driving record.
Have a clean criminal history.
Have a satisfactory credit history.
Must not have a Bad Conduct Discharge or Dishonorable Discharge from the military (if applicable).

Note: Applicants must not have been convicted of a DUI within 5 years of the application date.

CLASS 3 DEPUTY

Non-Certified: Less than one year of experience with or without state certification, annual salary shown based on an 80 hour pay period.

Salary:

$20.46/Hr with a high school diploma or GED
($42,568 per year)
$21.48/Hr with an Associate’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($44,696 per year)
$22.51/Hr with a Bachelor’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($46,824 per year)
$23.53/Hr with a Master’s Degree in a law enforcement related field
($48,953 per year)
Bi-Lingual (Spanish) 5% over starting pay

Class III (Certified)

Pay Scale Prior Experience Non-GCSO

Pay Scale Prior Experience with GCSO

Duty assignments: Posts include front desk, court security, prisoner transport, and administrative support positions.

South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy: Non-Certified Class 3 deputies will complete an eight-week training program at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Center for Advanced Training.

Overtime Pay: Any hours worked in excess of 80 hours (bi-weekly) are compensated at a rate of time and a half.

Benefits:

Free Standard Medical Health Insurance for employees with participation in clinical health assessment including a $500 health care reimbursement account for medical-related expenses.
Vision Insurance.
Free Dental Insurance for employees.
Life Insurance (County provides $50,000, additional supplemental insurance can be purchased).
State law enforcement retirement at 27 years of service.
Annual leave is accrued per pay period (accrual rate depends on years of service).
Sick leave is accrued per pay period.
Workers’ Compensation.
Up to $600 tuition reimbursement per course for undergraduate courses. Up to $700 tuition reimbursement per course for graduate courses.

Applicants Must:

Be of good moral character.
At least 21 years of age.
A South Carolina resident when commissioned.
A US citizen.
Able to successfully complete a medical examination, polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug screening, and background investigation.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Have a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
Have a good driving record.
Have a clean criminal history.
Have a satisfactory credit history.
Must not have a Bad Conduct Discharge or Dishonorable Discharge from the military (if applicable).

Note: Applicants must not have been convicted of a DUI within 5 years of the application date.

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Annual salary shown based on an 84 hour pay period with overtime included.

Salary (Non-certified):

$19.25/Hr with a high school diploma or GED
($44,050 per year)
$20.21/Hr with an Associate’s Degree in a job-related field
($46,252 per year)
$21.17/Hr with a Bachelor’s Degree in a job-related field
($48,455 per year)
$22.14/Hr with a Master’s Degree in a job-related field
($50,657 per year)
Bi-Lingual (Spanish) 5% over starting pay

Pay Scale Prior Experience Non-GCSO

Pay Scale Prior Experience with GCSO

Position Responsibilities: This position is responsible for answering 911 and non-emergency calls from the public. You will also enter information received from calls into the Computer Aided Dispatch system and will dispatch the calls to deputies over the radio.

Overtime Pay: Any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week are compensated at a rate of time and a half.

Benefits:

Free Standard Medical Health Insurance for employees with participation in clinical health assessment including a $500 health care reimbursement account for medical-related expenses.
Vision Insurance.
Free Dental Insurance for employees.
Life Insurance (County provides $50,000, additional supplemental insurance can be purchased).
State Retirement.
Annual leave is accrued per pay period (accrual rate depends on years of service).
Sick leave is accrued per pay period.
Workers’ Compensation.
Up to $600 tuition reimbursement per course for undergraduate courses. Up to $700 tuition reimbursement per course for graduate courses.

Applicants Must:

Be of good moral character.
At least 18 years of age.
A South Carolina resident when hired.
A US citizen.
Able to successfully complete a medical examination, polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug screening, and background investigation.
Able to type 35 corrected words per minute
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Have a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
Have a good driving record.
Have a clean criminal history.
Have a satisfactory credit history.
Must not have a Bad Conduct Discharge or Dishonorable Discharge from the military (if applicable).

Note: Applicants must not have been convicted of a DUI within 5 years of the application date.

CALL TAKER

Annual salary shown based on an 84 hour pay period with overtime included.

Salary (Non-certified):

$17.00/Hr with a high school diploma or GED
($38,900 per year)
$17.85/Hr with an Associate’s Degree in a job-related field
($40,845 per year)
$18.70/Hr with a Bachelor’s Degree in a job-related field
($42,790 per year)
$19.55/Hr with a Master’s Degree in a job-related field
($44,735 per year)
Bi-Lingual (Spanish) 5% over starting pay

Pay Scale Prior Experience Non-GCSO

Pay Scale Prior Experience with GCSO

Overtime Pay: Any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week are compensated at a rate of time and a half.

Benefits:

Free Standard Medical Health Insurance for employees with participation in clinical health assessment including a $500 health care reimbursement account for medical-related expenses.
Vision Insurance.
Free Dental Insurance for employees.
Life Insurance (County provides $50,000, additional supplemental insurance can be purchased).
State Retirement.
Annual leave is accrued per pay period (accrual rate depends on years of service).
Sick leave is accrued per pay period.
Workers’ Compensation.
Up to $600 tuition reimbursement per course for undergraduate courses. Up to $700 tuition reimbursement per course for graduate courses.

Applicants Must:

Be of good moral character.
At least 18 years of age.
A South Carolina resident when hired.
A US citizen.
Able to successfully complete a medical examination, polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug screening, and background investigation.
Able to type 35 corrected words per minute.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Have a valid South Carolina driver’s license.
Have a good driving record.
Have a clean criminal history.
Have a satisfactory credit history.
Must not have a Bad Conduct Discharge or Dishonorable Discharge from the military (if applicable).

Note: Applicants must not have been convicted of a DUI within 5 years of the application date.

How much does it cost to go to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy?

Nothing! There is no cost to personnel attending the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Personnel must be employed full time by a law enforcement agency and have satisfied a background investigation.

I am a certified officer from another state. Will South Carolina recognize my certification or will I have to go back through the full academy?

The South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) does recognize law enforcement certifications from out of state, as well as military law enforcement certifications. SCCJA must do a training review from your academy’s training curriculum and you must have at least one year of service since your date of certification. Once it is approved, personnel must enter into a six-week special basic training held at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Center for Advanced Training to cover South Carolina State Law in order to receive your South Carolina certification.

What does your background investigation consist of?

The South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office require a rigorous background investigation. We check for credit history, driving history, criminal history and conduct civil checks for every county you have previously lived in. We also contact personal references and check with previous employers with regards to your work history. After a satisfactory background and polygraph examination is conducted, a conditional offer of employment is given. From this point candidates are submitted to medical, physical fitness and drug screening, as well as, a psychological test.

Why is there a difference in pay for deputies assigned to Uniform Patrol and other deputies?

The base salary is calculated on a 40-hour workweek, or 2,080 hours worked in a year. All newly hired deputies are assigned to Uniform Patrol on a 12.25-hour rotating schedule. These deputies work 85.75 hours in a two-week pay period, 5.75 hours of which is paid at a rate of time and a half.

In addition to this, any hours worked during one of the eleven scheduled paid county holidays are compensated at a rate of time and a half. You will also be compensated for the eight hours of scheduled holiday pay. If you are not working on a scheduled holiday you will still receive eight hours of holiday pay.

If I am uncertified, what training will I receive to become a Greenville County deputy?

After four weeks of in-house training, and four weeks of academy training that will all be held at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Center for Advanced Training (CAT), you will attend eight weeks of training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia. Upon completion, you will attend two weeks of post-academy training at CAT and then begin a fourteen-week field-training program. The field training program consists of two, six-week periods in which you will receive instruction in the field. After twelve weeks of field training, there will be a two-week observation period. You must satisfactorily demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the job prior to being released to solo duty.

What is the difference between Deputy I and Deputy II?

A Deputy I is either certified with less than one year of law enforcement experience since their date of certification or non-certified. After successful completion of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and one year of law enforcement service, deputies are automatically promoted to the rank of Deputy II.

What is the difference between a city police officer and a deputy sheriff?

A city police officer enforces the law within the city limits of a given town. A deputy sheriff enforces the law within the county limits, to include all city jurisdictions within that county. Currently, there are six municipalities within Greenville County. Greenville County Sheriff’s Office enforces the law within the 785 square miles of Greenville County.

Will I have to start work in the county jail?

No. The Greenville County Department of Public Safety is a separate county agency and is responsible for the Detention Center, Forensics, EMS, and the Records Division. All Greenville County deputies begin their careers in the Uniform Patrol Division.

I’m interested in becoming an Investigator. Do you have any openings for these positions?

Every deputy hired with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office begins their career in Uniform Patrol. Deputies must have three years of law enforcement experience, with one year at GCSO, before they can transfer to another division. Deputies may transfer to numerous specialized units including Homicide, Armed Robbery, Directed Patrol, Fugitive Apprehension, Juvenile, Property Crimes, Narcotics, Sex Crimes, School Resource Deputies, White Collar Crimes, Traffic, Community Action Team, K9, as well as several Federal Task Force Officer positions.

Does the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office provide take home cars?

Yes. Once deputies begin their two-week observation period of field training, they will be assigned a vehicle to take home. The County of Greenville pays for all vehicle expenses. Class III deputies are not provided with a take home car.

If I were to be hired, what equipment would I have to purchase?

All equipment, including uniforms, firearms, vehicles, and training are provided to employees free of cost.

If I have not yet met my two-year commitment to my current South Carolina law enforcement agency, am I eligible to be hired with GCSO?

No. You must complete your two-year commitment prior to being hired by GCSO. You may apply two months prior to this date and begin the application process. This does not apply to out-of-state certified applicants.

For more information, contact:
Lt. Jonathan Jackson, Personnel/Recruitment Director
Administrative Services Division, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
4 McGee Street, Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 467-5307
Email: jjackson@greenvillecounty.org

An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

For more information, contact:

Lt. Jonathan Jackson, Personnel/Recruitment Director
Administrative Services Division, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
4 McGee Street, Greenville, SC 29601
jjackson@greenvillecounty.org
(864) 467-5307

Sergeant Matt Smith (864) 467-5108 Email: matsmith@greenvillecounty.org

Master Deputy Melissia Dirton (864) 467-5122 Email: mdirton@greenvillecounty.org

Master Deputy Jacob Kalu (864) 467-5585 Email: jkalu@greenvillecounty.org

An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer