Reserve Deputy Program
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s Reserve Deputy Program offers citizens an avenue to serve the community while gaining experience in law enforcement.
Applicants who successfully complete the selection process will be provided all equipment and training at no charge.
Applicants must meet all the same requirements as full-time officers. This includes intensive background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological examination, and a physical fitness test.
Once accepted into the training program, Reserve Deputy Sheriff Training will require approximately two to three months of classes to meet the state-required 140 hours. This training will be held on weekday evenings and some weekends.
After completing the training course and passing the state-administered test, applicants will become Reserve Deputy Sheriffs with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Reserve Deputies are required by state law to perform a minimum of 20 hours of service per month to maintain their certification and to attend in-service training on a monthly basis.
The Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to providing the highest quality of law enforcement service to our citizens. With this program, our citizens can share with us our pride in this dedication.
- Investigate crimes
- Obtain and serve arrest warrants
- Perform building checks
- Complete detailed written reports
- Search and transport prisoners
- Respond to any and all dispatch calls received
- Inspect equipment and vehicle
- Record traffic/criminal citations
- Prosecute cases in court
- Testify in General Sessions Court or higher
- Operate the patrol vehicle and all vehicle equipment
- Perform foot patrols
- Assist other agencies as required
- Investigate traffic accidents
- Direct traffic and conduct traffic safety checkpoints
- Assist in the training of new deputies as assigned
- Communicate all major/critical incidents to Command Staff
- 21 years of age minimum
- Valid S.C. driver’s license
- Registered S.C. voter
- Resident of Beaufort County
- Fluent in the oral and written communication of the English language
- Clean criminal record: No Felony, serious misdemeanor, or convictions of any crime of moral turpitude
- Good credit history
- Good driving record: no DUI or DUS convictions
- Must be able to pass the following: Intensive background investigation, written standards testing, medical physical examination, polygraph testing, psychological testing and weapon familiarization course of fire
- Must successfully complete the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office physical agility course
- Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office … “Dedicated, Professional Service”
- High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED)
- South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
- Basic Law Enforcement Certification
- Firearms Certification
- Language/Mathematical/Reasoning SkillsAbility to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals,
technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business
correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and
respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measures, work with whole
numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute: rate, ratio and percent;
and to draw and interpret bar graphs
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in
situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of
instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form
- Must maintain good physical fitness
- Must work indoors and outdoors (in all weather conditions)
- Must be able to crawl, kneel, crouch, climb, lie down or stand for long periods of time
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office shall comply with the South Carolina Code of Laws 23-23-60 (B) referred to as the South Carolina Training Act regarding a candidates eligible for certification as a law enforcement officer in South Carolina.
South Carolina Code 23-23-60 (B) sets the minimum standards for law enforcement certification in South Carolina. The Sheriff’s Office exceeds these minimum standards for Deputies hired by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office in some situations.
- U. S. Citizenship
- An application under oath on a format prescribed by the Director of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.
- Evidence that the candidate has completed high school and received a high school diploma; equivalency (military or other) recognized and accepted by the South Carolina Department of Education or South Carolina.
- Evidence that the candidate is physically fit to fulfill the duties of a law enforcement officer. Such proof must be in obtaining a complete medical history by a licensed physician or medical examiner and a complete medical examination.
- The candidate has not been convicted of any criminal offense that carries a sentence of one year or more or a criminal offense that involves a crime of moral turpitude. The forfeiture of bond, a guilty plea, or a plea of nolo contendere is considered the equivalent of a conviction.
- Candidate must be a person of good character as established by an in-depth background investigation. In determining good character, consideration must be given to all law violations, including traffic and conservation law convictions, prior history of alcohol and drug abuse, etc.
- Candidate must have a valid and current state driver’s license with no record during the previous five years for suspension of the driver’s license as a result of driving under the influence, reckless homicide, involuntary manslaughter, or leaving the scene of an accident.
- A favorable credit check.
- Fingerprints that show the candidate has no felony convictions.
- The candidate must be photographed.
- Evidence that the candidate’s present age is not less than twenty-one years.
- If the candidate has successfully completed a course of law enforcement training by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy or another law enforcement training Academy, copies of the documents must be obtained.
- No convictions for criminal domestic violence.
- No excessive traffic tickets or convictions for Driving Under the Influence of drugs or alcohol, driving with a suspended driver’s license or leaving the scene of a traffic accident within the last five (5) years.
- Must have a responsible credit history.
- Must pass an in-depth background investigation.
- Must pass a reading and comprehension test, scoring a minimum of 70% out of a possible 100.
- Must successfully pass an Oral Interview Board.
- Must pass a medical examination, drug test, psychological screening and a polygraph examination.
- Must pass the Sheriff’s Office physical agility course in 3 minutes or less.
- Must successfully complete all of the training and certification requirements mandated by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.
- Must be able to qualify with the agency issued weapons.
- Graduated from an accredited high school or obtained a GED. College graduates or candidates who are bilingual are encouraged to apply.
- Deputy Sheriff’s must be willing to be assigned to any Branch within the Sheriff’s Office.
- Candidates who have been in the military must have received an Honorable Discharge.
- This is an unpaid position.
- The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office provides all uniforms and equipment.
Reserve Deputy Program Coordinators
Captain Will Angelo
843-255-3138
[email protected]
Lieutenant Mike Jennings
843-255-3287
[email protected]
Hiring Phases
The hiring process includes an in-depth background investigation and testing described herein. The process is normally completed within 60 to 90 days from the date a complete application packet is received. The process length may vary depending on the circumstances of each applicant. During each phase of the hiring process, the applicant’s file is reviewed coinciding with the phases listed below.
Phase One
Phase Two
Phase Three
Phase Four
Phase Five
Phase Six
Phase Seven
Phase Eight
Phase Nine
How To Apply
ONLINE
To make the online application process as efficient as possible, we recommend following these steps …
Gather the documents required for your application package. On the application, you will be asked to upload the following:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (if you were born outside of the United States)
- A copy of your Birth Certificate
- A copy of your High School or GED and College Diplomas
- A copy of your Driver’s License
- A copy of your Social Security Card
- A copy of court-issued legal documentation supporting any legal name change (i.e., marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.)
- If you have prior military service, a copy of your DD214 with your separation code and the type of discharge you received
- A certified driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles from all states licensed over the past six years
- If you are a former law enforcement officer, provide all training certificates
Create digital copies of your documents.
You can do this by scanning, downloading or using your phone to take pictures of them.
Make sure the images are crisp with no blurry areas and that all the information contained on the documents can be easily read.
You will be required to provide your work history, as well as three personal references.
Before starting your application, make sure you have the names, current addresses and current contact information of the former supervisors and personal references you plan to list on the form.
Download, fill out and print these two forms:
After you have completed and printed them, both forms must be Notarized.
Once they are Notarized, you may bring them to our Recruitment Office or mail them to us.
NOTE: We offer free Notary service at our Recruitment Office. If you would like to use this service, please bring your completed forms to our office.
When you have your documents ready and have collected all the information you’ll need, set aside about two hours to complete the application.
You will be able to partially fill out your application and return to it later only if you use the same browser and device that you started in.
After you are contacted by a member of our Recruitment Office staff about your application, you will be asked to fill out and submit this questionnaire for your hiring board interview:
If you are not able to apply online ...
You may download a copy of our application by clicking here and following these steps:
Gather the documents required for your application package. On the application, you will be asked to upload the following:
- Proof of U. S. citizenship (if you were born outside of the United States)
- A copy of your Birth Certificate
- A copy of your High School or GED and College Diplomas
- A copy of your Driver’s License
- A copy of your Social Security Card
- A copy of court-issued legal documentation supporting any legal name change (i.e., marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.)
- If you have prior military service, a copy of your DD214 with your separation code and the type of discharge you received
- A certified driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles from all states licensed over the past six years
- If you are a former law enforcement officer, provide all training certificates
If you plan to mail your application or bring it to our Recruitment Office, make photocopies of each document.
You may also create digital copies of your documents and email them to us at [email protected] You can do this by scanning, downloading or using your phone to take pictures of them.
Make sure the photocopies or digital images are crisp with no blurry areas and that all the information contained on the documents can be easily read.
You will be required to provide your work history, as well as three personal references.
Before starting your application, it is a good idea to have the names, current addresses and current contact information of the former supervisors and personal references you plan to list on the form.
Download, fill out and print these two forms:
After you have completed and printed them, both forms must be Notarized.
Once they are Notarized, you may bring them to our Recruitment Office or mail them to us.
NOTE: We offer free Notary service at our Recruitment Office. If you would like to use this service, please bring your completed forms to our office.
When you have your documents ready and have collected all the information you’ll need, set aside about two hours to complete the application.
Please provide answers to all questions.
When you have your complete application package ready, you may mail it to our Recruitment Office or bring it in person.
If you would prefer to email your application package to us, please note that the Personal Inquiry Waiver and Background Packet forms must be Notarized and cannot be accepted over email in most cases.
After you are contacted by a member of our Recruitment Office staff about your application, you will be asked to fill out and submit this questionnaire for your hiring board interview:
Questions?
Call 843-255-3433 or email [email protected]
The Recruitment Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Our office is at:
2001 Duke St.
Beaufort, S.C. 29902
Our mailing address is:
Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
Recruitment Office
ATTN: Staff Sergeant Patrick N. Rowell
P. O. Box 1758
Beaufort, S.C. 29901