Police Officer - Full Time

Fountaininnchamber; Fountain Inn (SC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Fountain Inn is seeking a police officer to enforce laws, patrol designated areas, respond to calls, and conduct investigations to protect life and property. The role requires a high school diploma or GED and SC law enforcement certification or ability to obtain it, plus a valid SC driver’s license.

Applicants will participate in training, maintain professional certifications, and engage with the public to educate on safety and crime prevention.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; supplemented by one year of experience in law enforcement; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Responsibilities

• Enforces applicable traffic and criminal codes to protect life and property and promote security.
• Patrols designated areas, responds to dispatch, writes citations, arrests, and provides backup support as needed.
• Conducts preliminary investigations, interviews victims and witnesses, gathers evidence, secures crime scenes, and participates in court activities.
• Performs rescue functions at accidents, emergencies, and disasters, including administering medical aid and evacuating individuals.
• Maintains safety procedures and ensures safe operation of vehicles and equipment.
• Creates positive public relations and provides information on laws and crime prevention to the public.
• Attends meetings and trainings to stay current with policies and procedures and maintains certifications.
• Processes documentation and maintains records; operates PC software and office equipment.
• Operates police vehicle and equipment and coordinates with supervisor and other agencies.

Skills

Persuasion/Influence

Public safety awareness

Judgment/decision making

Job description

The purpose of this classification is to protect life and property, to deter criminal activity, and to enforce all local, state and federal laws, statutes and regulations. Incumbents in this classification have completed all training requirements and are able to perform essential functions independently, without direct oversight of a senior or field training officer.

Essential Functions:

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Enforces all applicable traffic and criminal codes, ordinances, laws and regulations in order to protect life and property, prevent crime, and promote security.

Detects and deters criminal activity: patrols designated areas; responds to calls relayed by dispatchers; writes citations; apprehends, arrests and processes criminals, fugitives and offenders as appropriate; and provides assistance and backup support to other officers and agencies as necessary.

Conducts preliminary investigations: interviews victims, complainants and witnesses and takes statements; gathers information and evidence; secures crime scenes; prepares investigative reports and sketches; participates in court activities; and testifies in judicial proceedings.

Performs rescue functions at accidents, emergencies, and disasters, which may include lifting, dragging or carrying people away from dangerous situations, securing/evacuating people from particular areas, administering medical aid, or extinguishing small fires.

Performs other duties, including monitoring and responding to calls for assistance, investigating accidents and reported crimes, interviewing citizens, conducting searches, pursuing fleeing and subduing resisting suspects, impacting arrests, and processing and transporting prisoners.

Follows safety procedures, utilizes safety equipment, and monitors work environment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals: performs driving functions in a safe and efficient manner under various conditions, including day/night hours, in congested traffic, in adverse weather conditions, and in emergency situations involving speeds in excess of posted limits; and inspects and maintains assigned police vehicle, uniform, weapons, and equipment.

Creates/maintains positive public relations with the general public: and provides education and information to the public on laws, law enforcement, crime prevention, drug abuse, and related issues.

Attends shift meetings, training sessions and seminars as required to remain knowledgeable of departmental operations, to promote improved job performance, and to stay current with changing policies, procedures, codes, and criminal/civil case law: reads professional literature; and maintains professional certifications and affiliations.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures: receives and reviews various documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate; prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, and other documentation; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records.

Operates a personal computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data, utilizing word processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet, e-mail, or other software; and operates general office or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions.

Operates or uses various equipment associated with law enforcement in order to complete work assignments: operates and maintains police vehicle, firearms, electronic control device, emergency equipment, radio/communications equipment and other law enforcement tools and equipment.

Communicates with supervisor, other City employees, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma or GED required; supplemented by one year of experience in law enforcement; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required:

Must possess and maintain a valid South Carolina driver’s license. Must possess and maintain Law Enforcement Certification from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) or ability to complete SCCJA required certification.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities:

Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all City or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to work with and apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others to coordinate programs or activities of a project, and resolve typical problems associated with the responsibilities of the job.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools and/or materials requiring complex and/or rapid adjustments.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information, such as incident and accident reports, tickets and citations, search and arrest warrants, criminal and driving histories, etc.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. May include counting, recording of counts, and basic measuring.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

ADA Compliance:

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds).

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature and noise extremes, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, toxic agents, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, explosives, firearms, violence, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.

The City of Fountain Inn is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Candidates who are selected to move forward in the process will be contacted to schedule an interview that will take place on Monday, September 28th, 2026, at the Fountain Inn Police Department.

12‑hour patrol shifts that rotate day & night hours: 7am-7pm and 7pm to 7am

Additional Postings available from City of Fountain Inn