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Employment

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life" Harvey Mackay

Our Rank Structure

Private First Class and Lance Corporal are noncompetitive positions and are earned based upon merit and time in service. Officers may receive a rank and/or salary higher than entry-level for law enforcement certifications, college education, military service, and other qualities desirable in police officers. 

Click on any image or rank name to enlarge the image. 

 We are not accepting applications at this time.  If you are interested in employment, please visit the City's Job Site by clicking City of Lancaster's CURRENT JOB VACANCIES or call our Job Announcement Line - available 24/7 at (803) 285-8811 - to hear a recorded message of job openings.   (Normally, the City's job announcement line is updated weekly.)

Click on one of the links below for a Job Description of one of the three entry level positions offered by the Lancaster Police Department.

Select Job Description Patrol Officer 911 Communications Officer Reserve Officer Current Vacancies

New police officers begin their careers in our department by successfully completing nine weeks of Basic Law Enforcement Training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (www.sccja.org) located in Columbia, SC.

During basic, new officers are exposed to Constitutional and state law, police procedures and tactics, field interviews and first line investigations, traffic, defensive tactics, swimming, practical problems, firearms qualification, driving range, and a myriad of other topics.

After completion of the Academy, all new officers enter into an eight-week Field Training Course. This is where the new officer learns how to apply the knowledge that they learned at the Academy.  If you are already a South Carolina certified officer, then you will need only to complete the Field Training Course. The South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy does accept certain state's Certification and, if accepted, the officer will only need to attend a three week abbreviated course at the Academy.  Each out-of-state certified officer's training records are reviewed by the Academy. 

All applicants for the position of police officer must meet the South Carolina Minimum Requirements Act (Section 23-6-440) which includes the following criteria:

• Must be a Citizen of the United States

• Must be 21 years of age (documentation / birth certificate)

• Must have a high school diploma or the equivalent (documentation required)

• Hold a valid current South Carolina Driver's License, with no convictions for suspension of DUI (or equivalent) in the past five (5) years or Leaving the scene of an accident within the past ten (10) years.

• Credit Check with favorable results.

All candidates for police officer MUST successfully pass the Physical Abilities Test before they can advance in the hiring process.

All offers are subject to a review of qualifications, background investigations, physical health assessments, and drug screenings.

Questions?  You may contact Sgt. Paul Smith of the Training and Safety Division at 803/285-1140 or via email psmith@lancastercitysc.com.