Charleston(SC) PD

[SROCOP]

Anyone participating in the hiring process with Charleston PD? If so, I would appreciate any information on the department(work schedule, take home vehicles, off-duty employment, etc.) I am scheduled for testing in early August. I have gathered that it is the largest dept. in SC, as well as, the highest paying in the Palmetto State.

[VAsteve20]

Anyone participating in the hiring process with Charleston PD? If so, I would appreciate any information on the department(work schedule, take home vehicles, off-duty employment, etc.) I am scheduled for testing in early August. I have gathered that it is the largest dept. in SC, as well as, the highest paying in the Palmetto State.
It is definitely the highest paying department thats for sure, however, look at the requirements, [I]Minimum Education level is that of a Bachelor

[JohnnyV]

Anyone participating in the hiring process with Charleston PD? If so, I would appreciate any information on the department(work schedule, take home vehicles, off-duty employment, etc.) I am scheduled for testing in early August. I have gathered that it is the largest dept. in SC, as well as, the highest paying in the Palmetto State.

They work ten hour shifts, 4 on 2off/ 3 on 3 off and you get a take home eventually depending on what team you are assigned, also they have a lot of off duty employment. Like Va Steve said you need a bachelors and they start at 33,600 for someone with no experience. I have heard laterals going there and making 37,000.

[EMTFirefighter]

They work ten hour shifts, 4 on 2off/ 3 on 3 off and you get a take home eventually depending on what team you are assigned, also they have a lot of off duty employment. Like Va Steve said you need a bachelors and they start at 33,600 for someone with no experience. I have heard laterals going there and making 37,000.
33K is the highest paying department in the state? That's nothing to brag about....

[formerNOPD]

Maybe not in NY, but in that area you can buy a new home for $130K. Can you do that where you are?

[NC Marine]

Maybe not in NY, but in that area you can buy a new home for $130K. Can you do that where you are?


Agreed. There are homes ( nice new homes ) in the Huntersville NC area here for 110's. Many people from NY and those areas move here for that reason, and apparently lower taxes, though many NC natives would disagree their taxes are low, but to New Yorkers it is.

Charleston is a very nice historic city. A Bachelors degree huh? Well there are some departments that try to require it where I live but they make exceptions, most that did "require" it now say it is "preferred" instead. Dont know about Charleston though. Look into surrounding areas like the North Charleston PD too.

[EMTFirefighter]

Maybe not in NY, but in that area you can buy a new home for $130K. Can you do that where you are?
Probably in the 'hood somewhere.

[EMTFirefighter]

Also, why are you guys making a big deal about a bachelor's degree? They want you to have 4 years of college, not an MD.

[gomets11]

Also, why are you guys making a big deal about a bachelor's degree? They want you to have 4 years of college, not an MD.

because in the hills of SC its a struggle just to graduate HS ;)

[Savcop]

Also, why are you guys making a big deal about a bachelor's degree? They want you to have 4 years of college, not an MD.


In a lot of the southeastern states, police do not make a reasonable amount of money. Requiring a bachelors is similar to asking for an MD. It is pushing the unrealistic boundries for that type of job in that particular region. One of the previous comments included a statement about " a lot of off duty work available." That means, I know I dont make any money so one of the deciding factors for me is the amount of off duty work available.

[NC Marine]

Also, why are you guys making a big deal about a bachelor's degree? They want you to have 4 years of college, not an MD.


Well those that can go to college and get a 4 year degree usually dont want to go into a job starting off into the 26k-30k range. You can get hired in NC and many areas in the South without any college, but without it you probably wont make above Sgt in larger agencies. Those college grads that do have an interest in LE usually want to go state or federal, not local. I personally found this to be true among those in my rookie school. It seemed to me they had the impression, " I didnt go to 4 years of college to be a small town cop, I deserve better. " And they all to my knowledge had apps with state and federal agencies and were biding their time until then.

You will find in rural areas that a HS Diploma sometimes is as good as a degree. Personally for city agencies and Sherrif Depts I think it is overrated to require a degree, mainly for those who have been in the military or prior LE. Some agencies are now requiring an 'education contract' where you agree to obtain a degree within a certain amount of time, which I think is a better fit.

[NC Marine]

In addition you must look at the job market too. From what Ive read, in the North it is around (stab in the dark) 50 apps for one postion. While here it is commonly 2 or 3 open positions for one applicant.

So supply and demand here too. Also it appears after looking at some of the requirements for police up North they can be far reaching as if they are looking for the perfect candidate when there is no such thing.

[formerNOPD]

Probably in the 'hood somewhere.

Hard to tell if you're being derogatory or just talking about finding something where you live(NY) "in the hood" in that price range.

Either way, here are a few from about 5 minutes of perusing realtor.com.

http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1054436741
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1054352469
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1053955901

This one is a little more, but you get the idea.
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1053144276

My house was finished in Nov 2004, and looks exactly like this one (floor plan- colors are differant):
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1051373704

We paid $148K for ours newly built.

Plus it was 75 degrees today, I went for a drive in the jeep with the top down in shorts, tee shirt and flip-flops.... Not to mention all those nice palm trees... :D SC/GA/FL has a lot of advantages over expensive and restrictive states like NY and NJ.

[EMTFirefighter]

Hard to tell if you're being derogatory or just talking about finding something where you live(NY) "in the hood" in that price range.
Not being derogatory, just saying that where I live, about the only place you can find a house for 130K would be in the bad parts of town where house values are low because not many people want to live there.

[formerNOPD]

That's what I figured, but online it's always hard to tell.

[VAsteve20]

This one is a little more, but you get the idea.
http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1053144276

.
yep... my old home town...
good ol' summerville...
i loved it there.

[MarineGrunt]

I live in Myrtle Beach and have also looked into Charleston. They do have the best pay but require a bachelors. I called and spoke with the human resources and they say it is a must due to the salary being so high. I could not disagree more with police agencies making that a requirement. Of course I guess a 23 year old (same age) with a bachelors degree in quilt making or boat design has more street experience and l.e. knowledge than me. :confused:

[EMTFirefighter]

I live in Myrtle Beach and have also looked into Charleston. They do have the best pay but require a bachelors. I called and spoke with the human resources and they say it is a must due to the salary being so high. I could not disagree more with police agencies making that a requirement. Of course I guess a 23 year old (same age) with a bachelors degree in quilt making or boat design has more street experience and l.e. knowledge than me. :confused:
College degrees have nothing to do with street experience and PDs know this. That's not why they want people with degrees.

Have you looked into MBPD at all, since you live right there in Myrtle Beach and all. Seems to be a pretty good department...

[MarineGrunt]

yes i am enrolled in their citizens academy to start monday the 16th. As soon as they begin hiring in Feb or Mar I will be the first one in the door with an application. I know a few officers so I should get a couple good references in the force.

[mattph4716]

Does anyone know how there payscale works? It says that with prior experience and a bachelors the salary goes to 44k? Is that what it maxes at or is that the highest starting pay?

[MarineGrunt]

that is the max starting salary. most payscales in SC end around 60-70k