The South Carolina Highway Patrol has a rich heritage. Created in 1930, the Highway Patrol included 69 men charged with patrolling nearly 6,000 miles of highways that were in South Carolina at that time. These patrolmen began enforcing the law after receiving a few verbal instructions and being issued a badge, uniform, gun and a motorcycle.

    Today’s Highway Patrol has more than 1,000 employees including uniformed officers, telecommunications officers and civilian personnel dedicated to highway safety and eliminating the flow of illegal narcotics on the state’s 66,000 miles of highways.

Tradition Meets Technology:

Our troopers use a variety of vehicles, including the marked, semi-marked, unmarked and high-performance cars, motorcycles and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with mobile communications systems and computers as well as in-car cameras. Our troopers carry pistols and wear bullet-proof vests. They are equipped with the some of the most advanced weaponry, communications and safety equipment. The Highway Patrol includes seven Troops throughout the state of South Carolina.    

Specialized units:

     While the primary function of the Patrol is to enforce motor vehicle laws, there are several specialized units within the Patrol.

·         The Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT): investigates complicated vehicle crashes, using state-of-the-art technology and analysis to reconstruct the scene.

·         The Civil Emergency Response Team (CERT): responds to civil emergencies using specialized training, tactics and equipment.

·         The ACE (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement) Team: works specifically to curtail trafficking and transportation of illegal drugs on South Carolina roadways and includes the K-9 Corps, which assists in tracking drugs and the motorcycle unit.

·         The Telecommunications Centers: work dispatching troopers to incident scenes and assist the public with emergency calls.

·         The Insurance Enforcement Unit: works closely with the Department of Motor Vehicles to identify uninsured drivers and take them off the highways.

·         Community Relations Office: includes uniformed troopers and civilian staff around the state dedicated to educating the public and media about the Highway Patrol and highway safety.

·         Governor’s Security Detail: works with the State Law Enforcement Division to provide security for the South Carolina Governor and his family.

·         Emergency Management Unit: monitors emergency traffic issues and coordinates hurricane evacuation efforts.

The road to a rewarding career

     We want the most highly qualified candidates to join our agency. A career with the South Carolina Highway Patrol is not easy, but the rewards, both professional and personal, are extremely satisfying.

Our troopers now undergo 20 weeks of intensive training before beginning their law enforcement careers. The diverse training covers such areas as defensive tactics, courtroom procedures, collision investigation and reconstruction, firearm usage, defensive and pursuit driving and physical fitness.

 The South Carolina Highway Patrol has become a technologically advanced and sophisticated law enforcement agency, but we remain firmly rooted by our proud tradition and decades of service to our state’s citizens.

Only the best can qualify

     To join the Highway Patrol you must:

Ø      Be at least 21 years of age;

Ø      Be a United States citizen;

Ø      Have a high school diploma or G.E.D.;

Ø      Have a proportionate weight and height;

Ø      Have normal 20/20 vision with glasses, or not more than 20/100 in either eye corrected to 20/20;

Ø      Possess a valid South Carolina driver’s license with a good driving record; and

Ø      Not have a criminal record.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, the South Carolina Highway Patrol strongly encourages women and minorities to apply. For more information, call 1-877-349-2096 (toll free) or visit our web site at www.schp.org