The Town of Lexington Police Department’s Reserve Officer Program is an excellent way for individuals with an interest in law enforcement to serve their community while continuing in their regular line of work. Having full law enforcement powers while on duty, reserve officers work alongside full time officers with no distinction being made between the two. At the Lexington Police Department, reserve officers are an integral part of the department and are held to the same high professional standards as their full time counterparts. This brochure is intended to provide you with an overview of the Lexington Police Department’s Reserve Officer Program. For further information, please contact Chief Terrence Green at 359-6260.

SELECTION OF RESERVE OFFICERS

The Department is committed to the recruitment and hiring of qualified applicants with a high degree of motivation and character. The Department is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate based on gender or race. An application may be picked up in person or downloaded from this website.

General Qualification Requirements Include:

    Must be at least 21 years old
    High School Diploma or Equivalent
    No Criminal Record
    Valid South Carolina driver’s license

Successful Completion of:

    2 Interviews with Department’s Selection Board
    Comprehensive Background Investigation
    Reference Check
    Driver’s History Check
    Credit Check
    Psychological Test
    Physical Fitness Qualification

Upon A Conditional Offer Of Appointment:

    Physical exam and drug screen

RESERVE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

In order to be certified as a Reserve Police Officer, candidates must complete 130 hours of state-mandated training and pass an exam administered by the SC Criminal Justice Academy. Individuals who have received a conditional offer of appointment will receive their training at no cost through cooperative agreements with local law enforcement agencies. Topics covered in this initial training include: constitutional law, defensive tactics, ethics, firearms, and policies/procedures.

FIELD TRAINING REQUIREMENT

After completion of required training the Oath of Office is administered and the candidate is then a sworn officer of the Department. All newly sworn reserve officers will complete the same field training program required of full time officers prior to solo assignment. The field training program addresses such topics as: streets, neighborhoods and business familiarization, policies & procedures, officer safety, use of force, report writing, department forms, radio procedures, and traffic operation. As part of the field training program, reserve officers will be expected to operate police vehicles under both normal and emergency conditions. Upon completion of the field training program, the reserve officer is prepared to operate as a solo officer and handle all calls and assignments just as a full time officer would.

ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

All sworn members of the Department, including reserve officers, will undergo annual training in the following areas:

    Emergency Vehicle Operations
    Defensive Tactics/Weapon Retention
    Use of Force/OC Spray/TASER
    Tactical Traffic Stops/Building Clearing
    Legal Updates
    Tactical Firearms and Qualification
    First Aid

In addition to these annual requirements, reserve officers may also receive specialized training in:

    Police Mountain Bike
    Traffic RADAR/LIDAR Operation
    Use of NCIC

DUTY REQUIREMENTS

Under South Carolina State Law, reserve officers are required to log 20 hours per month or 60 hours per quarter in order to maintain their certification. All training, patrol duty, and special function duty (e.g. parades) count towards the required hours.

Recognizing that reserve officers have full time jobs and family commitments, the Department allows them complete flexibility in determining both when, and for how long, they spend on duty at any given time. Reserve officers may choose to work a complete 12 hour shift one day and a three hour shift on another. Starting times are equally flexible and determined by a reserve officer’s other commitments.

BENEFITS

Law enforcement is an occupation that has inherent risk and the Town of Lexington recognizes this fact. In light of this, reserve officers are covered by the Town’s liability and workman’s compensation programs (reserve officers are treated as senior patrolmen for compensation purposes). Survivors of reserve officers are also eligible to receive a death benefit in the event of death in the line of duty. The Town is prohibited, by state statute, from paying reserve officers. The Department does, however, provide all reserve officers with uniforms, duty weapon(s), duty gear, badges, and body armor (ballistic vest).

GETTING A PREVIEW

If you think you might be interested in the reserve officer program with the Lexington Police Department, please stop by the Department’s offices to pick up a ride-a-long request form or download a copy from this website. Once completed and approved, you will have the opportunity to ride with an officer or reserve officer to see first hand what law enforcement is like.