COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Highway Patrol graduated 28 new troopers on Friday, adding to a statewide force that agency leaders say has become harder to staff as the pool of applicants shrinks.
Highway Patrol Class 132 includes 6 pre-certified officers and 22 who are new to the law enforcement profession. With this graduating class, the state Department of Public Safety counts 742 troopers in South Carolina, a figure that includes troopers in the field and those still in training as of its latest report.
Gov. Henry McMaster gave the keynote address at the ceremony and praised the graduates for the role troopers play in keeping people safe on the state roads. Department of Public Safety Director Robert Woods credited the governor with helping secure several rounds of pay raises and retention bonuses for state and local officers.
New Highway Patrol recruits now start at more than $61,000 a year, and the agency offers $10,000 sign-on bonuses in some high-need areas. State studies found agencies across South Carolina struggling with vacancies and retention, and the department has reported an average law enforcement vacancy rate of about 11%.
Col. Christopher Williamson, the patrol commander, said the agency has kept finding recruits even though fewer people are applying than in past years, which means recruiters have to work harder to sell the job. Officials described a class of 28 as about average for the patrol.
Troopers are assigned based on population density, the number of calls for service and the number of licensed drivers and registered vehicles in an area. The new graduates will spread out across the state 46 counties as South Carolina population growth puts more drivers on the road.
People interested in joining the patrol can review the qualifications through the Department of Public Safety recruiting site.
