RHPD Career Information
City of Rock Hill, SC Information
RHPD Career Information
What is the RHPD application process? The steps in the selection process take approximately eight weeks to complete and are as follows:
- Application accepted
- Application Pre-Screened (Criminal History and Drivers License History)
- Invitation for Testing (Reading Comprehension, Physical Ability Test and Police Officer Selection Test)
- Board Review
- Background Investigation
Applicants who successfully advance to this point are placed on an eligibility list. When an opening occurs, the Chief of Police can review this list to choose a candidate to proceed further. Candidates selected from the eligibility list will continue with:
- Drug Screen
- Psychological Examination
- Polygraph Examination
- Physical Examination
Once an officer is selected for employment, police officer candidates enter into a training phase of basic training. Officers are on probation during this period.
Officers complete 3 to 9 weeks (depending on prior law enforcement experience) of basic training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and
sixteen weeks of field training.
Upon successful completion of the probationary phase, the officer will be eligible for a 5% raise.
What are the minimum requirements to join RHPD?
All finalists for the position of certified police officer with the City of Rock Hill must meet the SOUTH CAROLINA MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ACT (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 equivalent (documentation required)
- Hold a valid current South Carolina Driver's License, with no convictions for suspension of DUI (or equivalent) in the 5 years or leaving the scene of an accident within the past 10 years
- Credit Check with favorable results
- Provide fingerprints for F.B.I. to verify that you have no felony convictions, serious misdemeanor, criminal domestic violence or crimes of moral turpitude.
What benefits does RHPD offer?
We are proud of our progressive benefits package which is unmatched by any municipality in South Carolina and often compares more favorably with benefits of the private sector. If you should become a part of our team, you will know the value we place on outstanding customer service and the true meaning and distinction of the term "public servant."
- Medical Plans
- Dental Plans
- Long Term Disability Insurance
- Suppl. Long Term Disability
- Life Insurance
- Dependent Health & Life Insurance
- Cancer Plan
- Vision Care Insurance
- Flexible Spending Pre-Tax Plan
- Employee Retirement Savings Plan (401K/457)
- Retirement
- COBRA
- Paid Leave
- Sick
- Holidays
- Vacation
- Birthday
- Bereavement
- Military
- Family/Medical Leave
- Educational Assistance
- Sick Leave Bank
- Training
- Purchased Uniform/Safety Eqpt.
- Employee Assistance Program
- Worker's Compensation
- Health Fair
- Pay for Performance Increases
- Bonus Plan
- Gainsharing Incentives
In addition, the City of Rock Hill offers:
- Awards and Recognition Programs
- Direct Deposit
- Retirement Planning
- Credit Union
- Employee Wellness Programs
- Recreational Activities
- Newsletters
- Civic Opportunities
What type of career opportunities does RHPD offer?
All sworn personnel begin their career in the Patrol Division. This is where the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a police officer are perfected. After successful assignment in Patrol, the officer may be exposed to additional assignments such as:
- Canine
- Community and Youth Services
- Criminal Investigations
- Forensic Services
- Narcotics
- Traffic
Officers can volunteer for ancillary duties that may include:
- Crisis Negotiation Team
- Special Weapons and Tactics Team
- Bomb Squad
What is the basic work schedule for RHPD officers?
Officers work a 10 hour shift of five days on and two days off one week, then three days on and four days off the next week. This allows for a four day weekend every other week. The schedule rotates among first, second and third shifts every 3 months.
What type of retirement benefits does RHPD offer?
RHPD participates in the Police Officer Retirement System through the state of South Carolina. Officers are vested after 5 years of service and eligible for retirement after 25 years of service or upon reaching age 55 with at least 5 years of earned credit.
Is RHPD involved in any community programs?
Members of the Rock Hill Police Department are dedicated to delivering high quality services through meaningful community partnerships and problem solving. We recognize the need in our community to assist the less fortunate and
encourage all department members to contribute to their community by volunteering available time and resources to assist those in need.
RHPD participates in:
- Weed and Seed—This program brings together federal, state, and local crime-fighting agencies, social service providers, representatives of the public and private sectors, prosecutors, business owners, and neighborhood residents under the shared goal of “weeding” out violent crime and gang activity, while “seeding” in social service programs and neighborhood restoration.
- National Night Out—RHPD officers and City officials visit Rock Hill neighborhoods each year during National Night Out. It has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
- United Way—City of Rock Hill employees conduct a United Way fundraising campaign annually. RHPD consistently achieves 100% participation and has been the most successful department, raising nearly $20,000 each year.
- Worthy Boys and Girls Camp—The camp’s purpose is to instill a spirit of sharing and growing together that will be become part of the campers’ lives. Each summer, 100 boys and 100 girls spend a week enjoying a variety of camp activities and field trips. It is not uncommon for this to be the first camp experience many of these kids have had.
City of Rock Hill, SC Information
What size City is Rock Hill and where is it located?
The City is located in the north-central area of South Carolina approximately 20 miles south of Charlotte, NC along the I-77 corridor. Rock Hill is a growing community of 64,000 residents, and the City encompasses over 34 square miles. Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, SC and the only major South Carolina city in the Charlotte area.
What’s the weather like in Rock Hill?
Rock Hill experiences 4 distinct seasons, but enjoys balmy summers and mild winters. The average high temperature in summer is 87 degrees Fahrenheit while average highs in winter hover in the low 50’s.
How does Rock Hill’s cost of living compare to other cities?
York County and the Charlotte region have one of the lowest cost of living averages for cities in the Southeast.
Does Rock Hill offer quality educational opportunities?
York County consists of 4 school districts, all of which are among the top rated in the state.
Rock Hill is home to a number of higher education opportunities, including Winthrop University, York Technical College and Clinton Jr. College.
What is there to do for fun in Rock Hill?
With a mild year-round climate, recreation opportunities abound. Outdoor activities include boating, hiking and playing on some of the nation’s most outstanding golf courses. Lake Wylie and the Catawba River provide ample opportunity for water sports in Rock Hill.
Rock Hill also boasts the Cherry Park Softball Complex, Manchester Meadows Soccer Complex and Rock Hill Tennis Center, along with many community parks. The Anne Close Springs Greenway offers 26 miles of hiking, horseback and bicycle trials weaving through over 2,000 acres in Fort Mill. A short drive to the Blue Ridge Mountains or the famed Carolina beaches, York County offers easy access to a variety of destinations, including Asheville, Greensboro and Raleigh, NC and Greenville, Spartanburg and Columbia, SC.
The region continues to be recognized as a national sports market with teams in the NFL, IHL and triple-A baseball, as well as the reputation as a major NASCAR headquarters, In addition York County is home to the Knights Stadium, Charlotte’s triple-A affiliate to the Chicago White Sox.
Rock Hill is within minutes of two of the best attractions in South Carolina – Paramount’s Carowinds theme park and Historic Brattonsville. The region’s cultural lineup also includes the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Discovery Place, a “hands-on” science museum with OMNIMAX theatre, the Mint Museum of Art and the Museum of York County.