Yes! Uncertified new hires are paid Police Recruit pay while attending the police academy. Immediately upon graduating from the police academy, Police Recruit pay increases to Police Officer pay.

All uncertified (applicants who have never been a police officer before), complete a 4-week, in-house pre-academy held at our training facility in North Charleston. They then attend 8-weeks of police academy training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) in Columbia, SC.

All police recruits are housed on campus at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in dorm rooms. All meals are provided during your academy attendance.

Police recruits go to the police academy every Sunday afternoon, and return home every Friday afternoon, throughout their 8-week's at the academy. Transportation is provided to and from the police academy by the NCPD.

Police recruits are provided with the recruit uniform at no cost. This consists of khaki shirts, khaki pants, boots/shoes, and applicable duty gear.

A Certified Officer is someone who has already completed basic law enforcement training (the police academy) in either South Carolina, or another state. An Uncertified Officer, or Police Recruit is someone with no law enforcement experience and has never attended the police academy.