School Resource Officer

If you are passionate about law enforcement and seeking a rewarding career with excellent prospects for career advancement and development, join the team here at the Lexington County Sheriff's Department.

Why should you consider becoming a School Resource Officer? An SRO is a deeply impactful career choice, centered around inspiring and protecting students within a nurturing community. As an SRO, you forge meaningful connections, leaving a lasting positive impact on young minds. Your unwavering commitment nurtures trust and bridges the gap between law enforcement and the community. Empowering students to embrace their potential is a rewarding experience. This esteemed role calls for individuals passionate about making a difference, leaving an indelible mark on the future of our children and fostering a safer, brighter, and more promising community for all.

• Serve as a role model, counselor, mentor, and instructor, fostering a positive and safe learning environment.
• Enforce local, federal, and state laws to ensure public safety and welfare.
• Identify and address potential problems, investigating incidents related to schools.
• Coordinate effective emergency response plans.
• Organize, schedule, and plan law enforcement services for extracurricular events.
• Support criminal investigations by conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and providing case follow-up.
• Prepare cases for prosecution and offer court testimony as required.

• During the school year, SROs typically work during school hours, Monday to Friday, with occasional evening or weekend shifts for special events or extended school hours.
• During summer and school breaks, SROs will typically assist patrol activities.
• Perform routine patrols, respond to calls for service, maintain order, and make arrests.

• While prior law enforcement experience is valuable, it is not mandatory. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply who meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:
  1. Possess an associate's degree.
  2. Hold a Law Enforcement Certification.
  3. Have Military Police experience.
  4. Serve a minimum of three years in any military service.

• Hold a valid South Carolina Driver's License.
• Already Class 1 certified officers - you will be hired directly into the SRO position. If an SRO position is not available, you will be entered onto a waiting list, or allowed to begin employment as a Patrol Deputy with priority to promote to SRO as soon as a position becomes available.
• If not already Class 1 Certified, training at the SC Criminal Justice Academy for Class 1 Certification, required for this position, will be provided by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at no cost to you. You will be hired as a Patrol Deputy, and you will be entered onto an SRO interest list for career development to that position. More than likely, it will not be long before you are promoted to SRO and assigned to a school.
• Likewise, School Resource Officer certification will also be provided.

• Must be a United States citizen.
• Must be a resident of the State of South Carolina.

• Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds of force frequently and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly having to move objects.
• Positions in this class typically require, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, fingering ,standing, walking, repetitive motions, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, climbing, balancing, pushing, pulling, and lifting.