Act 218 took effect in 2023, requiring all law enforcement agencies to adopt and implement a set of minimum operational standards. The law allows departments to establish additional standards that are more restrictive.
The Municipal Association’s Risk Management Services drafted model policies for each of the standards, available for use by all cities and towns. Departments that are not SC Municipal Insurance Trust or SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund members should reach out to the SC Criminal Justice Academy for policy questions.
The fifth model policy on the list is “Post Academy Field Training,” which lays out ongoing training requirements for officers after they complete their initial certification through the SC Criminal Justice Academy. The post-academy training needs to be at least four weeks long, although the policy allows for a shorter program for officers with existing law enforcement training.
The newly hired officers undergoing the post-academy training would receive ongoing evaluation from an assigned field training officer, including daily observation reports. The policy also sets requirements for the field training officer, including three years of police experience, two years of evaluations and no major complaints, and an ongoing schedule of training.
The SC Municipal Insurance Trust and SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Management Fund offer a law enforcement hiring process guide.