Police Sergeant

Purpose of Classification:

The Police Sergeant serves as a first-line supervisor within the Fountain Inn Police Department, overseeing personnel and operations to ensure the enforcement of laws, departmental policies, and procedures. Sergeants provide leadership, training, and direction to assigned staff and are responsible for effective service delivery in patrol, investigations, training, or administrative functions, depending on assignment.

Essential Functions: 

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff; develops schedules; reviews timesheets; addresses employee concerns; administers discipline as needed. Assists with or completes performance appraisals; sets goals and objectives for staff; provides coaching, mentoring, and training. Assigns and prioritizes work; ensures resources are available; inspects work for compliance; provides progress reports to command staff..

Responds to calls for service; supervises and participates in enforcing traffic and criminal laws. Conducts and reviews preliminary investigations; apprehends suspects; processes arrests; testifies in court. Provides assistance to officers, other agencies, and the public during emergencies, disasters, and special events..

Maintains positive relations with community groups and residents; promotes neighborhood watch and public safety initiatives. Attends meetings, makes presentations, and fosters trust between the police department and the public. Plans, implements, and participates in various school and community outreach events: plans camps, fundraisers, and other events; identifies and recruits sponsors and participants.

Operates police vehicles, firearms, and law enforcement equipment safely and effectively. Prepares and reviews reports, forms, correspondence, and statistical data. Ensures compliance with departmental safety procedures. Maintains certifications and participates in ongoing training.

Regular Attendance: Consistent and reliable in-person attendance to ensure effective teamwork, collaboration, and communication with colleagues, clients, and community members. This includes but is not limited to attending scheduled meetings, participating in on-site or off-site events, and being available during standard work hours. The City will attempt to accommodate any reasonable adjustments as outlined by the ADA

Duties As Assigned – Patrol

Supervise patrol operations and ensure adequate coverage of assigned areas. Monitor and review incident and accident reports. Respond to major calls, crime scenes, and traffic incidents to provide leadership and direction. Develop supervisory skills of subordinate corporals/officers. Coordinate and supervise enforcement of traffic safety and crime prevention initiatives.

Duties As Assigned – Investigations

Supervise investigative personnel and operations within the Criminal Investigations Team. Assign and review investigative caseloads; ensure timely preparation of cases for prosecution. Oversees and investigates major crimes (e.g., homicide, robbery, narcotics, child abuse). Approve reports, review evidence, and maintain the chain of custody. Coordinate with prosecutors, testify in court, and assist in case strategy decisions. Conducts surveillance, serves search warrants, and manages undercover operations as needed.

Duties As Assigned – Administrative

Serves as Accreditation Manager, ensuring compliance with SCLEA standards and maintaining required documentation. Manage the Property and Evidence Room, including receipt, storage, release, and lawful disposal of evidence and property. Maintain chain-of-custody for all evidence and prepare for court presentation. Oversee the department’s School Resource Officer Program and function as the departmental liaison with the Greenville County School District. Assist with departmental training, policy updates, and special projects assigned. Performs general administrative office work as required, including attending meetings, preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, copying and filing documents, sending, and receiving faxes, answering the telephone, etc.

Duties As Assigned – Training 

Develops, plans, and schedules annual training programs for sworn and civilian personnel. Ensures departmental compliance with SCCJA training mandates, SCLEA accreditation standards, and legal requirements for continuing education. Coordinates specialized training in areas such as firearms, defensive tactics, de-escalation, use of force, emergency vehicle operations, and crisis intervention. Maintains accurate records of officer certifications, training hours, and course completion. Identifies training needs through performance reviews, incident analysis, and consultation with command staff. Coordinates with external agencies, academies, and vendors to provide advanced and specialized instruction. Coordinates and oversees Field Training Officers (FTOs) and Communications Training Officers (CTOs); ensures consistent delivery of training to new personnel. Sets goals and objectives for the training program and aligns them with departmental priorities. Assists in developing lesson plans, curricula, and scenario-based training programs. Communicates with supervisor, other City employees, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma or GED required, two (2) years of experience as a first-line supervisor required, associate degree in police science, criminal justice, or a related field preferred; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. 

Specific License or Certification Required: Must possess and maintain a valid South Carolina driver’s license. Must possess and maintain a Class 1 Basic Law Enforcement Certification

Additional certifications (e.g., Basic Detective, Basic Instructor, Firearms Instructor, SMD Instructor, and Driving Instructor) may be required depending on assignment..

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities: Strong knowledge of police operations, investigations, criminal law, and departmental policies. Effective leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and mentor subordinates. Ability to manage investigations, administrative duties, and public engagement. Strong communication, interpersonal, and decision-making abilities.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to function as a first-line supervisor, including instructing, assigning, and reviewing work, maintaining standards, coordinating activities, and evaluating employee job performance.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools and/or materials requiring complex and/or rapid adjustments.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of references, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information, such as incident and accident reports, tickets and citations, search and arrest warrants, criminal and driving histories, employee performance evaluations, etc. 

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving broader aspects of organizational programs and operations, moderately unstable situations, or the direction, control and planning of an entire program or set of programs.

Mental Demands: 

Frequently requires time pressures, emergency situations, frequent change of tasks, irregular schedule/overtime, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, working closely with others as part of a team, and noisy/distracting environment. Occasionally requires tedious or exacting work.

ADA Compliance: 

Physical Ability: Moderate physical effort, including standing, walking, lifting/carrying up to 50 lbs., and physical activity associated with law enforcement operation, including but not limited to: balancing, crouching, typing, grasping, handling, hearing, kneeling, mental acuity, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature and noise extremes, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, toxic agents, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, explosives, firearms, violence, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.

The City of Fountain Inn is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. 

The City reserves the right to revise this position description at any time.