|
NEWS RELEASES
| Major John Allard, PIO Office, 785-2415, 24-Hour Press Box: 799-2001, Ext. 1100
|
|
Additional Reserve Deputies |
Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts will swear in eight additional reserve deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 22. Metts will conduct the oath of office ceremony for the reserve deputies in the Squad Room at the Lexington County James R. Metts Law Enforcement Complex, 521 Gibson Road, Lexington.
With the addition of the eight reserve deputies, a total of 30 reserve deputies will volunteer their time to work with full-time deputies at the Sheriff’s Department, Metts said.
Metts said on Thursday he will swear in the following eight reserve deputies:
Randy W. Boggs, 36, of Lexington
Justin D. Buck, 23, of Gilbert
Don D. Gaskin, 53, of Lexington
Brian L. Kunar, 43, of Columbia
James P. Pratt, 49, of St. Matthews
Timothy W. Scott, 45, of Columbia
Greg A. Starkey, 39, of Lexington
Scott L. Zylstra, 46, of Columbia
In 2008, reserve deputies worked a record number of hours while volunteering their time to provide law enforcement services to citizens in Lexington County, Metts said. Twenty-five reserve deputies worked a combined total of 17,703 hours. That saved taxpayers $379,375, based on starting pay and fringe benefits of $21.43 per hour for a full-time, sworn deputy.
In 2008, reserve deputies worked 1,167 patrol shifts and answered 7,100 calls for help from citizens, Metts said. The deputies wrote 1,772 incident reports, issued 1,322 citations and warnings for criminal violations, arrested 386 persons and served 173 warrants. The officers also worked 399 shifts at special events, providing traffic control and other law enforcement services at festivals, parades and other community events.
The number of hours that reserve deputies worked in 2008 was the most ever worked in one year by reserve deputies since the Sheriff’s Department implemented the reserve deputy program in 1980, Metts said. The sheriff led the effort to persuade the South Carolina General Assembly to enact legislation that would permit citizens to serve as reserve law enforcement officers. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department was the first law enforcement agency in South Carolina to start a reserve officer program.
“Reserve deputies are a significant asset for the Sheriff’s Department,” Metts said. “They sacrifice time away from their families in order to supplement the number of full-time, sworn officers who are assigned to road patrol duties with our agency.”
Citizens who want to become a reserve deputy can apply by calling the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230, Metts said. You should ask to speak with someone in personnel. Applications for a reserve deputy position are available at the Lexington County James R. Metts Law Enforcement Complex, 521 Gibson Road, Lexington. Citizens also can download an application for a deputy position online at: www.lexingtonsheriff.com.
Under South Carolina law, reserve law enforcement officers must be 21 or older, with a clean criminal record, Metts said. They must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Prospective reserve deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department must pass a background investigation, polygraph examination, drug screening test and physical examination.
South Carolina law requires a reserve law enforcement officer to provide at least 60 hours of service every three months and complete at least four hours of training monthly, Metts said.
In order to be sworn in as law enforcement officers, reserve deputies must complete 202 hours of training that is required by South Carolina law and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department policy, Metts said. Reserve deputies must complete training that is comparable to the training that the Sheriff’s Department provides to full-time, sworn officers.
|
|
|
|
