Today, we’re talking about the boys in blue. Well, actually, the men + women patrolling our streets in navy blue. That’s right – we’re here with the rundown on Greenville police. What types of calls do they respond to? How do their jurisdictions differ? When I see a bike cop, are they with the City or the County?
The differences (🎶 one of these things is not like the other 🎶)
Jurisdiction:
- Greenville County jurisdiction includes all municipalities within Greenville County (including the City of Greenville).
- City of Greenville jurisdiction includes the City of Greenville.
Title:
- Greenville County police are called deputies.
- City of Greenville police are called officers.
Colors:
- Greenville County colors are navy + gold.
- City of Greenville colors are navy + silver.
Badges:
- Greenville County police wear a 7-point-star shaped badge – with a written indication of rank.
- City of Greenville police wear a shield shaped badge – Lt.’s, Sgt.’s, Captains and the Chief have gold badges; every other rank will have a silver badge.
Body worn cameras:
- Greenville County deputies use torso mounted body cams.
- City of Greenville officers use collar, shoulder, glasses or headband body cams.
Department leader:
- The head of the Greenville County department is the Sheriff (who is elected).
- The head of the City of Greenville department is the Police Chief (who is appointed).
Cars:
- Greenville County patrol cars are navy or black.
- City of Greenville patrol cars are white or black.
- Pro tip: Highway patrol cars are silver.
The similarities
What they’re wearing: Dark blue uniforms.
Calls: County + City police can – and do – respond to any type of call.
Bikes: Both utilize bike units.
HQ: Both agencies are located at 4 McGee Street (they’ve essentially split the building down the middle – City on one side and County on the other). In case you’re wondering, this type of setup is pretty rare.
K-9 and SWAT: Both County + City police have and utilize K-9 and SWAT units.
Becoming a cop: Applicants for both the County + City attend the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy (at no cost). They have to pass a background investigation covering credit history, driving history, criminal history, civil checks, + personal references. Plus, they’ll go through a polygraph, medical exam, physical fitness test, a drug screening + a psychological test. And I thought a panel interview was a lot. 😅
Community outreach: Both City + County participate in community outreach programs.
- Greenville County police have programs like Adopt-A-Cop, Bigs In Blue + the Marcus Whitfield Youth Camp.
- City of Greenville police host events like Christmas in July + programs like The Officer Allen Jacobs G.R.E.A.T Camp and the Youth Leadership Academy.
- Both the City + County offer ride-alongs – find out how to participate in the County’s TRIP program here, and the City’s Ride-Along program here.
Here’s the 411
Aside from jurisdiction, the differences between Greenville’s County + City police are fairly minor (and mostly aesthetic). At the end of the day, the most important thing the two share is a goal of protecting + bettering our community.
