Public Safety
As our community has grown, so too has the need to maintain and grow our public safety departments.
Over the last four years we’ve made some critical moves to strengthen our Police and Fire Departments, and there’s more on the horizon.
On the Record
Improved Fire Department ISO Rating
Our Fire Department moved two spots to an ISO Rating of 2, just shy of the highest rating possible. A Department’s ISO Rating is a key metric that measures things like department staffing, readiness, and equipment. It not only is a tool to help assess your Fire Department, but it also impacts your home owners’ insurance - the better the rating, the stronger the department and the lower your insurance premiums.State Accreditation for Police Department
In 2023 our Police Department achieved State Accreditation, pointing to a high level of service, clear and updated policies, and more. Only 38 agencies, including Sheriff offices, in the state are listed as Accredited by SC Law Enforcement Accreditation.Increased Staffing
Every shift in Police and Fire has seen an increase in positions funded. We’re increasing our numbers to provide not only a stronger response team, but also more flexibility for employee’s who need backup or a day off.Raising Pay & Benefits
Four years ago, pay in our Police Department was one of the lowest in the Upstate. We've raised Police pay 21% alone. We also provided each of our departments, especially those in Public Safety, with a substantial pandemic premium pay rate. Plus, we created an education incentive program to provide additional pay for various levels of education and credentials. We also moved all employees to the state health insurance plan - saving some employees hundreds of dollars every month and providing more stability in coverage than they’ve ever had.Police Car Lease Program
Four years ago our police officers were driving around in older vehicles. Instead of purchasing new vehicles out-right, and finding ourselves in the same situation just a few years later, we’ve moved all of our department vehicles to a robust lease program, giving our officers the latest vehicles and equipment on a regular basis.Firefighter EMT Training
Today, all of our firefighters go through rigorous EMT training and certification. The vast majority of calls received by the Fire Department are medical emergencies - in fact we are almost always the first to respond before County or Hospital ambulances. Increasing the number of EMT Certified firefighters per shift allows to save more lives. Additionally, we have moved much of this training in-house, eliminating expenses and creating a unique recruitment tool.
What's Next:
Fire Station #3 + Police Sub-Station
While early stages have been completed (land acquisition and initial County Council approval), up next is getting this much needed project off the ground, physically. Adding a third fire station helps us reduce response times even more, house more staff and equipment, and help us march towards the highest ISO Rating available. We already received $4 million in state funds to get this project off the ground, and are working with Greenville County Council on additional support.Long-Term HQ Solutions
It’s no secret that our Fire and Police Headquarters located on North Main Street need more space. As we continue to shift existing resources to meet short-term needs, we need a long-term solution to give our public safety staff the space and tools they need to do their jobs. Over the next four years, we’ll build a plan to meet our growing needs for these departments, including a new Municipal Complex that houses two new headquarters.Fire Training Facility
Looking beyond daily needs of our team, we need to provide space for our firefighters to maintain their high level of training. We’re already working on a plan to build our crews a training facility that not only benefits our local department, but also surrounding departments. This project is also supported by the $4 million in state funds we received in the summer of 2023.