Greenville Leader

Like most area businesses this year, the Greenville Police Department is eager to fill several open positions within the force with qualified individuals. 

According to Sgt. Michelle Lentz, applying to the Police Department was one of the best decisions she's ever made. 

“I’m glad I took the chance and applied to the Greenville Police Department," she offers as a testimonial on a tweet by the Police Department highlighting the vacancies. "I’ve loved every aspect of my job and look forward to seeing where my career goes from here”.

According to its website, the Greenville Police Department dates back to 1845, when the Town of Greenville built its first police station and elected James Goodlet as its first marshal. Prior to Goodlet's election, the citizens of Greenville were forced to take turns on "watch." 

A second marshal was added in 1851, and the "Police Force," as it was known then, continued until 1871. It was during this time that a charter changed Greenville from a town into a city, and in 1872, the Greenville Police Force was expanded to six officers.

In order to be considered for employment at the department, applicants must be 21 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, have a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid driver's license, have no license suspensions during the last five years for DUI, fleeing an accident, reckless homicide, or involuntary manslaughter, have never been convicted of a felony, have never been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or misdemeanor carrying a sentence of more than one year, or have never defaulted on a government or student loan. 

Applicants will need to be able to provide all necessary information and answer a questionnaire to determine their eligibility for the position.