Career
Joshua Battista was appointed to the rank of Captain in October of 2023 and assigned as the Commander of the Administrative Division.
He began his sworn law enforcement career in 2000 while working at the City of Columbia as a graduate assistant. During that time, he was recruited to join the City of Columbia Police Department as a police officer. In 2003 he moved back to the Low Country and went to work for the City of Goose Creek Police Department where he was a Boy Scout Law Enforcement Explorer for many years. In the fall of 2022, Battista found his home at the Summerville Police Department working for the town he has lived in.
During Battista’s career, he has served in various assignments, including School Resource Officer Unit Supervisor; Office of Professional Standards Supervisor; Patrol Team supervisor; Patrol Team Watch Commander; Traffic and K-9 Bureau Commander; Grant writer and manager; Criminal Investigative Division Unit Commander; Uniformed Patrol Division Commander; and Administrative Division Commander. He has served as a Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) member for six years and as a Hostage and Crisis Negotiations Team Commander for the past eight years.
Captain Battista graduated from the University of South Carolina in the year 2000 with a Bachelor of Science from the College of Criminal Justice. Shortly after graduation, he took a semester off to attend law enforcement training. When his basic training was complete and while working as a patrol officer, he attended Graduate School at the University of South Carolina. He then graduated with a Master of Criminal Justice in 2003. Battista is a graduate of the School of Police Staff and Command, Class 499, which is held by Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety. He is a graduate of the US Attorney’s Office Investigations Commander School, FBI’s Carolina Command College, FBI’s LEEDA Supervisor and Command Leadership Institutes.
Captain Battista is an active member of the Peer Support Team which assists public safety personnel in dealing with critical incident stress management based on his training from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. He holds several instructor certifications from SCCJA and is an active trainer for law enforcement in the field of active shooter response and management, field training management, and firearms. In addition to these certifications, he is a certified National Rifle Association Law Enforcement Instructor for Tactical Firearms and Patrol Rifle.
Recognition and Awards
Captain Battista graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) as a distinguished graduate. Captain Battista was recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10256 as the Officer of the Year. He has been awarded the Compassionate Hero Award by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for the State of South Carolina. He was recognized as the MADD national officer of the month in July of 2021. He has been awarded certifications as a Traffic Safety Officer and Reconstructionist from SCCJA.
Memberships
Captain Battista is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Southern States Police Benevolent Association, Berkeley County Subcommittee Against Impaired Driving, and the University of South Carolina Alumni Association.