CHARLESTON, S.C. - The head of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy says he is concerned the state has dropped a program that gave aspiring police officers a psychological evaluation.

"In today's world, you want to be giving an officer psychological screening," said academy director William Neill, noting that not every prospective officer has the maturity and mental stability to handle the job's responsibility.

In most states a psychological evaluation is required by law for those hoping to become police officers. But that's not the case in South Carolina, and because of state budget cuts in recent years, the academy's 20-year-old unit that offered screenings was shut down almost two years ago.

Now the state doesn't know exactly how many of the 1,000 or more new officers who join the ranks of South Carolina police departments and sheriff's offices each year go untested.

Dr. Mark Bolte, who ran the psychological screening unit during its final three years, said he was helping draft legislation to require the screenings for all law enforcement officers in the state. Plans also were in the works to charge more for the unit's services so it could become self-sustaining.

"It was third down and we were ready to make the pass, but time ran out," he said.

Mauldin Police Chief John Davidson said the information is vital. He said the tests helped his department identify police applicants who had what he described as "gross psychological abnormalities."

"I would rather know that before they are hired than after," he said.

Mauldin was fortunate it could afford to continue sending applicants to an outside screening service after the state got out of the business.

"I think there are quite a few that have simply decided not to do it because they can't afford it," Davidson said.

Bolte, who does law enforcement employee screenings in private practice, knows the state's service was a bargain for cash-strapped police departments. The same testing the state offered for $25 to $35 can cost $200 or more if done privately.

An academy survey in 2001 found fewer than 100 of the state's 280 police agencies were administering the tests as part of their application process.

Of those that did the tests, about 36 used the academy's service. The remainder took the more expensive route.