How to become a police officer in Georgia
In Georgia, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) sets the statewide standards; the credential is POST peace officer certification (Basic). At the Atlanta Police Department, new hires start at $60,987 a year. You must be at least 18.
Pay at the Atlanta Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Atlanta Police Department, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $60,987 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | — |
| Scale effective | 2025-01-01 |
Atlanta Police starting salary effective January 1, 2025.
Source:[joinatlantapd.org]
Pay for this work across Georgia
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Georgia, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 22,170 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $43,690 |
| Median pay | $58,120 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $76,250 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school diploma, GED, or an approved college degree (a Council-approved exam if the diploma's accreditation cannot be documented)
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen (native-born, repatriated or naturalized) as of the date employment begins
- Two applicant fingerprint cards processed through GCIC and NCIC before starting work as a peace officer
- Examination by a licensed physician finding no physical, emotional or mental condition that would adversely affect the duties (Rule 464-3-.14 for law enforcement)
- Psychological evaluation affidavit by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist
- Pass a job-related academy entrance examination approved by the Council
- No conviction of any crime punishable by imprisonment in a state or federal prison, and no pattern of misdemeanors showing disregard for the law
- Good moral character determined by investigation
- Pass the Physical Agility Test (timed obstacle course, 2:06 or less) to attend any law enforcement academy
Source:[gapost.org]
Hiring process
- Academy entrance exam (Accuplacer preferred; ASSET or COMPASS accepted)
- Physical examination by a licensed physician
- Psychological evaluation
- Fingerprints (GAPS/Fieldprint) and background/character investigation
- POST application in the POST Data Gateway (with employing agency or academy)
- Physical Agility Test
- POST-certified basic law enforcement academy
- POST certification
Source:[gapost.org]
Entrance exam
POST-approved academy entrance examination (Accuplacer, ASSET or COMPASS). Rule 464-3-.02(1)(f) requires a job-related academy entrance exam approved by the Council. POST accepts the Accuplacer (preferred), ASSET and COMPASS tests, given at Georgia technical colleges; allow two hours, results immediate.[gapost.org]
Required training
784 hours minimum, 20 weeks. Georgia Public Safety Training Center (state academy): Basic Law Enforcement Training consists of 784 course hours and takes 20 weeks. Pre-service candidates (not employed by an agency) may attend; tuition $6,152 for pre-service. Hours are for the GPSTC program; POST's own minimum was not found on an official page.[gpstc.org]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: City of Atlanta Defined Benefit Pension Plan (police)
- Benefit formula: 1.6% per year of service for years 0-10, 2.0% per year for years 10-20, 2.4% per year from 20 on (1% per year for service before Jan 1, 2025); maximum 70%; based on the highest consecutive 60 months of pay
- When you can retire: Unreduced retirement with 30 years of service or at age 57 or older
- Social Security: no, this job is not covered
Shown: the plan of the largest-city department (pay.employer); a statewide plan for local police was not confirmed from an official source. Officers contribute 11.75% of salary to the new pension plan (replacing the prior 8% pension + 3.75% DC contribution); up to 2% COLA. The same page also says officers retire with up to 70% of their top 120 months of pay, which conflicts with the 60-month figure.
Source:[joinatlantapd.org]