Become a Police Officer

Thank you for your interest in becoming a police officer. Joining the ranks of Georgia’s police force is a high honor and will be an extremely challenging, but very rewarding, step on your career path. Candidates interested in becoming a peace officer in Georgia must complete an application with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) prior to enrolling in the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s (GPSTC) Basic Law Enforcement Training Program.

Upon meeting or completing the pre-requisites listed below, candidates may enroll in GPSTC’s Basic Law Enforcement Training, which is a rigorous program that consists of 408 course hours and takes 11 weeks to complete. After a candidate has completed the program, they are eligible for POST certification and for employment as an entry-level law enforcement officer.

Prerequisites

In Georgia, the certification process to become a police officer is regulated by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council (POST). Candidates pursuing Basic Law Enforcement Training at GPSTC must meet the following minimum requirements:

  1. Be at least 18 years old;
  2. Be a citizen of the United States;
  3. Have a high school diploma or its equivalent;
  4. Not have been convicted of a crime for which the punishment could have been imprisonment;
  5. Contact the GPSTC Regional Academy you wish to attend;
  6. Undergo a background investigation;
  7. Complete an entrance exam;
  8. Register as a new user on the Georgia POST website and begin the online POST application. Complete as much of the application as possible;
  9. Be fingerprinted;
  10. Undergo a physical and psychological examination;
  11. Be interviewed by the manager of the GPSTC Regional Academy where the you will attend training.

Basic Police Officer Training Program Highlights

Length of Program: 11 weeks
Non-Refundable Tuition: $3,093
Fees: Fees range from $132 to $270 depending on location  
Dates Offered: View dates the program is offered
Locations offered: All GPSTC Regional Academies

Questions?

Contact the Basic Training Division at GPSTC’s main campus in Forsyth, GA or the Regional Academy you’d like to attend.