Georgia POST Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Age: At least 18 years of age at the time of appointment as a peace officer.
• Education: High school diploma, GED, or higher degree from an accredited institution.
• Citizenship: U.S. citizen.
• Driver license: Valid driver license (Georgia or convertible to Georgia) with acceptable record.
• Criminal history: No felony convictions and no disqualifying criminal history; must meet Georgia POST good moral character standards.
• Other requirements:
  • Satisfactory results on a criminal background check and fingerprinting.
  • Medical examination showing fitness to perform peace officer duties.
  • Pre-employment drug screening as required by agencies.
  • Satisfactory performance on a POST-approved entrance exam and any agency hiring tests.
  • Employment or conditional offer of employment with a Georgia law enforcement agency (for most certification tracks).

Physical Fitness Standards

Georgia academies, including the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC), require recruits to meet physical fitness standards and complete ongoing physical training as part of Basic Law Enforcement Training.

• Pre-employment physical readiness test administered by agencies or academies.
• Regular physical conditioning during the 20-week basic training program.
• Defensive tactics and control-techniques training.
• Scenario-based skills training that includes running, movement, and physical exertion.

Specific numeric standards can vary by academy and policy updates, but recruits are expected to meet POST-approved fitness requirements for safe performance of essential job functions.

Academy Training Requirements

Minimum academy hours: 809

Georgia’s Basic Law Enforcement Training program is an intensive academy of roughly 800+ hours delivered over about 20 weeks. Training covers criminal and traffic law, patrol operations, investigations, defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, communication skills, and community relations, combining classroom instruction with practical, scenario-based skills work.

Reference: Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) – Basic Law Enforcement Training; Georgia POST curriculum requirements.

Reciprocity / Lateral Entry

Georgia provides an Equivalency of Training (EOT) process for qualified officers with prior basic law enforcement certification in another state, federal service, or the military.

• Out-of-state, federal, and certain military police officers may be eligible for the EOT process if their prior basic academy and experience are substantially equivalent to Georgia standards.
• Approved EOT candidates may not need to repeat the entire basic course but must complete any required Georgia-specific training.
• EOT candidates must pass any required exams or evaluations to demonstrate competency.
• Applicants must submit documentation of prior training and service to Georgia POST for case-by-case review.

All EOT and reciprocity candidates must still meet Georgia POST minimum selection, background, and character standards.

POST Contact Information

Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST)
P.O. Box 349, Clarkdale, GA 30111
Phone: 770-732-5604
Website: https://gapost.org

Official POST Requirements:
https://gapost.org/certification-requirements/basic-certifications/