Greetings, I am sure people here know exactly and I won't have to search for hours on the web. In canada, tyo be a police officer, you need to attend a like-associate degree of 3 years and then 6 months (or one year, can't recall) police academy training. If I am 40 years old, engineer degree and in good physical shape (glasses, not fat, but very minor and controlled asthma) and I want to be a police officer, what do I have to do? Thank you
Apply, pass background checks, physical, get hired, attend 6-8 week academy, pin on a gun and a badge, and go start busting heads!
It's going to vary from agency to agency, but basically, you apply to agencies for which you would like to work. The agency will then put you through the police academy. Right now, the basic police academy in GA is 10 weeks/404 hours, but that will most likely be expanded soon. Some agencies use regional academies spread around the sate and others run their own academies. Physical standards will vary between agencies and academies. Many agencies have a basic physical test that you have to pass to be employed, but some don't have any physical testing whatsoever. Some of the academies are run boot camp style, some are basically classroom stuff with defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operation and firearms being the only physical aspects of the academy. Education wise, in GA all you have to have is a GED in order to get a certification. You will have to pass an entrance test to the academy prior to POST approving a spot for you, but a sixth grader should be able to pass the test.
Academy is minimum 10 weeks now. I guess that I should also mention that there are discussions underway to move all of the basic classes from the regional academies to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. The regional academies would then focus more on advanced training. If the basic classes are moved to GPSTC, they will become a lot boot camp style than some of the regional academies are. They will also be increased in length to include stuff such as RADAR certification as part of the basic course.
None? Well, don't call them fat, and under no circumstances make any donut comments, or you will get body-slammed!
I went through in January of '99, and my class was the first to be a 10 week academy. It has since had four hours added to it. Annual training requirement is 20 hours to keep power of arrest. As for the move to GPSTC, I hate for those that would have to live down there for all of that time as nobody should have to endure that, but it should help standardize training across the state. There is just too much variance across the state as it is now.
Yeah, but wearing that badge and uniform and driving the car with the flashing blue lights brings the color of law aspect in the mix, and that can move things to the federal building.
Does immunity disappear if you only get 19 hours? I have not researched this, but that strikes me as odd.
Greetings, You got me mixed up now... So, I just have to apply without any credentials? What will make the state police or a sheriff county choose me instead of another one???? Up there in Canada, when you are diplomed, you apply for opennings and usually the PD makes you pass a lot of exams and interviews to take only the best. Thank you
POST rules require 20 hours each calendar year in order to maintain arrest powers. Plus, if an officer leaves active police employment without having already obtaining 20 hours for that year, they have to jump through hoops to get their certification reinstated.
Certification never disappears unless revoked. I forget what they call it that is reinstated . . . I quit taking in training in 2001, but was shocked to find out I will always be POST certified, just not, oh, what is it . . . active or something? Can't remember.
Your winning smile? Like legacy38 said, it depends on the agency. Most of them publish their requirements on line. Few require college.
Yes, you can apply without already being certified, and this is by far the most common way an officer initially is hired. The head of the agency selects candidates based on a myriad of different reasons and then sends them to the academy for certification. Of course there are agencies that don't hire uncertified officers and try to recruit them from other agencies. You can put yourself through the academy and then basically be a "free agent" on the job market. If an agency puts you through the academy, you are obligated to that agency for two years unless their is a contract between you and the agency in place stating otherwise. The two-year law only applies if you leave your sponsor agency for another within the two-year period. You would be required to repay your agency for your training cost including salary while in training. If you leave police work altogether or go to another state you are not obligated. Once again though, and employment contract supersedes the law, and many agencies are now taking this route and requiring repayment if you leave for any reason of your own volition.
Step One: Pick a department to apply to. Step Two: fill out application as required by department step threedepends on department)most have you take a physcial abilty test that is usually some sort of obstacle course step four: interview with department step five:background investigation step six: job offer step seven: Police Academy at regional academy or GPSTC step eight: field training at your department correct me if I am wrong but you can pay your own way at the academy but you can not be fully POST certified until you have a job. you can go to http://gpstc.georgia.gov/02/gpstc/h...l;jsessionid=56316952590B995EB4C250D0B560328A to read more about the police academy Good Luck!
You are correct. Your certification is not fully in force until actually employed. Plus, there is a time limit on the time in which you have to actually begin service and academy graduation, but I can't remember it exactly.