Academy Information

Non-Certified Applicants

Applicants who are not Georgia certified peace officers or who have not been previously certified in another state will attend the Georgia Basic Law Enforcement Academy to attain Georgia POST certification.

Georgia utilizes a regional Academy system, Kingsland's academy is located on a brand new campus located adjacent to the Garden City Government Complex located just off of Interstate 16, near Savannah, Georgia approximately 90 minutes North of Kingsland.

For more specific information on our Academy please click this link: Garden City Academy

The Academy is 420 hours in length or approximately 11 weeks long, it is a " live in " Academy, The City of Kingsland pays all costs associated with this training as well as the Officer's normal salary and benefit's while in attendance.

Kingsland Recruits are housed in a nearby hotel, Recruits share a suite with a fellow Kingsland Recruit and wear Academy uniforms provided by the Department. All meals are provided by the agency with the choice of dining facilities left up to the Recruit.

Transportation is provided by the agency, all recruits share vehicle(s) during their time at the Academy.

Recruits leave the Kingsland Police Department on Sunday evening and drive up to their hotel where they stay until Friday evening. After class on Friday, recruits return to Kingsland and spend Friday night, Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday at home with their families before the cycle repeats itself.

Hours at the Academy vary through out the course of instruction, but typically run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

The course of instruction is demanding both mentally and physically, students do both class room course work and actual hands on training. There is an aggressive physical fitness training program with PT daily.

All course work takes place at the Garden City campus with the exception of Firearms and Emergency Vehicle Operations. Firearms training takes place in nearby Richmond Hills, a short drive from the Academy grounds, Emergency Vehicle Operations takes place at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, located in Forsyth.

During this training Recruits stay on site instead in the dorms, they also dine in the cafeteria.

For more specific information about the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, Forsyth click on the following link: GPSTC.

Following graduation from the Academy, the Recruits return to Kingsland Police Department as Certified Peace Officers and begin a 8- 10 week Field Training Program of hands on training with Field Training Officers of the agency.

Pre-Service Law Enforcement Training Academies

Various colleges in Georgia offer qualified individuals the opportunity to earn basic peace officer certification prior to employment with a law enforcement agency. The college programs combine certified training with academic credit and offer financial aid to those who qualify. The following institutions are authorized by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to deliver the basic law enforcement training course to pre-service candidates:

Certified Applicants

Georgia and other states, must complete the first 8 steps listed on the process page in order to be hired.

Georgia Certified / Lateral 

Applicants who are currently certified Georgia Peace Officers and who are current on their training hours, are placed directly into the Field Training Program after weapons qualification, this period of time is based on the individual situation of the Officers skill levels.

Out of State / Lateral

Applicants who are currently or have been previously certified by another state as a Peace Officer / Law Enforcement Officer must make application to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission for a rating.

For more specific information about the Georgia POST click on the following link: POST (PDF)

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