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Career Development

To qualify for the Advanced Certification, you must:

  • Possess or be able to possess the Intermediate Certificate. 
  • Be a certified, registered or exempt peace officer in good standing.
  • Have at least four (4) years of experience as a full-time, paid peace officer.
  • Complete 150 additional hours of POST approved Specialized or Advanced Training, for a total 300 hours. 

Specialized or Advanced Training: 

Specialized and Advanced Training is defined as “Training delivered by a POST certified instructor with a performance or written exam requiring a minimum passing score of 80% and a minimum duration of 8 hours.”

To apply for your Advanced Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete all required training. 
  2. Log into the POST Data Gateway.
  3. Click on Demographics.
  4. Click on Fact Sheet at the top.
  5. Print the Fact Sheet and mark the Specialized or Advanced training you want considered for the required 300 hours.
  6. Scan the marked Fact Sheet to your computer for later upload.
  7. On your Demographics page: 
    1. Scroll down to Career Certifications.
    2. Click on the drop down.
    3. Select “Advanced Certificate”.
    4. Click the Apply for Career Certification button.
  8. Complete the application, ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • Marked Fact Sheet (Training Checklist)
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency). 
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.

To qualify for the Executive Certification, you must: 

  • Currently hold an executive or command staff position and have done so for at least one (1) year prior to certification. 
    • An executive position is defined as the highest-level official with direct operational responsibility for a law enforcement agency.
      • Duty positions may be identified by the title of chief of police, sheriff, superintendent, warden, colonel, director, or commissioner. 
    • A command staff position is defined as high-level positions within an agency with duty positions over divisions like uniform patrol, investigations, special operations, or office of professional standards.
      • Command staff positions typically hold the ranks of Deputy Chief, Deputy Director, Major, or Captain.
    • As general managers of a law enforcement agency, the executive and command staff members have the administrative responsibility for the policies and performance of the Agency.
    • Determination will be based on job function and not position title.
  • Complete 120-hours of POST and GACP approved Executive Development Training or complete one (1) of the following POST approved Executive courses:
    • 440-hour GA Law Enforcement Command College Course
    • FBI National Academy (Approximately 320 Hours)
    • SPI Administrative Officers Course
    • IACP Leadership in Police Organizations Course (Approximately 120 Hours)
    • Other Executive courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

To apply for your Executive Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete the required course. 
  2. Log into the POST Data Gateway.
  3. Click on Demographics.
  4. Click on Fact Sheet at the top.
  5. Print the Fact Sheet and mark the required course(s) with a check mark.
  6. Scan the marked Fact Sheet to your computer for later upload.
  7. On your Demographics page:
    1. Scroll down to Career Certifications.
    2. Click on the drop down.
    3. Select “Executive Certificate”.
    4. Click the Apply for Career Certification button.
  8. Complete the application ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • Marked Fact Sheet (Training Checklist)
    • Brief statement listing executive responsibilities and date placed in an executive position.
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency).
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing.

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.

To qualify for the Intermediate Certification, you must:

  • Be a certified, registered or exempt officer currently in Good Standing.
  • Have at least two (2) years of experience as a full-time, paid peace officer.
  • Complete 150 hours of POST approved Specialized or Advanced Training. 

Specialized or Advanced Training:

Specialized and Advanced Training is defined as “Training delivered by a POST certified instructor with a performance or written exam requiring a minimum passing score of 80% and a minimum duration of 8 hours.”

To apply for your Intermediate Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete all required training.
  2. Log into the POST Data Gateway.
  3. Click on Demographics.
  4. Click on Fact Sheet at the top.
  5. Print the Fact Sheet and mark the Specialized or Advanced training you want considered for the required 150 hours.
  6. Scan the marked Fact Sheet to your computer for later upload.
  7. On your Demographics page: 
    1. Scroll down to Career Certifications.
    2. Click on the drop down.
    3. Select “Intermediate Certificate”.
    4. Click the Apply for Career Certification button.
  8. Complete the application, ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • Marked Fact Sheet (Training Checklist)
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency). 
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing.

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.

To qualify for the Management Certification, you must:

  • Currently hold a management position and have done so for at least one (1) year prior to certification. 
    • A management position is defined as one where the holder occupies a management position in a law enforcement agency which falls between the supervisor and the executive. 
    • This position typically involves planning, organizing, public relations, discipline, and general administrative work. 
    • Determination will be based on job function, not position title.
  • Complete one (1) of the following POST approved management courses:
    • POST Approved Management Development Course- Levels I, II, and III (120 Hours)
    • GPSTC Management Program – Levels I, II, and III (120 Hours Total)
    • Carl Vinson Institute – Management Development Course (120 Hours)
    • Command College PMP Program (160 Hours)
    • SPI Administrative Officers Course
    • Northwestern University School of Police Staff & Command
    • Georgia State Management Development Program
    • Georgia Southern Management Development Course
    • Other Management courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

To apply for your Management Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete the required course. 
  2. Log into the POST Data Gateway.
  3. Click on Demographics.
  4. Click on Fact Sheet at the top.
  5. Print the Fact Sheet and mark the required course(s) with a check mark.
  6. Scan the marked Fact Sheet to your computer for later upload.
  7. On your Demographics page:
    1. Scroll down to Career Certifications.
    2. Click on the drop down.
    3. Select “Managerial Certificate”.
    4. Click the Apply for Career Certification button.
  8. Complete the application ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • Marked Fact Sheet or Course Certificates (Miscellaneous Documentation)
    • Brief statement listing managerial responsibilities and date placed in a managerial position.
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency). 
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing.

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.

If your course is from an agency that does not report to POST (Federal, etc.), complete this application. 

  1. Email the following to helpdesk@gapost.org (with the subject “Management Certification Application”):
    • Completed application
    • Certificate(s) from approved Management courses
    • Official copy of college transcript

To qualify for the Senior Deputy Certification, you must:

  • Be a certified, registered, or exempt peace officer currently employed with a Georgia law enforcement agency that is recognized by the GA POST Council.
  • Successfully complete the required Module I and Module II core courses.
  • Complete a minimum of 200 hours of POST recognized training (Module III). 
    • The Module I and Module II required core courses, refresher/in-service training, or a basic training course required for a basic certification by GA POST Council shall not be accepted for the 200-hour requirement. 
    • In-service courses are identified with a course code beginning with the letter “I”.
    • The acceptable advanced/specialized courses can be found on the application, under Module III Completion Checklist.
    • Any training used as electives must be approved by your chief executive.
    • The core courses required for intermediate and advanced certification may be used as electives as long as they have not been used for previous issuance of the intermediate or advanced certification. Once an intermediate or advanced core course is used as an elective, it may not be used for issuance of any future POST certification without re-attending the required course or an approved alternative which has been deemed equivalent.

Module I Required Core Courses:

  • Office of the Sheriff (3 Hrs)
  • Basic Jailer/Jail Officer Course (80 or 45 Hrs)
  • Bonding Procedures (2 Hrs)
  • Civil Process (8 Hrs)
  • Court Services (16 Hrs)
  • Mental Commitments/Transportation of the Mentally ill (4 Hrs)
  • Prisoner Transport (2 Hrs)
  • Sex Offender Registry (2 Hrs)

Module II Required Core Courses: 

  • Advanced Report Writing (16 Hrs)
  • Crime Scene Management for First Resp Ofc (4 Hrs)
  • Domestic Violence: The Officers Response (4 Hrs)
  • Ethics (2 Hrs)
  • Interpersonal Relations (8 Hrs)
  • Public Relations (2 Hrs)
  • Search Proc for Wanted/Missing Persons (2 Hrs) 

To apply for your Senior Deputy Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete all required courses. 
  2. Complete the PDF Application, which includes the required course completion checklists.
  3. Submit the application to the Georgia Sheriff’s Association (GSA) for review.
  4. After receiving GSA approval, log into the POST Data Gateway.
  5. Click on Demographics.
  6. Scroll down to your Court Services course in your Training History.
  7. Click the Apply for Certification button.
  8. Complete the application ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • PDF Application (Misc. Documents under Supporting Documentation)
    • Certificates for external courses (like FLETC)
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency). 
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing.

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.

To qualify for the Supervisory Certification, you must:

  • Currently hold a supervisory position and have done so for at least one (1) year prior to certification. 
    • A supervisory position is defined as one where the holder of such a position is responsible for the direct supervision of personnel occupying basic operational line positions – patrol, investigation, or support.
    • The position title may be sergeant, corporal, officer-in-charge or team leader. 
    • A person in this position commonly performs both the direct supervision of personnel and actual law enforcement duties. 
    • Also included would be coordination of supervised personnel, evaluation, and record keeping. 
    • Determination will be based on job function and not position title.
  • Complete one (1) of the following POST approved Supervisory/Leadership courses:
    • 76-hour GPSTC Leadership in Public Safety: Theory and Practice course
    • 120-hour POST Supervisory Development Course (Typically Supervision Levels I, II, and III)
    • 160-hour Command College PMP Program
    • Other Supervision or Leadership courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

To apply for your Supervisory Certification:

  1. Ensure you meet all requirements and complete the required course. 
  2. Log into the POST Data Gateway.
  3. Click on Demographics.
  4. Click on Fact Sheet at the top.
  5. Print the Fact Sheet and mark the Supervisory Training you want considered for the requirement.
  6. Scan the marked Fact Sheet to your computer for later upload.
  7. On your Demographics page:
    1. Scroll down to Career Certifications.
    2. Click on the drop down.
    3. Select “Supervisory Certificate”.
    4. Click the Apply for Career Certification button.
  8. Complete the application ensuring you upload all supporting documents.
    • Marked Fact Sheet (Training Checklist)
    • Brief statement listing supervisory responsibilities and date placed in a supervisory position.
  9. Attest the application (Candidate and Agency). 
  10. Save and submit your application.
  11. Allow 4-6 weeks for processing.

If you receive notification that your application needs corrections, follow the How Do I Correct My Application instructions.