Law Enforcement Academy (LEA)

Called to Serve. Trained to Lead.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Law Enforcement Academy (LEA) provides professional law enforcement training for both current officers and individuals ready to begin a rewarding career in public safety.

Located in Covington, Georgia, the academy is the first and only Law Enforcement Academy in the state accredited by CALEA (the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies), the most widely recognized accrediting body in public safety. This distinction sets GPTC apart as a leader in law enforcement education. Qualified candidates in the LEA program may also be eligible for HOPE and Pell grants to help cover the cost of training.

Our 17-week program meets the POST-approved Basic Mandate requirement of 809 hours. Graduates not only earn POST Basic Law Enforcement certification but also receive 42 college credit hours toward an associate degree in criminal justice.

If you feel called to serve, begin your career today with one of the top police training programs in Georgia at Georgia Piedmont Tech’s Law Enforcement Academy.

Application Process for Basic Mandate

To apply for advanced classes, please see the Advanced Classes section on this page.

At Georgia Piedmont Tech’s Law Enforcement Academy, we are committed to delivering the highest quality peace officer training in Georgia. To apply, candidates must first meet program requirements.

Once you submit your online application, the academy staff will contact you with details about the next steps. Application deadlines are typically set about six weeks before the start of a new class.

• Academy Requirements
  • Minimum of 18 years old
  • Criminal background investigation;
    • No felony convictions
    • Or sufficient misdemeanors showing a pattern of disregard for the law
    • Must possess good moral character
  • Pass the medical examination
  • Proof of High School/GED graduation
  • Proof of US or naturalized citizenship
  • Valid Class C Georgia Driver’s License
  • Military Service Record (if applicable)
  • Provide a Birth Certificate
  • Pass drug screen

Academy Application Academy Fact Sheet Agency Checklist

Advanced Law Enforcement Training

GPTC’s Law Enforcement Academy offers almost 800 hours of customized training for current law enforcement officers in Georgia every year at our Newton Campus in Covington. Officers can choose from courses ranging from 24 to 80 hours each.

Advanced Courses are for current Georgia Law Enforcement Officers Only.

Please see the yellow Advanced Classes section on the right for our Advanced Course flyer and the Advanced Classes Registration form.

If you have any questions about upcoming Advanced Course offerings, cost of the courses, and registration, you can contact the Academy’s Program Assistant, Samantha Nix, at gptclea@gptc.edu or 404-297-9522, ext. 5046.

Advanced Class Registration Form

See the course options below.

• Crime Scene Processing
  • The student will be familiar with the actions to be taken by the first arriving officer at a crime scene, identify investigative resources for assistance, and understand the techniques of documenting the crime scene and how to collect and preserve evidence. This course is designed for first responding elements to the crime scene and satisfies the requirements for P.O.S.T. Advance Certification.
• Equivalency of Training (EOT)
  • Eligible for: Federal Peace Officers, Military Peace Officers (MP + CID, or equivalent), Out-of-State Peace Officers, Pre-Service Candidates and Inactive Registered Georgia
  • Peace Officers actively employed in law enforcement or who have graduated from a basic law enforcement training course within the last 3 years are eligible for Equivalency of Training (EOT). All others will be required to attend the entire Basic Law Enforcement Training course. This process will also be used for those individuals who attended the introductory law enforcement training course, in Georgia, and did not complete the certification process within three (3) years.
  • The EOT may allow an officer to be exempt from having to complete the entire basic law enforcement training course. Those who fail the EOT will be required to successfully complete the entire basic law enforcement training course to be eligible for peace officer certification. The minimum passing score is 70%.
  • You may be eligible for an exemption from the full basic law enforcement training course if you were an officer in another state or with the federal government and meet the following requirements:
    • You attended a basic law enforcement training course in another state or with the federal government;
    • Your certification as a peace officer in another state or with the federal government is valid; and
    • You have not had more than a three (3) year break in employment as a law enforcement officer.
• Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • The Field Training Officer (FTO) Program combines on-the-job instruction with objective evaluation and documentation, thereby enabling students to use this selection process within their own department.
• Instructor Training
  • This course is designed for public safety officers who instruct in performance-oriented training and are responsible for developing lesson plans. Topics range from instructor liability and lesson plan design to testing and evaluation of learning. During the course, each student writes an original lesson plan on an approved public safety topic and develops the presentation skills necessary to deliver that lesson.
• Firearms Instructor Training
  • This course is designed to develop qualified firearms instructors who can manage and conduct firearms training programs. Officers will be trained in contemporary firearms techniques, equipment, and accessories, and will participate in a variety of combat shooting drills, including drawing techniques, safe loading and unloading procedures, proper use of cover, immediate actions, engagement of multiple targets, and various other shooting scenarios. Subject matter will include: safety, range operation, ballistics, instructor liability, night firing, semi-automatic pistols, and shotguns.
• Georgia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
  • The Georgia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training course prepares law enforcement officers and other public safety personnel with the skills to assist people with mental illness, co-occurring disorders, substance abuse, developmental disorders or other brain disorders who are in crisis, thereby advancing public safety and reducing stigma. This course is an intensive 40-hour, five-day curriculum that is comprised of both classroom instruction and practical exercises delivered by mental health professionals, other subject matter experts and CIT law enforcement instructors. This course is approved by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Council.

Fall 2025 Advanced Curriculum Courses