Georgia State Patrol

[KMcCullough]

Could a Trooper, irregardless of what post, etc, contact me via private message? I'd like to learn more about the agency. I'm currently 18 years old and I'm trying to figure out whether or not to stick with my 4 person PD for 3 years or go with MCCD until I'm 21, where I will then transfer to GSP.

[FlyingPig1]

Im not with the GSP, but I have talked to them about before about hiring. You wont "transfer" to them. You would have to apply like anyone else and attend their full academy.

[KMcCullough]

Im not with the GSP, but I have talked to them about before about hiring. You wont "transfer" to them. You would have to apply like anyone else and attend their full academy.

Yea I understand it, but if you're already trained you'll go through Trooper School, but you'll have more weeks in the field rather than in the academy itself.

[FlyingPig1]

Hmmm.. interesting. Ive been a cop for 15yrs. When I talked to them about coming on from CA, it was the full academy and full FTO. There was nothing given or credited for prior experience. Unless the recruiter I talked to didnt know what he was talking about.

[FPS1588]

If you are already a Georgia Certified peace officer, you will skip the basic mandate portion of the Trooper school and go to the FTO portion of your training. GSP does not take out of state laterals and give them credit, though Georgia Post does if you were coming to this state to work for a local agency.

[FlyingPig1]

Good to know. Thanks So just to clarify, if I was already a cop in GA I would skip the academy and go right to the road? Hoewver being an out of state lateral, I would start at day 1 hour 1 like any other entry level applicant?

[tcode3]

FlyingPig,

Ok...here is how is works, if you are GA Post certified you would go to the academy better known as "Trooper School" for GSP specific training if I am not mistaken 6 to 8 weeks long. Then the Certified "cadets" go to FTO for the remainder of the academy while the rest of the class does the Mandate training. [This training is similar to the Learning Domains's you had to learn in CA]
Note: FTO for GSP is completed while you are technically in the academy. Thus if you fail FTO you will not graduate.
I hope this helps...

[FutureGSP]

Hmmm.. interesting. Ive been a cop for 15yrs. When I talked to them about coming on from CA, it was the full academy and full FTO. There was nothing given or credited for prior experience. Unless the recruiter I talked to didnt know what he was talking about.

Since I work for the Department I will tell you EXACTLY how it goes. If, and only if, you are already a POST certified officer in GA, you will attend Trooper School with the exception of the basic mandate classes. The entire trooper school experience is 31 weeks which includes the FTO portion. Those who are already GA POST certified, will attend Trooper school for approximately 15 weeks learning GSP specific training, radar, laser, SFST, ARIDE etc..Those who are not certified in GA, but are in another state, will have to attend the entire Trooper School regardless of experience. Also, those who are already POST certified in GA, but have NO road experience, (ex. you were certified with a Sheriff's Office and worked in the jail) will remain at Trooper school for the entire 19 weeks of academy instruction. GA POST certified officers with road experience will have an extra month in the field.

I hope this clears things up a little.

[FlyingPig1]

Cool, thanks.