Qualifying Employment for Peace Officers
Eligible applicants must:
- Have and maintain Peace Officers Standard of Training (POST) certification, including the power to arrest.
- Be employed by a law enforcement office or agency of the state of Georgia or a law enforcement office or department within a city, county, or railroad in the state of Georgia for 12 consecutive months.
- Qualifying Employment of twelve consecutive months must begin January 1, 2024 or later.
Eligible applicants must meet one of the following qualifying employment requirements.
Group 1. Newly Employed Peace Officer in Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree
- Hired as a qualifying Peace Officer in the state of Georgia for the first time on or after January 1, 2024; and
- Earned a bachelor’s degree prior to their hiring date; and
- Has qualifying outstanding student loans in good standing (cannot be in default).
Group 2. Peace Officer enrolled in a Bachelor’s Degree in a field of Criminal Justice
- Employed as a qualifying Peace Officer in the state of Georgia; and
- Enrolled at an eligible college/university in a bachelor’s degree program in the field of Criminal Justice. A program change outside of the field of Criminal Justice will impact eligibility for the loan repayment program; and
- Enrolled at least half-time (6 or more semester hours) of the school year in which applying for the Georgia Peace Officers Loan Repayment Program; and
- Has qualifying outstanding student loans in good standing (cannot be in default).
All eligible applicants must be employed:
- Full time as a Peace Officer in the State of Georgia at a qualifying law enforcement office, agency or department of the state of Georgia or a law enforcement office, agency, or department within a city, county, or railroad in the state of Georgia or
- Part time with two or more qualifying departments/agencies that equal full-time employment may qualify.
