Click the “Open Opportunities” link to visit the City’s career section to apply and check for current positions.
The individuals who wear the Sandy Springs Police Department’s badge share the common desire to make an impact and a difference every day. We look for men and women who value being part of a team where they are respected within the department and in the community we serve – police officers that know they have the opportunity to save lives and to change lives, too. The SSPD is proud of its high retention rate and career growth opportunities. The desire to help people in a city that embraces its police force, combined with a job where no two days are alike, make the Sandy Springs Police Department an optimum place to build a career.
These men and women also share these Core Values:
- Honor – Exemplifying the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior. Abiding by an uncompromising code of integrity; respect for human dignity and respect for others. Our oath compels us to act responsibly and to hold ourselves and others accountable for our actions.
- Courage – The mental, moral, and physical strength that enables us to do what is right, to adhere to a higher standard of personal conduct and to make tough decisions under stress and pressure.
- Service – Vigilance in maintaining safety and public order through proactive crime prevention and detection efforts; investigating crimes and enforcing the law without fear or favor and helping to resolve quality-of-life problems facing our citizens and community.
If you are a certified law enforcement officer in another state, you might be eligible for the Equivalency of Training (EOT). If this is the case, you might be eligible for an exemption from the full basic law enforcement-training course if you 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.
Upon application approval, the EOT candidate will be required to pass the following courses:
- Georgia Criminal Law
- Legal Update
- Use of Force
- De-escalation
- Community Oriented Policing
Types of officers who may be eligible for the EOT process:
- Eligible Federal Peace Officers
- Military Peace Officer (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
- Individuals who attended the basic law enforcement training course, in Georgia, and did not complete the certification process
For more information on the EOT process, please visit: EOT by Georgia POST
If our core values match yours, these are our minimum requirements:
- United States Citizen
- Minimum Age of 20
- Veterans Must have an Honorable Discharge
- A valid US Driver’s License
- A High School Diploma or GED Certificate
- Vision cannot be less than 20 / 100 uncorrected and must be corrected to 20/20
Police Officer Pay
Officer Pay Grades:
| Police Officer 1 (PO1) | $65,021 – $105,660 |
| Police Officer 2 (PO2) | $71,911 – $116,855 |
| Police Officer 3 (PO3) | $77,247 – $125,526 |
| Police Officer Recruit | $60,072 ($28.88/hour) |
A police recruit is defined as a new hire who is not Georgia POST certified with no prior sworn law enforcement experience.
New hires who are not POST certified but have four (4) or more years of active–duty military service will have a starting Police Recruit pay of $65,021 ($31.26/hour).
Upon completion of the Field Training Program, the officer will be classified as a Police Officer 1 (PO1) and pay is based on the following matrix:
| Complete Field Training Program | |
| High School Diploma | $65,021 ($31.26/hour) |
| 4 years Active Military | $65,021 ($31.26/hour) |
| Bachelor’s Degree | $66,674 ($32.04/hour) |
A new hire, who is certified in Georgia or another state and has less than two (2) years of Law Enforcement experience, will be classified as a Police Officer 1 (PO1). Pay is based on the following matrix:
| High School Diploma | $65,021 ($31.26/hour) |
| 4 years Active Military | $65,021 ($31.26/hour) |
| Bachelor’s Degree | $66,647 ($32.04/hour) |
For Georgia POST Certified officers or LE officers certified in another state with two (2) or more years of law enforcement experience, the following pay matrix will apply based on experience and education:
| 2 Years LE (PO1) | 3 Years LE (PO1) | 4 Years LE (PO2) | 5 Years LE (PO2) | |
| High School | $66,647 ($32.04/hour) | $68,272 ($32.82/hour) | $71,911 ($34.57/hour) | $73,708 ($35.43/hour) |
| Associate Degree | $68,272 ($32.82/hour) | $69,898 ($33.60/hour) | ||
| Bachelor’s Degree | $69,898 ($33.60/hour) | $71,523 ($34.39/hour) | $74,787 ($35.95/hour) | $76,585 ($36.82/hour) |
The base pay is calculated for working 80 hours during a two week pay period.
Current Hiring Bonus
- In state hire (non-sworn) – $4,000
- In state hire (sworn) – $6,000
- All out of state hires – $10,000
Part-Time Officer Pay
The police department employs part-time officers to supplement operations. The pay for that position is $30.03/hr with a maximum of 12-29 hours per week (part-time officers are not eligible for benefits). Please visit the Open Opportunities in the City’s Career Section to check for any current openings.
Steps in the Hiring Process
ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE OR PASS EACH STEP IN THE PROCESS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT.
- Step 1: Submit your Application – The application is available for download when the Sandy Springs Police Department is actively recruiting
- Step 2: Physical Fitness Assessment – Eligible applicants will be required to successfully complete a physical fitness assessment which includes the following: vertical jump, sit-ups, push-ups, 300-meter run, 1.5-mile run
- Step 3: Background Packet – Upon successful completion of the physical fitness assessment, the applicant will receive a background booklet which will be completed within a period of time indicated by the Background and Recruiting Officer. The applicant will be scheduled for a meeting with the Background Investigator to review the booklet
- Step 4: Panel Interview – The Sandy Springs Police Department will schedule eligible applicants for an interview based on current or future manpower needs. Applicants will be interviewed by an interview panel which is made up of Sandy Springs Police Personnel of various ranks. The interview panel will either recommend, or not recommend the applicant for further consideration
- Step 5: Background Investigation
- Step 6: Interview – with the Chief of Police, Executive Staff and/or Designees
- Step 7: Conditional Offer of Employment – Applicants who successfully complete the steps above, and if a vacancy exists, will be given a conditional offer of employment. Once the applicant accepts the conditional offer of employment, the applicant must successfully complete the following steps
- Step 8: Polygraph Examination/Psychological Examination/Medical Examination/Drug Screening
We Offer:
- Medical – Point of Service Plan
- Health Savings Account
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance (4x yearly salary)
- Supplemental Life Insurance
- Short/Long Term Disability
- Flex Spending Accounts
- Aflac
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Take Home Car Program
- FOP Legal Defense Plan (Criminal) paid for by the Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund
- Retirement Savings Options*
*Full-time city employees receive a contribution of 12% of their annual salary into a 401(a) from the City of Sandy Springs beginning the first month following one month of employment.
*In addition to the City contributions to the 401(a), you can defer 1-100% of your salary into the 457(b) plan. The City will match dollar-for-dollar the first 5% of the amount you defer into this plan. City contributions will be made to your 401(a).
12% + 5% + 5% = 22%
*City contributions are fully vested after 5 years of employment.
If you are interested in applying for an open position, please complete an application for employment and the Police Department Application Questionnaire. Return your completed documents to SSPDRecruiting@sandyspringsga.gov. If you have any questions regarding SSPD or the recruitment process, contact the recruitment officer:
| Officer | Telephone Number | E-Mail Address |
| H. Dixon | 770-551-3308 | hdixon@sandyspringsga.gov |
The City of Sandy Springs provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status or status as covered veterans in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.