Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) and the Atlanta Police Department (APD) have launched a new pathway that allows APD officers to earn college credit towards their associate degrees in criminal justice through police academy training.
The program was announced at a college-signing-day-style event at the Atlanta Public Training Center, where several officers formally submitted applications to the post-secondary education institution.
The pathway idea originally grew out of discussions between APD academy staff, Jen Ziifle (chief of police for the Technical College System of Georgia) and former Georgia Piedmont Police Chief Chris Hughes.
Those conversations led to the creation of the program, which integrates the state’s expanded Basic Mandate curriculum into GPTC’s Criminal Justice Technology associate degree.
As part of the new structure, officers who complete the updated Basic Mandate training will receive 27 credit hours toward their degree. Individuals trained under earlier versions will also receive credit, based on past course content.
After credit is applied, officers will require 33 additional hours, which can be completed entirely online and can be finished in about one year, according to a release.
“We are honored to support the educational goals of Atlanta’s police officers,” said Dr. Tavarez Holston, president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College. “By recognizing the depth of their professional training, we are providing a pathway that is accessible, achievable, and aligned with the needs of working officers.”
Additionally, Georgia Piedmont announced that it will be waiving the application fee for APD officers, and that most applicants are expected to qualify for financial aid (potentially covering the full cost of the degree program).