If you have not been hired by a law enforcement agency and wish to attend the Police Academy as "Pre-service", you will have to accomplish several steps before the class starts and pay for your training. Please refer to this guide . There is also a flowchart on the "Basic Law Enforcement" page that breaks down the Georgia P.O.S.T. application requirements.
To apply with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, call 706-541-3937 or go to Sheriff's Office | Columbia County, GA (columbiacountyso.org) and click on the jobs tab. There is also a flowchart on the "Basic Law Enforcement" page that breaks down the hiring process and Georgia P.O.S.T. application paperwork requirements .
Per Georgia P.O.S.T., applicants have "a maximum of two attempts to be made no later than the first day of Basic Mandate Training". At this time, there are several P.A.T. qualification dates that are offered per Academy class. Qualification and practice dates and registration for the P.A.T. is located on the Academy Training Calendar under "Training Calendars"; please contact Staff Sergeant Dave Wheeler at dwheeler@columbiacountyso.org with any questions or for more information.
Please see our Training Calendar for course descriptions and to register for Training.
Below is a list of some of the training courses that are currently or tentatively scheduled. Please see our training calendars for all courses being offered at this time:
Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course
Basic Jail Officer Certification Course
Concealed Carry Handgun (8 hours)
Field Training Officer (F.T.O.) Certification Course
Instructor Certification Course
Jail Training Officer (J.T.O.)
General Instructor
EVOC Instructor
P.I.T. Instructor
ARIDE
High Risk Vehicle Stops
Officer Survival
Jail Tactics & Survival
The CCSO-RTC Training Staff are working hard on developing more advanced and specialized courses that will be open for enrollment in the near future. These include, but are not limited to:
FAA Part 107 Certificate Preparation
Basic Communications Officer Certification Course
Firearms Instructor
DUI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
We strongly encourage you to continue to monitor our page and sign up for our mailing list - located in the “Training Calendars” section of our website - for updates!
If you have a course idea or recommendation you’d like the CCSO‑RTC to consider, you may email Lt. David Heaton at dheaton@columbiacountyso.org. Please keep in mind that this email is only for suggestions—course dates cannot be provided until they are finalized and posted on the training calendar.
If a course does not appear on the training calendar, it simply means it is not currently scheduled. This does not mean the course will never be offered again—only that dates have not yet been set.
Because the scheduling process is still underway, there is no additional information available for our staff to share.
Once course dates are confirmed and reviewed for any potential conflicts, they are added to the training calendar right away and registration opens.
If you’re interested in staying updated, we highly encourage you to join our mailing list, located in the “Training Calendars” section of our website. You’ll be among the first to know when new courses and dates are added!
If you have a course idea or recommendation you’d like the CCSO‑RTC to consider, you may email Lt. David Heaton at dheaton@columbiacountyso.org. Please keep in mind that this email is only for suggestions—course dates cannot be provided until they are finalized and posted on the training calendar.
Please contact Administrative Assistant Audrey Williamson at awilliamson@columbiacountyso.org for more information.
Contact CCSO-RTC Administrative Coordinator Audrey Williamson at awilliamson@columbiacountyso.org to request reservations for our facilities. **Please note that our firearms ranges and EVOC complex are currently closed to new reservations until further notice**
Please note that facility usage is based on a first-come, first-served basis and Agency and Academy schedules take precedence. However, the Training Staff will do everything they can to accommodate your Agency's training needs.
The CCSO-RTC is for law enforcement use only and not open to the public. If you are interested in enrolling in the Citizen's Firearms Class or the Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy, please contact the Community Services Division at 706-541-2856.
For detailed information about the LEOSA qualification process, please visit the LEOSA page located under the “Courses” tab above.
For all LEOSA-related questions not related to scheduling weapons qualifications, please contact:
POST Certification Specialist Angie Cox
📧 acox@gapost.org
We offer one LEOSA qualification date each quarter. You may register for a qualification date through our Training Calendar. These sessions are clearly labeled as:
"LEOSA Qualification Date"
📌 The registration link is included in the course description.
Before contacting the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office or the CCSO Regional Training Center (CCSO-RTC), you must complete the LEOSA Retiree Registration Packet.
📄 Please review and complete this packet prior to reaching out.
🔗 Click HERE for full details and forms.
**If our quarterly qualification dates do not align with your schedule, you may contact the Georgia Firearms and Security Training Academy, a POST-recognized resource for retired law enforcement officers:
📞 (770) 530-5630
🌐 www.gafasta.com
Please refer to the "Teen Driver" page under the "Courses" pull down menu at the top right of this page.