SALARY AND BENEFITS

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The Atlanta Police Department is committed to creating and maintaining one of the elite law enforcement agencies in America. An important part of this commitment is our ability to provide our officers with the compensation, benefits, support and resources they need to continuously answer the call.

SALARIES

RANK

Police Officer


STARTING SALARY

$54,715.28


TOP SALARY

$80,992.14

RANK

Lateral Police Officer


STARTING SALARY

$56,903.89 – $66,569.88


TOP SALARY

$80,992.14

We accept In-State, Out-of-State, and Military Police (From Qualifying Units) Laterals.

Returning Atlanta Police Officers will be credited their years of service minus one tier for the pay scale.

RANK

Police Officer



STARTING SALARY

$54,715.28



TOP SALARY

$80,992.14

RANK

Lateral Police Officer



STARTING SALARY

$56,903.89 – $66,569.88



TOP SALARY

$80,992.14

We accept In-State, Out-of-State, and Military Police (From Qualifying Units) Laterals.
Returning Atlanta Police Officers will be credited their years of service minus one tier for the pay scale.

Details of the benefits and programs we proudly provide officers include:

Below are some of the more common questions prospective and current employees have about working with the Atlanta Police Department. 

PAY PERIODS/PAYCHECKS

City employees are paid either by check or direct deposit. Most are paid every two weeks, but some employees in the Departments of Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs are paid weekly. Elected officials are compensated monthly. 

If a payday falls on a legal holiday, paychecks are distributed on the workday immediately prior to the holiday. 

Paychecks are distributed at employee work sites. Employees on extended leave may request that their supervisor mail the paycheck to their home address. Paychecks returned to the Department of Finance, Employee Benefits Division, may be picked up at 55 Trinity Avenue in Suite 1600. No check will be released without proper identification.

OVERTIME/COMPENSATORY TIME

Overtime is paid in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Overtime is not compulsory or mandatory unless required to maintain an acceptable level of service to citizens.

Opportunities to work overtime are rotated among all employees in the same classification and work area.

Employees non-exempt from FLSA may be given compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay at the same overtime rate to which they are entitled, provided there is agreement to do so before the overtime is worked.

Employees exempt from FLSA may be given compensatory time off at the rate of one hour for each hour worked beyond their regularly scheduled work period. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay.

Employees may accrue a maximum of 11 hours of compensatory time per month.

All accrued compensatory time must be used before the end of the calendar year in which it was earned. When work circumstances prevent employees from taking time off, accrued compensatory time may be approved for carry-over into the following calendar year. The employee’s department head and the personnel director must approve such requests.

PREMIUM PAY

Non-exempt employees who are required to work on a holiday are entitled to receive regular pay, plus an additional one and one-half times their regular pay for each hour worked. This is not overtime pay. It is special premium pay for holiday work. 

Exempt employees do not receive premium pay but are given compensatory time off on an hour-for-hour basis. Holidays falling on a Saturday (or the first day of an employee’s normal two-days off) are taken (observed) on the preceding workday. Holidays falling on a Sunday (or the second day of an employee’s normal two-days off) are taken (observed) on the following workday. 

Non-exempt employees who are required to work on observed holidays receive premium pay, the same as for actual holidays. Exempt employees who are required to work on observed holidays receive time off on an hour-for-hour basis. 

In order to be paid for holidays, employees must be in a paid status for the regularly scheduled workdays immediately before and immediately after the holiday. Permanent, part-time employees are paid for holidays at their part-time rate. Temporary employees are not paid for holidays not worked.

PENSIONS

Under the new pension, employees are mandated to contribute 8% of their salary with a 1% multiplier. You will retire with 30% of your top 120 months (10 years) of pay. 

There is an annual cost of living adjustment, it is limited to 1%. 

401A TAX-DEFERRED RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

This is a mandatory retirement plan for City of Atlanta employees. Employees contribute 3.75% of their salary and that 3.75% is then matched by the City of Atlanta totaling 7.5%.

You can check your account information HERE

Any questions? Set up a one-on-one with a local counselor.

Paul Cimino
Email: Paul.Cimino@empower.com
Phone: 404-450-2559

Eric Berry
Email: Eric.Berry@empower.com
Phone: 470-7344197

To schedule an appointment: click here or scan the QR code below:
 

457B DEFERRED COMPENSATION ACCOUNT

This retirement plan is optional for City of Atlanta employees. You can contribute up to 4.25% into your 457B account, and the city will match your contributions.

Contributions can be up to $20,500 a year.

You can check your account information HERE

Any questions? Set up a one-on-one with a local counselor.

Paul Cimino
Email: Paul.Cimino@empower.com
Phone: 404-450-2559

Eric Berry
Email: Eric.Berry@empower.com
Phone: 470-7344197

To schedule an appointment: click here or scan the QR code below:
 

DEFERRED COMPENSATION/RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS

These plans allow employees to save for retirement through payroll deductions, using pre-tax dollars. Employees may choose from several plans. Contact Employee Benefits at 404-330-6260 for further details.

CREDIT UNION

Permanent employees and their immediate family members are entitled to membership privileges in the Credit Union. These privileges include saving by payroll deductions and borrowing funds at competitive interest rates. The Atlanta City Employees Credit Union is located at 670 Metropolitan Avenue and can be reached at 404-658-6465.

UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS

Employees may purchase United States Savings Bonds through payroll deduction. For more information call Employee Benefits at 404-330-6260.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

A comprehensive Workers’ Compensation program protects employees injured on the job. This program provides payment of all authorized medical expenses and contains provisions for continuous income during the period of disability. 

Employees injured on the job are required to immediately report to their supervisors the nature of the accident and injury. Supervisors will complete appropriate forms and forward them through the chain of command so that the Workers’ Compensation Division receives notification within 48 hours of the injury. 

Failure to abide by this procedure may result in denial of coverage for medical and income benefits, which would otherwise have been received. 

For additional information, contact the Department of Finance, Workers’ Compensation Division at 404-330-6441.

LIFE INSURANCE FOR APD OFFICERS

The Atlanta Police Foundation and Peachtree Presbyterian Church have partnered to provide a $100,000 Life Insurance Policy for all sworn Atlanta Police Department officers. The partnership was established to honor the memory of APD RED DOG Officer Mark Cross, who was killed in the line of duty by a drug suspect on April 23, 2005.

The $100,000 CHUBB Life Insurance Policy:

  • Is a benefit to all sworn Atlanta police officers killed in the line of duty
  • Additionally offers occupational accidental death & dismemberment benefits
ADVANCEd SICK LEAVE

In case of emergency, employees who, because of protracted illness, have used all accumulated sick leave and annual leave, may be granted advanced sick leave upon the recommendation of the personnel director and approval of the chief financial officer. 

Employees wishing to apply for advanced sick leave should contact their department personnel representative to obtain the appropriate forms.

MATERNITY LEAVE

Maternity leave is defined as a period of approved absence because of incapacity relating to pregnancy and confinement. Maternity leave may be charged to sick leave or any combination of sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time or leave without pay. 

The employee desiring maternity leave should report the pregnancy as soon as possible. The employee must notify the department head by the fifth month of pregnancy. This notification must include a written statement from the employee’s physician specifying the approximate date of birth. The employee will be permitted to continue work as long as the conditions of pregnancy do not adversely impair health or the performance of duties. The date of the expiration of maternity leave or the date of return to work from maternity leave will be determined on an individual basis, depending upon the medical condition of the employee and the nature of the job. 

If an employee requests maternity leave beyond the time of a medically certified period of disability, that request will be treated in the same manner as a request for extended leave for other purposes.

EDUCATIONAL LEAVE

Educational leave is granted to permanent employees only when it does not adversely affect City services.

FLEXIBLE BENEFITS PROGRAM

Flexible insurance benefits are offered to City of Atlanta employees through payroll deduction. These benefits are on a pre-tax basis. The City contributes a portion of health, dental, and life insurance costs. All other costs are paid through employee contributions. 

Insurance benefits are available for the financial protection of employees and their dependents. It is up to employees to decide which plan best fits their individual needs. Choices include the following:

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Supplemental Insurance
  • Continuation of Insurance after Termination of Employment and at Retirement

The latest Employee Flexible Benefits Program Booklet describes the plans listed above in detail. For more information, or a copy of the booklet, call Employee Benefits at 404-330-6260.

SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE

Federal law does not require most City employees to participate in the Social Security Retirement System. Only temporary employees or others not covered by the City’s pension plan have payroll deductions taken for Social Security retirement benefits. 

However, federal law does require that all employees hired or re-hired after April 1, 1986 be enrolled for retirement health insurance under Medicare. Therefore, all City employees hired after that date have a mandatory 1.45% of their pay withheld for Medicare retirement health insurance coverage. 

For further information, contact the local Social Security Administration office or the City’s Employee Benefits Office.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

The Bureau of Employee Assistance Services (BEAS) provides a no-cost confidential counseling and referral service to employees and their families. Professional staff can assist in resolving personal problems, such as marriage and partnership conflicts, depression, alcohol or drug abuse, emotional distress, job stress, and other problems, that may or may not be related to poor performance. 

In cases where employees are impaired in their ability to perform job-related tasks due to physical or psychological difficulty, or because of chemical use and/or abuse, BEAS provides additional assistance. Staff are available to assist in arranging Fitness for Duty evaluations and to facilitate random and “for cause” alcohol and drug screenings. 

Services are available through the Bureau of Employee Assistance Services office or through a confidential outside counseling service at no cost to employees or family members. 

If assistance is needed, call 404-817-6750. In an emergency situation, call 404-817-2382 for the emergency clinician.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT/SCHOLARSHIPS

We believe that education enriches the lives, skills and abilities of APD officers. In support of this belief, the Atlanta Police Foundation, through community partnerships, has created the Scholarship Reimbursement Program to provide APD staff with the opportunity to earn college credits. Utilizing funding from the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Scholarship Program provides reimbursement scholarships up to $3,000 per year for APD employees to pursue college degrees and post baccalaureate work from accredited university programs. Scholarships include reimbursement for tuition paid out of pocket, and are paid after students have completed the semester for which they are requesting reimbursement. Course work must be in a job related field from an accredited university, and students must earn a 3.0 GPA to qualify for reimbursement. The Atlanta Police Foundation looks forward to continuing to provide the gift of a college education to APD employees. 

More detailed instructions on how to apply and how applications are approved for reimbursement can be found in the Scholarship and Training Policies and Procedures document.

IN-CITY HOUSING
The Atlanta Police Foundation has dedicated staff resources to assisting officers who want to find affordable housing within the city limits. One of the benefits of having more officers live within the city is to increase the visibility of officers within our neighborhoods. The Atlanta Police Foundation believes that having more officers who reside in the city will also provide an additional benefit in terms of retention, as it reduces commute times and reduces the possibility of officers being attracted to suburban police departments. In addition to serving as an information and referral source, the Foundation is reaching out to a number of developers who are interested in providing housing opportunities for police officers. For more information on available housing, contact the Atlanta Police Foundation at 404-586-0180.
TRAINING

The Atlanta Police Department believes that quality training helps to create and retain quality officers. That’s why APD is committed to providing the best possible training opportunities to our police officers and civilian staff.

In support of this effort, the Atlanta Police Foundation has established a unique program to address specialized training needs that reach above and beyond those offered through the City of Atlanta budget. The program utilizes collaboration between the police department and community partners to maximize available resources and provide the most cutting-edge training to Atlanta’s Finest. To date, the program has made training available in the areas of leadership, cutting edge investigations and crime prevention by hosting classes at the Atlanta Police Academy.

In addition, funding is also allocated to assist the Atlanta Police Academy in purchasing the most up-to-date training equipment. Training is approved on a case-by-case basis by APD/APF Training and Scholarship Committee. This committee is composed of representatives from various divisions within APD as well as Atlanta Police Foundation representatives. Detailed information on how to request training to be funded by the Atlanta Police Foundation, and how applications are approved can be found in the Scholarship and Training Policies and Procedures document.

ANNUAL/VACATION LEAVE

Annual leave may be requested for personal, emergency reasons or vacation. Temporary employees are not eligible for annual leave. Part-time employees are entitled to annual leave only in proportion to the number of hours worked. When scheduling vacation time, the employee should be considerate of the overall workload of the department. If the employee is terminated or resigns, any unused vacation will be paid to the employee. Annual leave is accrued in accordance with the following schedule: 

Continuous Service Days/Hrs. Accrued Accrual (Carry Over)
0 to 5 Years 12 Days/96 Hours 25 Days/200 Hours
5 to 10 Years 15 Days/120 Hours 35 Days/280 Hours
10 to 15 Years 18 Days/144 Hours 35 Days/280 Hours
15 to 20 Years 21 Days/168 Hours 35 Days/280 Hours
20 Years & Up 25 Days/200 Hours 45 Days/360 Hours
HOLIDAYS

The City of Atlanta designates the following days as holidays: 

New Year’s Day January 1
Martin Luther King’s Birthday Third Monday in January
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Juneteenth June 19
Labor Day First Monday in September
Veterans Day November 11
Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday and Friday in November
Christmas Day December 25
SICK LEAVE

Permanent, full-time employees earn 13 days each year for sick leave. The maximum accumulation of sick leave is unlimited. Sick leave may not be used in units of less than two hours. 

A department head may grant an employee sick leave with pay for the following reasons: personal illness, injury, or disability; consultation or treatment for personal medical, dental, chiropractic, or optical conditions; exposure to a contagious disease that would endanger others; maternity; or death or illness of a member of an employee’s family, as defined by City code, that requires the employee’s personal care and attendance. An employee’s bureau director or department head may require verification of a death. Such verification must be submitted within a reasonable time frame. 

A medical certificate from a licensed physician may be required by an employee’s bureau director or department head in order to substantiate a request for sick leave under the following circumstances: 

  • Any period of absence due to illness that consists of three or more consecutive workdays. 
  • Request for sick leave during a period when the employee is on annual leave. 
  • The occurrence of frequent or habitual absences from duty, after the employee has been notified or warned that a certificate would be required.
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE

Classified, unclassified and temporary employees, who have worked for the City for at least 12 months and have provided at least 1,250 hours of service during the 12 months before the date leave is to begin, are entitled to take family medical leave. 

Eligible employees may take up to a total of 12 weeks of leave during any 12 month period for one or more of the following reasons: the birth of a child; the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care; the care of the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, parent or spouse’s parent who has a serious health condition; or a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of the employee’s position. Family medical leave can be a combination of annual leave, sick leave, compensatory time, and leave without pay. 

This entitlement guarantees that employees who take family medical leave have the same job or a job with equivalent status and pay when they return from leave. The City will continue an employee’s health benefit coverage during the leave period. 

Employees wishing to apply for family medical leave should contact the Bureau of Personnel Administration, Personnel Policy and Information Division at 404-330-6375.

CIVIL/JURY DUTY LEAVE

An employee is entitled to time-off with pay when performing jury duty or when subpoenaed to appear before any public body or commission. 

An employee is also permitted to take up to two hours off to vote in any municipal, county, state, or federal political party primary or election. If the hours of work commence at least two hours after the opening of the polls or end at least two hours prior to the closing of the polls, the time off for voting will not apply.

BLOOD DONATION LEAVE

An employee is entitled to four hours leave with pay (not to exceed sixteen hours per calendar year) for each donation of blood. An employee may make up to four donations per year. The department may request satisfactory evidence of donating or attempting to donate blood.

UNPAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Leave of absence without pay may be granted to permanent employees by the department head, upon notification to the personnel director, for a period not to exceed one year. The following types of leave will be considered: military leave, maternity leave, sick leave or educational study leave.

PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS

226 PEACHTREE ST SW
ATLANTA, GA 30303

Background & Recruitment Information

Text “JoinAPD” to 404-948-6787 and follow the prompts to Text with a Recruiter

EMERGENCY: 911

Email

BACKGROUNDANDRECRUITMENT
@ATLANTAGA.GOV