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Highest-paying police departments in Georgia for laterals (2026)

All 8 Georgia agencies we track that post a salary, ranked by the top of their annual pay range. Milton Police Department leads at $85,148; the median top-of-range here is $66,395. Hourly and monthly rates are converted to annual (×2,080, ×12), and hiring bonuses are shown separately, not added to pay.

Last verified: 2026-10-18. Every row links to the agency's official posting or announcement; blank fields mean the source did not state the value. Bonuses are usually paid in installments with a service commitment, so confirm with the agency before applying.

#AgencyStateLateral bonusPay (annual)Out-of-stateClosesSource
1Milton Police Department
Milton · Municipal police
GANone listed$68,269 - $85,148UnknownContinuousOfficial source
2Athens-Clarke County Police Department
Athens · County police
GA$3,000$59,287 - $80,212UnknownUnknownOfficial source
3Savannah Police Department
Savannah · Municipal police
GA$10,000$61,989 - $66,755YesUnknownOfficial source
4Atlanta Police Department
Atlanta · Municipal police
GA$10,000$66,395
lateral starting salary; can be higher with experience (joinatlantapd.org)
YesUnknownOfficial source
5Thomaston Police Department
Thomaston · Municipal police
GA$7,200$55,430 - $62,496UnknownUnknownOfficial source
6Gainesville Police Department
Gainesville · Municipal police
GANone listed$57,907
converted from $27.84 Hourly
UnknownContinuousOfficial source
7Henry County Police Department
County police
GANone listed$54,557UnknownContinuousOfficial source
8Henry County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff's office
GANone listed$54,017UnknownContinuousOfficial source

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