Privacy Policy & Acceptable Use Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy and Acceptable Use Policy governs the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information submitted through the Milledgeville Police Department Hiring Portal (hiring.milledgevillepd.com), operated by the City of Milledgeville, Georgia.

This portal is provided solely for the purpose of accepting and processing employment applications for positions with the Milledgeville Police Department. By accessing this portal and submitting an application, you agree to the terms of this Policy.

The City of Milledgeville is committed to protecting the privacy and security of applicant information in accordance with applicable Georgia and federal law.

2. Information We Collect

When you use this hiring portal, we may collect the following categories of personal information:

Identifying Information

• Full legal name, date of birth, place of birth
• Current and previous addresses and contact information
• Email address, phone numbers
• Driver's license number and state
• Last four digits of Social Security Number (full SSN collected in person at time of interview)

Employment & Education Records

• Employment history including employer names, addresses, supervisors, dates, and compensation
• Educational history and credentials
• Military service records and discharge status
• Professional certifications and licenses

Background & Legal History

• Criminal history (arrests, convictions, pending charges)
• Traffic violations and driving record history
• Financial history (bankruptcy, liens, judgments)
• Prior employment disciplinary records
• Drug and alcohol use history

Technical Information

• IP address and browser information (collected by Cloudflare for security purposes)
• Session authentication data (stored in encrypted, secure cookies)

Purpose of Collection

All information collected through this portal is used exclusively for evaluating your application for employment with the Milledgeville Police Department. Information is not sold, rented, or shared with third parties for commercial purposes. Information may be shared with Georgia POST, law enforcement background investigation contractors, and other government agencies as required by law or necessary to complete pre-employment screening.

3. Cookie Policy

Georgia does not have a state-specific cookie consent law analogous to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, the City of Milledgeville is committed to transparency regarding the limited use of cookies on this portal.

Cookies Used on This Site

Cookies We Do NOT Use

This portal does not use:

• Analytics or tracking cookies (no Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or similar services)
• Advertising or targeting cookies
• Social media cookies or sharing widgets
• Third-party marketing cookies of any kind

Managing Cookies

You may disable cookies in your browser settings; however, disabling essential cookies will prevent you from logging in to this portal. Because this site uses only essential cookies, there is no opt-out for cookie categories beyond disabling your browser's cookie support entirely.

4. Data Security & Georgia Identity Protection Act

Security Measures

• All data transmitted through this portal is encrypted using TLS (HTTPS)
• Sensitive personal information fields (SSN last 4, date of birth, criminal history) are encrypted at rest using AES-256
• Session cookies are HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite=Strict
• Application data is stored on Cloudflare D1, a geographically distributed secure database
• Access to applicant records is restricted to authorized MPD hiring staff only

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a security breach affecting your personal information, the City of Milledgeville will notify affected individuals "in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay," as required by O.C.G.A. § 10-1-912. For breaches affecting 10,000 or more Georgia residents, disclosure will also be made to major consumer reporting agencies as required by law.

Data Retention

Application records are retained in accordance with the City of Milledgeville records retention schedule and applicable Georgia law. Applicants who are not selected for hire may request the deletion of their application data by contacting the Human Resources office.

5. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Milledgeville Police Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Federal Protections

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin (employers with 15+ employees)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) — Protects applicants age 40 and older from age-based discrimination (employers with 20+ employees)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title I — Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities and requires reasonable accommodations
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000ff — Employers may not request, require, or use genetic information in hiring decisions. This application does not request genetic information.
• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) — Protects military service members and veterans

Reasonable Accommodations

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or examination process should contact the Milledgeville Police Department Human Resources office at hiring@milledgevillepd.com prior to submitting an application.

Criminal History

The Milledgeville Police Department is a law enforcement agency and is expressly permitted under Georgia law to inquire about criminal history at the initial application stage. An applicant's criminal history will be evaluated individually considering the nature and gravity of the offense, the time elapsed, and the nature of the position. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify an applicant. Certain convictions (felonies, domestic violence offenses) will disqualify an applicant from employment as a peace officer under Georgia law and applicable POST standards.

6. Georgia POST Certification Requirements

Minimum Standards for Peace Officers

• Must be at least 21 years of age at time of appointment
• Must be a citizen of the United States
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Must pass the Georgia POST Entrance Exam (ACCUPLACER)
• Must pass a comprehensive background investigation
• Must pass a polygraph examination
• Must pass a psychological evaluation conducted by a licensed psychologist
• Must pass a medical examination and physical fitness assessment
• Must not have been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude
• Must not have been convicted of any family violence offense
• Must complete an approved Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) academy (minimum 408 hours)

Application Validity

Georgia POST applications are valid for 18 months from the date of submission. Officers must complete all required training and receive certification within this period. Officers may not exercise arrest authority prior to completing basic training and receiving POST certification.

Continuing Education

Certified peace officers in Georgia must complete a minimum of 20 hours of approved training annually to maintain their POST certification. The Milledgeville Police Department provides and funds all required annual training for its officers.

7. E-Verify Employment Eligibility Verification

The City of Milledgeville participates in the federal E-Verify program. Upon receiving a conditional offer of employment, all new hires will be required to complete the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process and have their information verified through E-Verify. Employment is contingent upon successful verification of eligibility to work in the United States.

E-Verify is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. For more information about E-Verify, visit www.e-verify.gov.

8. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Disclosure

Nature of the Background Investigation

The pre-employment background investigation may include:

• Criminal history records (federal, state, and local)
• Driving record and motor vehicle history
• Credit history
• Employment verification and reference checks
• Education verification
• Sex offender registry check
• Social media review
• Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) records check
• National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check

Your Rights Under the FCRA

• You have the right to be informed that a consumer report will be obtained, which is satisfied by this disclosure.
• You will be asked to provide written authorization before any consumer report is obtained from a CRA.
• If the City of Milledgeville takes adverse employment action (such as declining to hire you) based in whole or in part on information in a consumer report, you will receive:
  • A copy of the consumer report;
  • A written notice describing your rights under the FCRA;
  • A reasonable period of time to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information before a final adverse decision is made.
• You have the right to dispute inaccurate information with the CRA that prepared the report.
• You may obtain a free copy of your consumer report from the CRA upon request.

Georgia-Specific Background Check Provisions

When background investigations are conducted directly by the Milledgeville Police Department (rather than through a third-party CRA), Georgia law does not impose a time limitation on how far back records may be reviewed. The 7-year reporting restriction on arrests that did not result in conviction (under FCRA § 605(a)(5)) applies only when reports are obtained through a consumer reporting agency.

9. Pre-Employment Psychological Evaluation Notice

Your Rights Regarding the Psychological Evaluation

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-33-7, you have the right to inspect and receive a copy of your psychological evaluation records within 30 days of a written request, subject to the following limitations:

• The psychologist may deny access to information that would be harmful to the physical, mental, or emotional health of the patient or a third party;
• Access to records reflecting the mental health of a third party may be withheld;
• In the event access is denied, you will be informed of the reason and of your right to designate another licensed mental health professional to receive the records on your behalf.

The psychological evaluation is conducted after a conditional offer of employment has been made. A finding of psychological unsuitability will be communicated to you, and the basis for the determination will be made available upon request.

10. Drug Testing & Substance Use Policy

The Milledgeville Police Department maintains a drug-free workplace. All conditional offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening test. The following applies:

• Pre-employment drug screening is required for all positions.
• Testing includes, but is not limited to, screening for marijuana/THC, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), and other controlled substances.
• Marijuana: Georgia law does not restrict employers from testing for marijuana or taking adverse employment action based on a positive marijuana test, regardless of any prior lawful use. Current use of marijuana, or a positive pre-employment drug test for marijuana, will disqualify a candidate.
• A refusal to submit to testing or a positive test result will result in withdrawal of a conditional employment offer.
• Employees are subject to reasonable-suspicion and random drug testing as a condition of continued employment.

Note: The Georgia Drug-Free Workplace Program (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-410 et seq.) applies to private employers electing to participate for workers' compensation purposes. Municipal governments are excluded from that program; however, the City of Milledgeville maintains a drug-free workplace policy independently as a condition of law enforcement employment and public safety obligations.

11. Acceptable Use Policy

By accessing and using the MPD Hiring Portal, you agree to the following conditions of use:

Permitted Uses

• Submitting a personal application for employment with the Milledgeville Police Department;
• Saving draft application information for your own personal use;
• Logging in to review the status of your own previously submitted application.

Prohibited Uses

You agree that you will NOT use this portal to:

• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information. Submission of false information is grounds for immediate disqualification or termination, and may constitute a violation of Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20 — false statements to government agencies);
• Attempt to access any account, data, or system resource that is not your own;
• Conduct automated, scripted, or bot-assisted submissions;
• Probe, scan, or test the security of the portal or attempt any form of vulnerability exploitation;
• Transmit any malicious code, virus, or disruptive data;
• Submit applications on behalf of another person without their express knowledge and consent;
• Use the portal for any purpose other than the submission or management of a personal employment application.

Accuracy of Information

By submitting an application through this portal, you certify that all information provided is true, accurate, and complete to the best of your knowledge. You acknowledge that omissions, misrepresentations, or false statements — whether discovered during the application process or at any point after hire — are grounds for disqualification or termination of employment.

Computer Fraud

Unauthorized access to or use of this system may violate the Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-90 et seq.) and/or the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030). Violations may be subject to criminal prosecution.

No Right to Employment

Submission of an application through this portal does not create or imply any right to employment with the City of Milledgeville or the Milledgeville Police Department. Georgia is an at-will employment state, and all employment offers are conditional pending completion of required pre-employment screening.

12. Contact Information

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your application data, or your rights under applicable law, please contact:

This policy is subject to change. Updates will be reflected by a revised effective date above. Continued use of the portal following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.