Seven Big Island Correctional Officers Graduate from Training

The Department of Public Safety (PSD) recognized 23 new adult correctional officers during a graduation ceremony in Honolulu today, April 17.

The graduates, who completed the Basic Corrections Training (BCT), included 7 recruits from the Big Island: two at the Kulani Correctional Facility and five at the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center.

The BCT is an 8-week training including classroom time and physical training.  The course teaches standards of conduct, professionalism and ethics, report writing, interpersonal communications, maintaining security, crisis intervention, security threat groups, firearms, self-defense tactics, and physical exercise.

“We have updated and modified our training curriculum to provide the most current and proven best practices used in correctional facilities around the country,” says Lieutenant Rebecca Penitani, BCT Officer in Charge. “This isn’t an easy job – one not only has to be a peacekeeper in the prisons and jails, but a counselor, mediator, role model, and above all else, a professional. I couldn’t be more proud of this group.”

During the final weeks of training, the recruits work within a correctional facility to begin their job under the guidance of a training sergeant.