Big Island Prisons Gain New Correctional Officers

A new class of correctional officers graduated from a nine-week Basics Corrections Training course, which included 260 hours of classroom time and physical training.

The ceremony was held Friday at the Department of Public Safety Training and Staff Development building in Honolulu and included a total of 12 individuals, six of whom will be posted at the Hawai’i Community Correctional Center and two who have been assigned to Kulani Correctional Facility.

Graduating class of 2015 taking oath of duty. PSD photo.

During the nine-week program, recruits learned about standards of conduct, professionalism and ethics, report writing, interpersonal communications, maintaining security, crisis intervention, security threat groups, firearms, self-defense tactics, and physical exercise.

“Managing a large prisoner population while providing a safe and secure environment in a prison or jail is a serious job,” says Sergeant Puanani Cummings, BCT Sergeant in Charge. “These new corrections officers spent many hours in the classroom and in field training.  I know they have the ability and the knowledge it takes to be successful in a challenging environment.”

Along with Basic Corrections Training, all incoming classes will receive Recruit Field Training. The field training takes the recruits into facilities where they begin their job under the guidance of training sergeants.

In addition to the eight new correctional officers on the Big Island, four have been assigned to Oahu Community Correctional Center.