12 people graduate to become adult correctional officers in Hawaiʻi

A new class of 12 adult correctional officers graduated at a Friday ceremony at the Hawai‘i State Capitol Auditorium in Honolulu.

They completed the Basic Corrections Recruit Class 23-01 training and will begin their careers as correctional officers in facilities across Oʻahu and on the Big Island, according to a news release from the state Department of Public Safety. 

Basic Corrections Recruit Class is a 11-week training that includes more than 400 hours of classroom time and physical training. Recruits learn standards of conduct, professionalism and ethics, report writing, interpersonal communications, maintaining security, crisis intervention, security threat groups (gangs), mental health, first aid, firearms and self-defense tactics.

“It takes a special type of person to do this job day-in and day-out, and it’s not for everyone,” said Sgt. Jesus Benitez, training academy instructor with the Department of Public Safety. “We as adult corrections officers can do other people’s job, but not everyone has the patience and fortitude to do our job.”

The 12 new corrections officers have been assigned to the following jail and prison facilities:

• Oʻahu Community Correctional Center: 4
• Halawa Correctional Facility: 4
• Women’s Community Correctional Center: 2
• Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center: 2