Six newly graduated correctional officers take up posts at Hawai‘i Island jails

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation welcomed its first new class of adult corrections officers at a graduation ceremony on O‘ahu last week.

The Department of Public Safety was redesignated as the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, effective Jan. 1, 2024.

The department’s mission is to provide a secure correctional environment for comprehensive rehabilitative, holistic, wraparound re-entry services including culturally based approaches, to persons sentenced to the state’s custody and care. The goal is to reduce recidivism and generational incarceration and enhance the safety and security of Hawai‘i’s communities.

Out of the 30 graduates, six are headed to Hawai‘i Island. Two will take up their post at Kūlani Correctional Facility and four at Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center.

“This initial Basic Corrections Recruit Class graduation for DCR represents a new generation of Corrections Officers and hopefully, future leaders of the department,” said Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Director Tommy Johnson. “I am both honored and very humbled to lead the DCR forward with such an outstanding group of employees, as we complete the required paradigm shift needed to reshape our unified correctional system for better outcomes and safer communities.”

The remaining 24 graduates have been assigned to the following jail and prison facilities:

• Hālawa Correctional Facility: 5
• Women’s Community Correctional Center: 9
• Oʻahu Community Correctional Center: 5
• Maui Community Correctional Center: 4
• Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center: 1

The recruit class is an eight-week training course that includes more than 300 hours of classroom instruction and physical training. Recruits learn a variety of subjects that include standards of conduct, ethics and professionalism, report writing, interpersonal communications, maintaining security, crisis intervention, security threat groups (gangs), mental health, first aid, use of firearms, and self-defense tactics.

All incoming classes receive Recruit Field Training along with Basic Corrections Training. During the final weeks of training, they go into the facility and begin their job with guidance from their training sergeants.

“Being a corrections officer is a noble profession which provides an awesome opportunity to make a positive impact on another person’s life trajectory,” said Deputy Director for Correctional Institutions Pamela Sturz. “The people in our custody and care deserve opportunities to change and better themselves, which in turn improves their family unit and our community.”