COVID-19 Cluster at Public Safety Training and Staff Development Section on O‘ahu Totals 20

The state Department of Public Safety confirmed six more employees currently assigned to the Training and Staff Development section have confirmed positive COVID-19 test results. This brings the total positive cases to 20. The department reports that there is one employee in the hospital.

On Wednesday, May 12, the department reported its first to confirmed cases associated with the training cluster. At that time, it suspended all corrections training-related activities for 10 days and postposed a recruit class graduation that was planned for last week Friday.

The Department of Health is continuing contact tracing and investigation.

The DOH has cleared TSD to resume the Adult Corrections Recruit Class today for four adult corrections officer recruits who confirmed they were fully vaccinated and tested negative. The other 36 corrections students will remain on quarantine status until medically cleared by DOH.

“We can confirm that all TSD training staff and the four corrections recruits chose to get vaccinated and are not infected, so it appears the vaccine has been effective. The Department of Public Safety continues to encourage all staff to voluntarily receive the COVID vaccination,” said PSD Director Max Otani.

There is a Law Enforcement Recruit Class currently underway at TSD, held separately from the corrections training. All 18 deputy sheriff recruits tested negative. The Department of Health has cleared TSD to continue the law enforcement training as scheduled.

PSD continues to evaluate the situation, with the assistance of DOH, to determine next steps. 

In a separate COVID-19 update for PSD correctional facilities:

COVID-19 testing is continuously being conducted statewide at all facilities. The Oʻahu Community Correctional Center reports two new intakes tested positive. The two inmates were already in the intake quarantine. An additional 37 other OCCC inmate results were negative. A new intake at the Hālawa Correctional Facility also tested positive. That inmate was also in the routine intake quarantine in accordance with PSD’s pandemic plan. The facility reports one additional negative inmate test result.

The Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center reports that the one employee who was previously reported positive has recovered and returned to work. An additional 37 staff and 134 inmate test results were negative.

The rest of the inmate test results received are as follows:

• Women’s Community Correctional Center – two negative inmate test results
• Maui Community Correctional Center – two negative inmate test results