21 recruits graduate with new class of Adult Correctional Officers

Twenty-one recruits graduated from Basic Corrections Recruit Course training with the Department of Public Safety and will begin their careers as Adult Correctional Officers in facilities across the state.

The 11-week academy training course included approximately 400 hours of classroom instruction and physical training. Recruits learned a variety of subjects that included 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 and more.

This was the final BCRC graduating class under the Department of Public Safety. The department will soon split into two departments — Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Law Enforcement — effective. Jan. 1, 2024.

Public Safety Director Tommy Johnson said, “While I am saddened that this BCRC class will be the last class of the Department of Public Safety, I am excited and looking forward to continuing and improving training as we transition to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This redesignation represents a fundamental and long overdue paradigm shift in our correctional system to one that is more focused on successful outcomes and reintegration back into the community.”

The graduation ceremony was held at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. The 21 graduates have been assigned to the following jail and prison facilities:

Hālawa Correctional Facility — 2
Kulani Correctional Facility — 2
Waiawa Correctional Facility — 1
Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center —1
Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center —1 
Maui Community Correctional Center — 2
Oʻahu Community Correctional Center — 6
Women’s Community Correctional Center — 6