HILO — The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation welcomed a new class of 14 adult corrections officers (ACO) at a graduation cermeony Friday, May 23, 2025, at the Island of Hawaiʻi YMCA. The graduates from Basic Corrections Recruit Class (BCRC) 25-02 on Hawaiʻi island completed eight weeks of rigorous training.

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Director Tommy Johnson said, “We are so proud of every graduate, who represents strength and honor.”

Another recruit class on Hawaiʻi island is underway.

The department initiated aggressive recruitment efforts to address the staffing shortage of ACOs since the restructuring of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from the Department of Public Safety, which took effect in January 2024. Conducting a class on a neighbor island represents one of those efforts.

DCR increased the number of graduating classes and compressed its recruitment training course to eight weeks from 11 weeks while still covering critical training to ensure ACOs are well-prepared for their jobs.

Recruitment efforts also included on-the-spot interviews at the Hawaiʻi Career Expo, radio spots, movie ads at theaters acros the state, social media, bus ads and more.

Recruit training comprises 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.

DCR’s mission is to provide a secure correctional environment for comprehensive, rehabilitative, holistic, wraparound reentry services, including culturally based approaches to individuals sentenced to our custody and care. Our goal is to reduce recidivism and enhance the safety and security of our communities.

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

The 14 graduates have been assigned to the following jails and prisons:

• Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center: 13
• Kulani Correctional Facility: 1
  

Photos and footage of the graduation ceremony is available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vWQLIQRfFRpUYJqZ6e2iZht4huEJ7MKr?usp=sharing.
The images are courtesy of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Media contact:
Rosemarie Bernardo
Public Information Officer
Hawaiʻi Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://dcr.hawaii.gov