Governor Josh Green, M.D.

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMALU KALAIMA A HOʻOPONOPONO OLA

 

TOMMY JOHNSON

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

  

GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR 14 NEW ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 10, 2025 

HONOLULU — The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) welcomed a new class of 14 new adult corrections officers (ACO) at a graduation ceremony Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at the State Capitol auditorium. The graduates from Basic Corrections Recruit Class (BCRC) 25-04 completed training and will begin their careers as Adult Corrections Officers at facilities across the state.

Since DCR was redesignated from the Department of Public Safety in January 2024, the department compressed its recruit training course to eight weeks from 11 weeks, while still covering critical training to ensure ACOs are well-prepared for their jobs.

Last year, the department also doubled its recruit classes to six from three to address the staffing shortage at facilities in Hawai‘i. DCR aims to have eight classes by the end of this year.

Today’s class is the sixth class to graduate from recruit training.  

Currently, there are approximately 1,110 filled ACO positions and an estimated 420 vacant ACO positions.

DCR Director Tommy Johnson said, “We are extremely proud of every graduate who completed the rigorous training course. They stand firm in their commitment to the safety and security of our communities.”

Recruit training comprises of more than 300 hours of classroom instruction and physical training. Recruits learn a variety of subjects that include standards of conduct, ethics and professionalism, reportwriting, 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. Duringthe 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:

·         Hālawa Correctional Facility: 4

·         Oʻahu Community Correctional Center: 3

·         Waiawa Correctional Facility: 1

·         Women’s Community Correctional Center: 6

B-roll and photos of the graduation ceremony, courtesy of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, are available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1moYWe3ok-oEDUxqHU0aYd5xnP8VOkHwY?usp=sharing. 

 

### 

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