DJJ HOLDS JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER GRADUATION CEREMONY

Decatur, GA – On May 27, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) hosted a graduation ceremony for 28 newly trained cadets at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Ga. The cadets are now Juvenile Correctional Officers (JCO) and have joined the ranks of other JCOs at 25 state-run facilities throughout Georgia.

“Our Juvenile Correctional Officers ensure a safe and secure environment for the rehabilitation of committed youth,” said DJJ Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “Their duties require maturity, reliability and self-discipline. I am grateful for the commitment of these officers to this state and the youth we serve.”

Basic Juvenile Correctional Officer Training (BJCOT) is a 240-hour comprehensive program that provides basic skills training in security practices and procedures. A cadet must meet established standards on written examinations that evaluate cognitive knowledge and performance-oriented skills to complete the program.

The highest academic achiever for BJCOT Class #245, with a 94-grade point average, was Cadet Jennifer Killings of Augusta, Ga. She is also the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from Reinhardt University to help further her education. Killings will be working at the Augusta Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC).

Also included in this class are four second-generation law enforcement training graduates. They are Octavia Grandy (Atlanta YDC) of Newberry, SC, Rekeshia Bonner (Macon RYDC) of Forsyth, Ga, Ariel Porchia (DeKalb RYDC) of Chicago, Ill, and Isaiah Gillard (Muscogee YDC) of Columbus, Ga.

The graduates are now assigned to 16 different secure facilities near their residences in Bibb, Chatham, Clayton, Cobb, Crisp, DeKalb, Dodge Fulton, Floyd, Muscogee, Richmond, Thomas, and Ware counties.

To learn more about exciting career opportunities with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, contact the Office of Human Resources at 404-294-3431 or email [email protected]. 

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ABOUT DJJ

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state's youthful offenders up to 21 years of age. The Department's mission is to transform young lives by providing evidence-based rehabilitative treatment services and supervision, strengthening youth and families' well-being, and fostering safe communities.