April 17, 2025
GEORGIA DJJ WELCOMES 42 NEW CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS
(Decatur, GA) – The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) held a graduation ceremony for 42 newly trained Juvenile Correctional Officer (JCO) cadets on Friday, April 5, at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Ga. The cadets have joined the ranks of other JCOs at DJJ secure facilities across the state.
"Juvenile Correctional Officers help ensure a safe and secure environment for rehabilitating and transforming the young lives in our care,” said DJJ Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb. “I am thankful for these new officers' commitment to DJJ and our youth as they work towards a brighter future.”
Basic Juvenile Correctional Officer Training (BJCOT) is a 200-hour comprehensive program that provides basic skills training in security practices and procedures. To complete the program, a cadet must meet established standards on written examinations that evaluate cognitive knowledge and performance-oriented studies.
The graduates are assigned to a DJJ detention center or development campus in Baldwin, Bibb, Clayton, Cobb, Crisp, Dalton, DeKalb, Dodge, Evans, Floyd, Fulton, Hall, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond, Rockdale, Ware, and Wilkes counties.
Here is a list of BJCOT Class #274 graduates and their hometowns:
| Graduate Names | Hometowns |
| Diamond Adams | Lawrenceville, Ga. |
| Keith Allen | Decatur, Ga. |
| April Argyis | Lithonia, Ga. |
| Cedric Ashberry | Decatur, Ga. |
| Brianna Bryant | Warner Robins, Ga. |
| Gianni Butler | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Dasha Campbell | Rome, Ga. |
| Susan Coleman | Byron, Ga. |
| Matthew Dorsey | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Lauren Dunn | Dalton, Ga. |
| Johnny Edwards | Conyers, Ga. |
| Vanessa Fearon | Rome, Ga. |
| Tati’Anna Flowers | Fort Valley, Ga. |
| Izayla Francois | Statesboro, Ga. |
| Edward Godwin | Rentz, Ga. |
| Aubrea Grace | Sylvania, Ga. |
| Rushnay Henry | Macon, Ga. |
| Terris Hicks | Warner Robbins, Ga. |
| Tariaya Horne | Dublin, Ga. |
| Sable Humbert | Cordele, Ga. |
| Shenita Jackson | McDonough, Ga. |
| Ariyana Jenkins | Statesboro, Ga. |
| Wali Jordan | Washington, Ga. |
| Bernard Kearney | Lithonia, Ga. |
| Celeste Lowery | Columbus, Ga. |
| Rosalyn Martin | Sandy Springs, Ga. |
| Dumoteim Ojuka | Hiram, Ga. |
| Keith Redd | Riverdale, Ga. |
| Tyquarious Richardson | Augusta, Ga. |
| Zari Rozier | Sandersville, Ga. |
| Nekia Smith-McGee | South Fulton, Ga. |
| Preston Still | Columbus, Ga. |
| Antelka Stovall | Douglasville, Ga. |
| Devan Stroud | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Rikea Thomas | Blackshear, Ga. |
| Jirsten Thompson | Milledgeville, Ga. |
| Shamekia Vaughn | Jonesboro, Ga. |
| Vincent Watt | Columbus, Ga. |
| Xavier Wilks | Austell, Ga. |
| Lorrina Williams | Macon, Ga. |
| Keyonae Woodside | Canton, Ga. |
| Derrick Wright | Hampton, Ga. |
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state's justice-involved youth 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.
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Photo Permission: Georgia DJJ permits you to use the attached photo below. Photos of graduates are also available upon email request.
