Special to the WJH
Rikea Thomas of Blackshear was among 42 cadets to graduate earlier this month during the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice ceremony at the Georgia Public Training Center in Forsyth.
The new graduates will become Juvenile Correctional Officers at one of 18 detention centers or development campuses around the state, one of which is in Ware County.
“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’m thankful for these new officers' commitment to DJJ and our youth as they work toward a brighter future.”
Basic Juvenile Correctional Officer Training 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.
In addition to the local facility, others are located in Baldwin, Bibb, Clayton, Cobb, Crisp, Dalton, DeKalb, Dodge, Evans, Floyd, Fulton, Hall, Laurens, Muscogee, Richmond, Rockdale, and Wilkes counties.
