149 New Officers Join Correctional Services

The capacity of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has been boosted, with the graduation of 149 new recruits from the Carl Rattray Staff College in Runaway Bay, St. Ann on Friday (Feb. 10).

The recruits, which represent the 71st intake of correctional officers, successfully completed 20 weeks of intensive training at the institution. The 21 females and 128 males gave a splendid display of drilling techniques to the delight of the hundreds of friends, family members and well-wishers, who were present at the passing out parade.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, congratulated the graduates for successfully completing their training schedule. He noted that only one recruit of the 150, who were originally selected, dropped out of the training, and did so on his own accord.

“I applaud the efforts and persistence in maintaining the course of the training programme here at the staff college.  I know this was not an easy feat, and many of you graduates had to overcome tremendous obstacles to be able to stand here today and receive your commission for duty,” he stated.

Minister Bunting reminded them that they will be charged with reforming, rehabilitating and re-socializing the inmates that will be put in their care, so that they can re-enter society as productive individuals. He said the inmates must be treated with dignity and respect for their human rights

“The humanity of a society can be judged by its treatment of prison inmates… it really does not make sense to submit these persons to sub-human conditions, not rehabilitate them, and expect them to successfully re-enter society,” he pointed out.

The Minister noted further that as correctional officers, they are part of the country’s law enforcement team, charged with ensuring public safety, and so they must always act in the public’s interest.

“Guard your integrity carefully and jealously. Once you go down the wrong path, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to recover,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Khalifa Francis was declared the top recruit of the 71st Intake, for which he received the coveted “Commissioner’s Trophy”.

By Bryan Miller, JIS Reporter