Correctional officers graduate from training academy
A class of 18 correctional officer cadets and one correctional training instructor from the 242nd Correctional Employee Initial Training Class graduated from the Steven R. Floyd Sr. Training Academy March 26. The socially distanced ceremony was attended by DOC leaders, colleagues and family members.
The cadets took their oaths of office and joined Delaware’s largest law enforcement agency after completing a rigorous three-month course of classroom and hands-on instruction in multiple subject areas including inmate supervision, defensive tactics, emergency preparedness, weapons and chemical munitions, report writing, behavioral health training, CPR/Basic First Aid and interpersonal communication skills.
The ceremony marked the second graduation of correctional officers this year and the seventh class to graduate over the past 12 months. The DOC continues to make new investments to recruit and retain highly qualified officers, including salary increases, a signing bonus, a career ladder for correctional officers, new promotional opportunities, and reductions in forced overtime shifts.
“You signed up for this job to make a difference, to make a positive impact on other people’s lives, to be a positive influence on the people we encounter every day, to protect public safety, and to always have your fellow officers’ back,” said Commissioner Claire DeMatteis. She emphasized the impact of DOC’s years-long focus on strengthening safety and security, enhancing recruitment and retention of officers, modernizing operations and intelligence-gathering, and expanding programming and services for inmates, including educational programming, vocational skills training, medical and behavioral health services, and reentry services.
“From this moment on you represent a very defined, observed, and judged segment of society,” said keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Michael Berry, Delaware National Guard adjutant general. “You represent all of your brothers and sisters in the uniform of the Delaware Department of Correction as well as all the uniforms of all of the first responders throughout our state. You are no longer just citizens but members of our state employee family. Expectations have changed. You will be judged on your professionalism, your compassion, your knowledge, and your willingness to go above and beyond the job requirements. Take these expectations seriously, and make your family, your friends, your instructors, your colleagues, and most importantly yourselves proud.”
Cadet Frank Goad Jr. served as class speaker and Cadet Q’Nijah Hudson was selected by academy instructional staff as outstanding cadet.
The instructional team for CEIT Class 242 consisted of Primary Instructor Craig Brumbaugh, Training Instructor Joshua Lawrence and Drill Instructor Tyler Wilton.
The new officers begin their careers with the Delaware Department of Correction immediately with a weeks-long period of supervised field training in their assigned correctional facilities.
