Juvenile Justice welcomes new correctional officers

DECATUR – The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice held a graduation ceremony for 44 newly trained Juvenile Correctional Officer cadets recently at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. The cadets, which includes two Albany natives, have joined the ranks of other JCOs at DJJ secure facilities across the state.

“Juvenile Correctional Officers help provide a safe environment to transform and rehabilitate the young lives in our care,” DJJ Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb said. “I am so proud of the hard work and dedication of these new officers. I welcome them to our team of juvenile justice professionals.”

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.

The graduates are assigned to a DJJ detention center or development campus in Baldwin, Bibb, Chatham, Clayton, Dalton, Dodge, DeKalb, Floyd, Fulton, Muscogee, Richmond, Rockdale, Terrell, Thomas, and Ware counties.

Here is a list of BJCOT Class No. 269 graduates and their hometowns:

Raymond Abdus-Salaam, Hephzibah

Uziela Ahava, Decatur

Yashica Askew, Macon

Daryle Christine Booker, Atlanta

Ethan Bright, Atlanta

Preonnatt Brown, Hawkinsville

Breyah Burke, East Point

Debrishua Chatman, Macon

Raquel Chatman, New York, N.Y.

Glenroy Cole, Miami, Fla.

Tyler Copeland, Escanaba, Mich.

Keasia Covin, Albany

Shironda Crump, Columbus

India Davis, Macon

Annastaijia Day, Douglasville

Malik Duncombe, Decatur

Cherish Finley, Lafayette

Sheneeka Gilstrap, Atlanta

Calvin Gowdy, Conyers

Tekai Gowdy, Augusta

Derquavious Grant, Louisville

Eboni Gray, Macon

Seth Higby, Waycross

Talaysia Hill, Santee, S.C.

Amika Hodges, Richland

Terrance Jackson, Newark, N.J.

Marketta Johnson, Gary, Ind.

Shaquelle Jones, Albany

Valajah Lee, McDonough

Lisa Leo, Hollywood, Fla.

Zacarias Lynn, Sparta

Taniyah Mew, Thomson

Martin Miller, Dalton

Robert Nutter, Cartersville

Khamron Parker, Knoxville, Tenn.

Jy’naesha Peterson, Lakeland, Fla.

Cody Priest, Calhoun

Ronnie Rodgers Jr., New York, N.Y.

Shakara Ross, Covington

Daniel Singletary, Cairo

Drakaro Smith, Perrine,

Syatana Smith, Atlanta

Garrett Strawder, Valdosta

Ja’Nia Taylor, Tallahassee, Fla.

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multifaceted agency that serves the state’s justice-involved youths 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 youths’ and families’ well-being, and fostering safe communities. Visit the department online at www.djj.georgia.gov.

Special Photo: DJJ