By Lyonel Doherty
The true test for new correctional officers at the Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) has begun as inmates start arriving this week.
The high-security prison will house inmates in a phased-in approach, according to Kate Trotter, senior public affairs officer for the Ministry of Justice.
“The first to move in will be those from the Okanagan catchment area,” she said. “Over the coming months, the number of inmates will increase as more inmates are sent to the facility by the courts.”
Trotter said they are anticipating that the OCC will ultimately house approximately 400 inmates by the time the phased-in approach ends this fall.
In the meantime, correctional officers are ready to put their training to work.
The fourth class of 24 correctional officer recruits graduated during a recent ceremony at the OCC north of Oliver.
Since the centre opened on October 21, three other graduating classes took part in the ceremony, and one more class is expected to graduate soon.
In each ceremony the graduates are piped in with family and friends in attendance. Each graduate is issued a badge and is sworn in by warden Steve DiCastri.
The small, formal ceremony is a very proud moment for staff and their families.
“The warden, staff at the OCC and the entire Corrections Branch are all very proud of the accomplishments of these new recruits,” said BC Corrections spokesperson Cindy Rose.
She noted that senior management at the OCC have followed many of these individuals from the first information sessions they attended. They watched as they took the Correctional Officer Physical Abilities Test and then saw them through the rest of the hiring process.
“To see them complete the full six weeks of intense training is a very proud moment for us all and we are all impressed with how they have performed throughout this entire process,” Rose said.
One correctional officer said he was very relieved to complete the training, noting the courses were very demanding, particularly one pertaining to law. But in the end, he was very proud to receive his badge, which not only represented a significant career change for him, but a life-altering experience.
Rose pointed out that BC Corrections provides very thorough training to ensure officers are prepared and have the skills and confidence necessary to do the job.
After they complete their training, each new recruit is partnered with an experienced mentor who continues to help them in their development and can discuss any questions that come up.
But new recruit training doesn’t stop once they start working because there is an 18-month basic training program that continues while they are on the job. At the end of the program, officers complete advanced training and receive full correctional officer status.
“Once that status is attained there are learning and training opportunities throughout their career to ensure staff are constantly advancing their skill set to excel at their jobs,” Rose said.
Correctional officer training includes sections on law and the criminal justice system, communication and conflict resolution, use of force, and programs that help inmates reduce reoffending.
The centre will house male and female inmates, with one of its 11 units exclusively for women.
Core programs that are designed to reduce reoffending for inmates will begin immediately.
Rose said there are no plans for inmate crews to work offsite in the community at this point in time. But that is the expectation in the future.
“For now, crews will focus on work on the OCC site such as cleaning, laundry and site maintenance,” she said.
