The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) hosted a graduation ceremony for 18 community services officers on May 15 at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Ga.
The event marks an important step in supporting youth rehabilitation across several counties by increasing the number of trained professionals working with young people. These officers will play a role in providing evidence-based interventions and skill-building tools to help rehabilitate youth involved with the justice system.
“Juvenile Probation Parole Specialists (JPPSs) and Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) are essential to providing youth with evidence-based interventions and skill-building tools that support rehabilitation,” said DJJ Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb. “I am proud of their commitment to serving our youth.”
Graduates completed either the Basic Juvenile Probation Officer Training, a 280-hour program designed to meet requirements set by DJJ and the Peace Officer Standards Training Council, or the Basic Community Services Training, a 200-hour course focused on skills necessary for supporting DJJ’s mission. The graduating classes include staff from Bartow, Bryan, Chatham, Coffee, Crisp, Dougherty, Evans, Gwinnett, Henry, Houston, Paulding, Polk, Rockdale, Upson and Whitfield counties.
Among those recognized were JPO Annette Johnson as “Class Leader” for BJPOT Class #31 and JPPS Sabrina Hagains as “Top Gun Honor Graduate” for achieving the highest firearms qualification score. The full list of graduates represents new resources distributed throughout various community services offices statewide.
As these officers begin their roles across Georgia communities, officials expect them to contribute positively toward juvenile rehabilitation efforts.
