SOP 506.03: Basic Correctional Officer Training

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 1 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

I. Introduction and Summary:

To provide basic skills training in security practices and procedures necessary to
function in a correctional setting. To provide Peace Officer Standards and Training
(POST) Council peace officer certification to those employees who may be required
to exercise the powers of arrest in the performance of their duties.

II. Authority:

A. O.C.G.A. §§ 35-8-2, 35-8-7.1, 35-8-8, 35-8-11, 35-8-15, and 42-2-11;

B. POST Council Uniform Law Enforcement Academy Regulations rev. Jan. 1,

2016;

C. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs.: 125-2-1-.02, 125-2-1-.06, and 125-2-1-.08;

D. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Standard Operating Procedures

(SOPs): 104.09, Filling a Vacancy, 104.10, Certifying a Peace Officer, and
104.47, Employee Standards of Conduct; and

E. ACA Standards: 5-ACI-1D-19 (ref. 4-4090); 5-ACI-1D-12 (ref. 4-4084); 1-CTA
1C-03-01; 1-CTA-3A-21; 4-ALDF-7B-10; 4-ACRS-7B-11; and 4-ACRS-7B-17.

III. Definitions:

A. Private Prisons - Facilities managed by private corporations under contract with

GDC to house state offenders.

B. P.O.S.T. (POST) - Peace Officer Standards and Training.

C. Correctional Officer - A Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified

employee. For ACA standards that lists employees as offender care workers,
GDC uses the term Correctional officer.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 2 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

IV. Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:

A. Administration:

1. The two hundred forty (240) hour Basic Correctional Officer Training

(BCOT) program is designed to meet the requirements established by the
GDC for new Correctional Officers and other staff who supervise offenders
as a part of their normal duties in:

a. State Facilities;

b. County Institutions; and

c. Private prisons.

2. This program serves as the basic training program for all Correctional

Officers.

3. Completion of this program is mandated by POST Council for certification as

a Correctional Officer in Georgia.

4. The Basic Correctional Officer Training program is developed, evaluated,

and updated based on an annual assessment that identifies current job-related
training needs. The program is reviewed annually.

B. Course Eligibility:

1. All new state Correctional Officers shall enter BCOT within sixty (60) days

of employment.

2. Other job classifications in facilities which require the supervision of

offenders such as, General Trades Craftsmen, Food Service Supervisors, etc.
are eligible to attend BCOT at the Warden's/Superintendent's request.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 3 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

C. Request Process:

1. A BCOT Request Form (Attachment 1) must be received by the Georgia

Corrections Academy (GCA) from the responsible Training Officer at least
ten (10) business days prior to the beginning date of the program.

2. Registration may also be done by using the GDC Intranet Online

Registration.

3. In addition, a POST application for certification packet and required

supporting documents must be completed in:

a. The POST Data Gateway; and

b. Approved by POST no later than ten (10) business days before the

beginning of the requested course date.

4. Enrollment is limited to the number of available training slots.

5. Facility Human Resources staff should register all cadets for BCOT through

the Training Registration link on Captiva.

6. Alternately, training requests for BCOT may be sent to the following address:

Georgia Corrections Academy at Tift College
BCOT POST Unit
P.O. Box 1529
300 Patrol Road
Forsyth, Georgia 31029

7. Training requests should include:

a. The course date requested;

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 4 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

b. The name of requesting facility;

c. The cadet’s:

i. Name;

ii. Race;

iii. Sex;

iv. Employee ID number;

v. Ckey or Okey if applicable; and

vi. Reasonable accommodation (qualified);

d. Job title;

e. Employment date; and

f. Facility address and phone number.

D. Notification Process:

1. The POST Unit will send confirmation emails to each facility no later than

five (5) business days before the start of the program.

2. Confirmation letters will not be mailed to each cadet.

3. Prior to the beginning of the course, cadets will be notified as to:

a. Time;

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 5 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

b. Date;

c. Location of the BCOT program; and

d. Other necessary information by their facility Training Officer.

E. Cancellation/Withdrawal:

1. If a scheduled cadet is unable to attend training, the facility Training Officer

is responsible for notifying the GCA by telephone at (478) 992-2836 or 2837,
as soon as possible.
2. Under no circumstances is a substitution to be made without the approval of

the Director of the GCA.

F. Rescheduling:

1. Cadets who are withdrawn or canceled will not be automatically rescheduled

for the next BCOT class.

2. Facility Training Officers will submit a new training request form following

the previously stated procedure for registration.

G. Program Requirements:

1. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 35-8-8, each applicant is required to successfully

complete the POST Entrance Examination.

2. Candidates who do not perform satisfactorily on the examination will not be

allowed to attend BCOT.

3. If an applicant uploads proof of a college degree, Associate’s or higher, as

his/her level of education, there will be no requirement for an entrance exam
score in the application.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 6 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

4. To complete the BCOT program, the cadet must meet established standards

on:

a. Written examinations which evaluate cognitive knowledge; and

b. Performance-oriented examinations which evaluate psychomotor skills.

5. Additionally, the cadet cannot have absences that exceed five (5) percent or

twelve (12) hours of the total training program hours.

6. All cadets must meet conduct/behavioral standards as established by the

GCA, including, but not limited to the GDC’s Employee Standards of
Conduct, SOP 104.47.

H. Cadet Removals:

1. Cadets may be removed from the BCOT course by the Director of GCA for

failure to meet specified:

a. Academic standards;

b. Performance standards; or

c. Conduct/behavioral standards.

2. If requested by the hiring authority, cadets that are removed from BCOT for

failing to meet academic standards will be reconsidered for re-admission to
the next BCOT where space is available.

3. Cadets removed from BCOT for failing to meet conduct/behavioral standards

must wait a minimum of six (6) months from the date of their removal before
re-admission will be considered.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|Policy Name:Basic Correctional Officer Training|
|Policy Number: 506.03|Effective Date: 10/20/2020|Page Number: 7 of 7|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Executive Division
(Office of Professional
Development)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

4. Re-admissions for cadets removed for disciplinary reasons will only be

considered:

a. After a six (6)-month waiting period; and

b. Will be based on the joint discretion of the Office of Professional

Development Director and the Director of the affected division.

I. Certification of Completion:

1. Upon completion of BCOT each student will be issued a Certificate of

Completion.

2. Upon completion of all requirements for certification, POST Council will

issue to the correctional officer:

a. A numbered wallet certification card; and

b. A POST Certificate of Certification.

V. Attachments:

Attachment 1: Basic Correctional Officer Training (BCOT) Request Form

VI. Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy:

Upon completion, all training forms must be kept at local facility training offices
and/or regional training offices until storage capacity is exceeded. Training records
must then be boxed, labeled by location and year, and forwarded to the Academy
Director’s office for storage in Bay D, SOSTC Fleet Warehouse which is climate
controlled. After retention for at least seven (7) years, only the Academy Director
may direct that training records be destroyed.