- 147 new Custodial Correctional Officers join the public safety frontline
- The new officers now ready to play their role in protecting community safety
- Special Commissioner's Medallion presented to sons of QCS officer for their bravery and quick-thinking that saved mother's life
Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) welcomed a record 147 new Custodial Correctional Officers to the frontline of public safety in Brisbane today (Wednesday 11 December).
The ceremony was QCS' largest ever graduation, attended by hundreds of friends, family and community members.
The new recruits will strengthen officer numbers at correctional centres across South East Queensland and play their role in protecting community safety through prisoner reform.
QCS' diversity was highlighted at the ceremony with female officers making up a third of the graduates, and a third coming from 22 other countries including New Zealand, India, South Africa, the Solomon Islands and Nepal.
The new Custodial Correctional Officers will be posted to Arthur Gorrie, Brisbane Women's, Wolston, Woodford and Borallon correctional centres, and the Escort and Security Branch, in coming days. Sixty of the new officers will gain experience in centres in the south-east until Queensland's newest men's high security centre is opened in the Lockyer Valley where they will be part of the 800-strong workforce.
Led by experienced instructors from the Queensland Corrective Services Academy, the officers completed 10 weeks of paid training, including conflict management, tactical skills and Queensland policies and legislation to assist with prisoner rehabilitation.
During the ceremony, QCS Commissioner Paul Stewart APM presented a Commissioner's Medallion to three young boys whose father graduated as a Custodial Correctional Officer earlier this year. The Medallion recognised the boys' courage and quick thinking during a critical medical emergency when they called emergency services and calmly followed instructions which helped save their mother's life.
In addition to proud family and friends, the ceremony was attended by QCS leaders, colleagues and the Lockyer Valley Regional Council Deputy Mayor Chris Wilson.
QCS Commissioner Paul Stewart APM congratulated the 147 graduating officers and welcomed them to the agency.
"This is the biggest custodial officer graduation ceremony we have ever hosted, which reflects the interest Queenslanders have in playing a role in restoring safety in our communities," Commissioner Stewart said.
"The diversity of our workforce is our greatest strength and I am very proud to stand here today and welcome each and every one of our new officers who come from a variety of backgrounds to the frontline of public safety.
"Every interaction our officers have is an opportunity to address offending behaviour and deliver reformative justice to successfully reintegrate offenders back into the community as productive members of society.
"We thank our graduating officers for their commitment and extend that appreciation to their friends and families - hundreds of which were at today's graduation ceremony - whose support is invaluable to our new officers."
Cr Chris Wilson, Lockyer Valley Regional Council Deputy Mayor thanked the new officers for their commitment.
"We are thrilled to be a part of Queensland Corrective Services' biggest ever officer graduation and thank all the officers for the work they will do to keep our communities safe," Cr Wilson said.
"On behalf of Council, I welcome the 60 officers from this latest cohort who will be working in the Lockyer Valley when the new correctional centre opens.
"We thank them for choosing a career in public safety, for making a difference to the lives of prisoners, and for contributing to the growth and prosperity of our great region."
