Corrections Officers Graduate from New Modernized Training Program
Press Release
Training includes greater focus on mental health and de-escalation
March 6, 2020
HAMILTON – Ontario is making the correctional system safer by hiring 44 new correctional officers who have completed the Corrections Foundational Training program, a redesigned curriculum that educates and prepares officers to stay safe on the job and meet the everyday demands of the province’s adult correctional institutions.
“This new modernized training program is part of our government’s efforts to help keep correctional officers and our communities safe,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “These men and women have a very difficult job and we are taking steps to ensure they are prepared to deal with any situation.”
The newly designed eight-week program, which replaced the former Correctional Officer Training and Assessment program, offers an increased focus on key areas such as human rights, mental health, health and staff safety, and teamwork.
Training includes job specific case studies and scenario-based learning with an increased emphasis on de-escalation and communications skills. This approach builds critical-thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills, so graduates are better prepared to quickly respond to real situations. The new training program also provides ongoing Indigenous training, inmate management techniques and report writing.
The graduates will be assigned to 10 different institutions across Ontario near their home regions:
- Twenty-two graduates will work in the Central Region at Maplehurst Correctional Complex, Toronto East Detention Centre, and Toronto South Detention Centre.
- Eleven graduates will work in the Eastern Region at Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, Quinte Detention Centre and Central East Correctional Centre.
- Seven graduates will work in the Northern Region at Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, Central North Correctional Centre, Monteith Correctional Centre and Thunder Bay Jail.
- Four graduates will work in the Western Region at Stratford Jail.
“I would like to express my appreciation to these graduates for their hard work and commitment to serving the people of Ontario,” said Belinda Karahalios, Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General. “It is crucial that our corrections staff are safe on the job and the new training will help ensure both staff and inmate safety.”
Recent government action to support correctional staff includes:
- Ontario Launches Redesigned Training Program for Corrections Officers
- Improving Health Care Delivery in Corrections
- Adding two new specialized security teams to help make correctional facilities safer
- Improving safety and increasing security by adding capacity to the Institutional Crisis Intervention Teams in the province’s Northern adult correctional institutions
Media Contacts
Stephen Warner
Office of the Solicitor General
Stephen.Warner@ontario.ca
Kristy Denette
Communications Branch
416-325-0432
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