Become a Correctional Officer
The academy provides basic and specialized training for GDC staff to better prepare them to accomplish the agency's mission of operating secure facilities and providing opportunities for offender rehabilitation. Anyone interested in attending Basic Correctional Officer Training must be a current correctional employee and referred by their local Human Resources Administration.
The Georgia Corrections Academy's main campus offering Basic Correctional Officer Training (BCOT) Programs is located at State Offices South at Tift College in Forsyth, Georgia. Additional BCOT academies are located at the Northeast Region in Alto, Central Region in Milledgeville, and the Southeast Region in Reidsville.
BCOT is designed to meet the requirements established by the agency and POST Training Council for Correctional Officers and staff who supervise offenders as a part of their regular duties in state, county, and private facilities. It is also designed to provide basic skills training in security practices and procedures necessary to function in a correctional setting.
To attend BCOT, the applicant must first meet established standards on written examinations evaluating cognitive knowledge and performance-oriented tasks assessing psychomotor skills. Next, the applicant must pass a background verification to become employed with the agency. Once completed, the local Human Resources Administration at the facility will submit a request for the trainee to attend BCOT.
How Do I … Become a GDC Correctional Officer?
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Meet Minimum Job Requirements
Applicants for Correctional Officer must meet the minimum job requirements to be hired:
- be at least 18 years of age
- have high School Diploma or GED
- be a US Citizen
- have no Felony Convictions
- pass the POST Entrance Exam
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Complete the POST Application
Once an applicant has been hired, they are required to supply other documentation to our Peace Officer's Standards and Training (POST) unit to complete their POST package.
The required documents are as follows:
- Birth Certificate
- GED or High School Diploma
- Criminal History (Fingerprint Live Scan Results)
- Driver’s History for the last five Years
- Physical Examination
- Personal History Release
- DD 214 if military
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Participate in Basic Correctional Officer Training (BCOT)
- BCOT Training is 240 hours of training.
- This course is generally taught 9 times per year.
After the POST application has been cleared, selected candidates will undergo five weeks of job relevant Basic Correctional Officer Training which will total 240 hours of training.
- Week 1: Cadets are required to attend firearms training and shoot a passing score of 80% with the required weapon twice to continue in the program.
- Weeks 2 through 5: Cadets are required to attend classroom academics and also practical training. They are given written exams over the subjects covered and must score minimum of 70% or 80 % depending on the liability of the material.
- Practical exams are scored as a pass or fail.
- Should a cadet fail three written exams or a retest, they are removed from the program and sent back to the hiring authority.
Additionally, cadets can be removed from BCOT if they miss POST mandatory high liability lessons, miss more than 5% of the training hours, or display significant or repeated disciplinary problems.