Correctional Officer Course Begins in March

Clarke Joyner has some advice for those seeking financial security in troubled economic times – become a correctional officer.

"It's steady work, it's clean work, for the most part. All in all, if everybody does their job, it's not overly dangerous," said Joyner, who speaks from experience.

Before becoming the assistant coordinator for the corrections program at Gulf Coast Community College's Gulf/Franklin Center, Joyner worked 27 years with the Florida Department of Corrections.

He is now tasked with shoring up enrollment in the upcoming Gulf/Franklin Center's correctional officer basic recruit class, which begins March 24.

The four-month course meets 40 hours a week at the Gulf/Franklin Center in Port St. Joe. 

Students will study defensive tactics, communications, emergency preparedness, first aid, interpersonal skills, correctional operations and legal topics and complete a comprehensive three-week firearms course.

Fifteen students, including four former Arizona Chemical employees, are enrolled in the current course.

Joyner believes the program is ideal for displaced workers such as those laid off from Arizona Chemical, and lists retirement benefits as one of the chief selling points.

Correctional officers begin at an annual salary of just over $30,800.

Officers earn three percent toward their retirement for each year worked. Thus, an officer who retires after 25 years of service (regardless of retirement age) will earn 75 percent of his or her salary.

"The retirement is something big," said Joyner, who retired at the young age of 45. "Those guys that worked at the mill for 40 years, their retirement is $500-600 a month."

Correctional officers also enjoy good health and dental benefits and are always in demand, said Joyner.

"There's a constant need for correctional officers. We've never closed a prison in the state of Florida once we've opened it," he said.

Correctional officers who have passed their state certification exam may seek employment with state, county and private prisons and jails.

The Gulf Correctional Institution and annex, Franklin County prison and work camp and Bay County jail each employee hundreds of correctional officers, male and female.

In his experience with the Department of Corrections, Joyner estimates that over half of all prisoners were raised by a female, whether a mother, grandmother or aunt.

"Females make excellent correctional officers because these guys can relate to that authority figure," he said.

The correctional officer course costs around $2,000. Funding is available for deserving students in the form of pell grants, scholarships and student loans.

The Workforce Center, headquartered at the Gulf/Franklin Center, also offers a "cost-share" program.

The program provides money for books and tuition based on a student's income, work status and the Center's budgetary constraints.

According to Workforce Center director Andrew Rutherford, 14 of the 15 students currently enrolled in the corrections course are receiving some form of Workforce assistance.

Students can also be hired as trainees for particular correctional institutions. Trainees are paid to attend school at a reduced biweekly salary of $1,077.20.

Joyner hopes to fill all 25 openings in the March 24 course. If the interest is there, he would like to schedule an additional course in August.

To generate buzz for the summer course, Joyner plans to share his personal experience as a correctional officer with graduating high school seniors.

"I was 18 when I started, and would I do it all over – yes," he said.

The registration deadline for the March 24 correctional officer basic recruit course is tentatively scheduled for March 8. Applications may be obtained from the Gulf/Franklin Center.

For more information, contact Clarke Joyner at 227-9670 x5511 or Brenda Burkett at 227-9670 x5507. Andrew Rutherford, with the Work Force Center, may be reached at 227-9670 x5504.