Graduation For New NI Prison Officers

Twenty new prison officers have begun their career in the Northern Ireland Prison Service following a graduation ceremony for the first group of Custody Officers at the Prison Service College in Millisle.

The twenty graduates have graduated from an intensive eight-week training programme.

This week they begin a programme of work in order to gain operational experience at each of Northern Ireland’s three prisons.

A further 40 recruits are undergoing training and a further 100 will commence their training in the coming weeks.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Justice Minister David Ford.

The Minister said: "Today heralds a significant milestone in our ongoing Prisons reform programme with the passing–out of the first group of new Custody Officers. Successive reports had made the case for fundamental changes to the workings our Prison Service and today’s ceremony is another sign of the progress we are making in delivering those changes.

"Prisons are a challenging working environment and I congratulate today’s graduates on completing the first stage of their training programme and wish them well as they experience working life in each of our prisons."

Minister Ford said the recruitment of new staff was a key element to the creation of a modern, professional, efficient and skilled Prison Service.

He said: "Refreshing the workforce is a central part of the reform agenda and these Custody Officers will play their part in maintaining a safe, decent and secure environment within our prisons and rehabilitating prisoners."

(IT)