Atlanta, GA – Thirty seven probation/parole officers graduated the second Basic Probation/Parole Officer Training Course on Thursday, December 13, 2012. The ceremony was held at State Offices South in Forsyth. Five of the class will be working for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles supervising a parole caseload. Thirty two officers from the class will work for the Department of Corrections as probation officers.  All of the new officers will be certified as Probation/Parole Officers by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (P.O.S.T).

The dual certification eliminates the need for separate agency training courses. The officers are trained to perform parole or probation supervision however the officers will only supervise offenders under their respective agency’s authority. The first such class graduated last September. Additional benefits to the dual certification include shorter wait periods for officers to receive training and the ability of the probation/parole officer to transfer to the other agency without having to complete an agency specific eight week training course.

The dual certification training is expected to strengthen community supervision overall and therefore increase public safety.

Jay Lacienski, Director of Field Operations for the Parole Board, addressed the graduates saying it’s a privilege to be a probation/parole officer and he added, “You have the tools to make a difference.”

The Director of State Probation for the Department of Corrections, Stan Cooper, reminded the officers their mission is “public safety, which is non-negotiable for either agency.”

The five new probation/parole officers working for the Parole Board will be assigned to Rome, South Metro (Atlanta), Ellijay, Gainesville and Douglasville.

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles employs approximately 300 parole officers. The average caseload per officer is 84 parolees. Parole officers work to transition offenders back into the community using a balanced approach of surveillance and treatment intervention. Parole officers make scheduled and unscheduled visits to the parolees’ residences, places of employment and treatment providers to ensure compliance with supervision conditions. 

For more information on the Parole Board please visit our website at www.pap.georgia.gov.

               

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