CDCR hiring 2,400 correctional officers next fiscal year
Due to retirements and high vacancy rates, CDCR is looking to hire 2,400 correctional officers in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Another year of data proves CDCR’s best recruiters are still our own employees. Year after year, our candidate surveys show most candidates learn about a career opportunity with CDCR from a friend or family member and 85 percent of the friends and family members are current or former CDCR staff. With the holidays and family gatherings upon us, and New Year’s resolutions around the corner, it’s the perfect time to spread the word that “we’re hiring correctional officers.”
The Office of Peace Officer Selection (OPOS) projects to be hiring 2,400 candidates for the Basic Correctional Officer Academy. (See their most recent graduation.)
High operational vacancy rates and increasing retirements from officers hired in the 1990s are driving the hiring surge. Reduced hiring capacity during COVID also contributed to the current need.
“It’s really a great time to go through our process. Results from the JumpStart events we started in February of ’22 show the average candidate completing that process finishes in five months,” said Background investigation Captain Dennis McTaggart. “Our first group of candidates to finish averaged 121 days from written exam to eligible-for-hire.”
OPOS Chief Rob Calderon said, “I recruit everywhere I go. I have four of my own family members working in the Department and Capt. McTaggart has seven. If you appreciate the life CDCR has enabled you to have, tell someone about it and help us fill academies with great candidates.”
Interested applicants can apply online at www.joincdcr.com.