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Honoring service: CDCR connects with veterans at State Fair

September 8, 2026

CDCR recruiters and leaders connected with veterans during Military and First Responders Day at the 2026 California State Fair.

The CDCR Recruitment Unit delivered a cross-divisional showcase featuring

Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) leaders
academy instructors from the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center
and the California Medical Facility (CMF) Bike Program.

The high-visibility venue placed the department directly in front of thousands of Northern California fairgoers. This offered an ideal platform to showcase CDCR’s culture, community impact and career pathways.

The Recruitment Unit also leveraged the day’s theme as an outreach strategy focused on active-duty service members and veterans.

Discipline, integrity, tactical awareness and servant leadership are core values forged in military service. These values translate seamlessly into the role of a correctional officer. Recruiters and leadership connected with dozens of transitioning personnel to map direct career pathways into state service. These meaningful interactions yielded immediate results, with the recruitment team collecting contact information on dozens of qualified candidates.

CDCR leadership, CMF Bike Program connect with fairgoers

CDCR team with young attendee at State Fair

The fair offered a natural platform to discuss CDCR’s spectrum of career paths with fair attendees.

The State Fair representation brought together a heavy-hitting lineup from across the department.

Recruitment Unit analysts Danny Royster and Inderpal Dhaliwal were joined by DAPO Chief Deputy Administrator Wendy Enos, Parole Administrator Aimee Sugapong and Parole Agent III Anthony Quintana. Meanwhile, CDCR Academy sergeants Richard Hutchinson and Stephen Bautista offered guidance for the next wave of applicants.

Having executive leadership working side by side with recruiters and academy instructors gave attendees an authentic look into the department’s culture and career ladder.

“Events like Military and First Responders Day allow us to honor those who serve our country while demonstrating the real, lasting impact of a career in corrections,” said Enos. “Having our administrative leadership out here alongside recruitment and training staff shows the public CDCR is a unified team dedicated to public safety, mentorship and community support.”

For prospective peace officers, the opportunity to speak directly with academy instructors offered a clear vision of the journey ahead.

Academy: ‘Mold the next generation of correctional officers’

CDCR team with donated bike and attendees at State Fair

“It’s inspiring to meet people at these events who are eager to take on the responsibility of wearing the badge,” said Sgt. Bautista. “At the academy, our job is to mold the next generation of correctional officers. Seeing the discipline and community spirit from the veterans and young adults we talked with at the State Fair makes me confident in the future of our department.”

Complementing the primary recruitment efforts was CMF’s long-running Bike Project, led by Plant Operations Supervisor Virgil Aviles. Operating since 1985, the program provides incarcerated individuals valuable vocational training by refurbishing and donating hundreds of bicycles to local communities each year. Displaying four expertly restored bicycles, the booth provided a popular secondary focal point that showcased the department’s rehabilitative mission in action.

“The bikes are an absolute magnet,” said Aviles. “When people see the quality of work our population puts into restoring these bicycles, it instantly creates a buzz. Kids get excited, parents start asking questions and it gives us the perfect opening to explain how this program transforms lives through vocational training while giving back to the community.”

Whether guiding military veterans toward peace officer careers or highlighting critical non-custody roles in plant operations and administrative services, the collaborative effort proved when CDCR units unite, the department’s story hits home, one conversation at a time.

Learn more about CDCR careers on the website.

Story by Danny Royster, recruitment analyst II, event coordinator
CDCR Recruitment and Career Services

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Interested Correctional Officer applicants can apply online at JoinCDCR.com.