IMPACT GEORGIA MAGAZINE IMPACT GEORGIA MAGAZINE
Spotlight on Trainers
CAPTAIN ( CAPT .) DEIRDRE BLACK began her career with the Georgia Department of Corrections ( GDC ) in 1998 and served as a correctional officer until 2001 . After working for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice from 2001 - 2013 , Black returned to the GDC as a program coordinator and behavioral health counselor . In 2017 , she was promoted to Public Safety Trainer , where she currently serves . Capt . Black ’ s commitment and loyalty to the agency have been evident in her everyday work since beginning with the GDC .
During the recent changes due to the pandemic , Capt . Black played a vital role in the training processes within GDC . Capt . Black was in charge of recording class completions , assisting Special Operations with data entry , assisting with shift briefing , and chief of security duties while assisting at Macon State Prison . She also went out of her way to sanitize and conduct Basic Correctional Officer Training ( BCOT ) classes . Capt . Black made every possible effort to ensure training was conducted in a safe , professional manner .
CAPTAIN ( CAPT .) AMBER HAMMOND began her career in August of 2009 at Georgia State Prison ( SP ) as a correctional officer , where she held many responsibilities . In July 2014 , she transferred to Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison Human Resources Department . In 2017 , Capt . Hammond obtained her General Instructor Certification and Defensive Tactics Instructor Certification and was promoted to Human Resource Manager at Metro Reentry Facility . In 2018 , she accepted the position of Public Safety Trainer II at State Office South Tift College , where she ensures compliance of all SOSTC staff training in accordance with the American Correctional Association .
Capt . Hammond has proven to be an optimal leader for the agency . Over the last year , she has made a special effort to help wherever she was needed in response to the new COVID-19 protocols . She ensured that all PSO training was completed , assisted with offender transports , transported chemical and PPE gear across the state , and took the lead on the Sanitation Teams at Johnson State Prison and Phillip State Prison . Capt . Hammond has gone above and beyond to help the GDC team during the pandemic . Capt . Hammond is a valuable employee of the GDC , and we cannot thank her enough for her commitment and loyalty to the agency .
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