Eleven Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency trainees have started their training at the Guam Community College Criminal Justice Academy.
The 10 men and one woman will study coursework related to customs and quarantine responsibilities and receive on-the-job training.
They’ll also be tested in physical fitness.
“Expanding our workforce is not just about numbers - it’s about building the capacity to operate more sophisticated systems, managing growing trade volumes, and responding to increasingly complex security challenges," Customs and Quarantine Director Ike Peredo said in a news release. "With the graduation of this cycle, we will make meaningful progress toward strengthening our units and being prepared amid a more dynamic operational environment.
The agency currently has 128 law enforcement officers. When this cycle and the cycle ahead of them graduate, there will be 169 officers on the job. Officials said that will bring the agency to 61% of ideal officer staffing.