Your’re correct about complacency. It’s altogether too easy to “forget where you work” when things follow the routine day in day out, at least on the surface. Given the rejects hired at my institution, it’s surprising things don’t happen like that described in the 1st post more often. I think the only qualifications are no record and a pulse.

All of us at one time are another in our career is probably guilty of complacency. After all corrections is pretty much based on a routine structure . Day in day out same oh thing …count time ,chow time, pill call, yard call, call out for this call out for that, same inmate that ya told yesterday to get right you will be telling to get right again today. We as officers need to always remember inmates are not routine we must always expect something could go wrong stay alert and aware of your surroundings at all times . Recently we had two close security inmates one with life plus 90 the other had two twenty yr sentences escape our facility abduct a twenty year old girl to drive them south of atlanta (by the grace of god she was not harmed physically). With all the razor wire the electronic fence system(PDS) , video cameras , patrol unit, floor officers . The inmates went over all three fences at 9 am (DAYLIGHT). the alarms were sounding hell inmates were tellin the flr officers (they were in the control booth talkin) that two were leaven they told the imates to shut up and get away from the window , central control officer got tired of hearing the fence alarm and silinced it with out looking at the monitor (yes you could see them ) she thought it was the usual wild life that sets off the alarm. The patrol unit hmmm how to say this nicely well she thought she had patroled enough so she parked to talk on her cell phone for over 1hr .So in short every line of security was breeched it would of been alot more understandable if they would just let them walk out the front gate . Makes you wonder if the inmates new these officers were so complacent if it was part of their plan. If not they should stop and buy a lottery ticket because a person dont get any luckier….