Both of you are so right. COMPLACENCY gets officers hurt. it causes fights, it causes troubles on the tiers, dorms for everyone from the inmates to staff that follow on the next shift, it festers small problems into huge problems and sometimes riots. I used to get so pissed when I walked on a floor finding the CO sitting on his or her ass playing games on the computer or reading a book. These people are the ones who are going to get fellow officers hurt and possibly killed and they have no place in corrections.

Thanks, I do remember that inmate but I only heard about the fox incident. Don’t think I was on shift that day. I’ve been trying to get copies of the riot photos and a copy of the walkthrough film but haven’t had any luck. It sounds a lil morbid but I like to show them to the new jacks we have come in. Thats what Mr. Logan did to me when I started and it really makes you understand why being complacent is a bad idea. Not that complancency caused all that, but it does show you exactly what inmates are capable of.

Oh we had lots of those idiots. One old man who was about 77 years old used to drink right from the toilet, gag and drink more. Then he pooped on himself and four of us had to clean him up. We got a garden house from the wall to wash him down, it was a hell of a mess. Like to see a nursing home LPN handle that one. Like your inmate who rubbed feces on himself we had one who kept it in a paper cup tied to both ears and his nose, eating when he wanted to. My forensic nurse friend who retired just shortly before I did said that doing that was not insane. She said eating someone else’s feces was insane…

Irish, I will make sure you get the first copy. I know you remember the Inmate in K-4 who used to cut himself and then rub feces in the cuts to heal them. Do you also remember when he tried to throw feces on an Officer in K-4 and I gassed him, accidentally hitting the fresh cuts with FOX??? He hit notes Michael Jackson would have been jealous of. I would love to someday sit down, eat breakfast and then give you a photo CD of the riot. Let you witness for yourself. Have over 235 photos. Some pretty gruesome.

Yes I loved it when a mom called me on the jail line and said, “well my son is in jail.” And I replied, yes ma’am, what is is the problem? She said, “he is only 16!.” I said, he broke the law regardless and he is in jail for a reason. You can visit him, just call for an appointment. With regard to arrest of inmates I have done that a couple of times including making out the accusatory, depositions, court receipt, DA receipt, warrant of arrest and testified both at the preliminary hearing and grand jury. I do think that cameras in the tiers, blocks and dorms do help us with proof of a fight or issue and in fact our Sgt can make a video in color of the entire scene as evidence. Of course some COs forget the camera is always on and they get caught sitting at the desk sleeping, or worse slapping an inmate and in one case watering down a block because they called the officer an asshole.Some parents are not bleeding heart liberals however. I was watching visiting one day when a young 16 year old boy sat on one side of the bench. The visitors came in on the opposite side. The boys dad said, “hello son.” The boy said, hello dad." Right after that the dad hit his son right in the face almost knocking him out.

I always like to ask road cops “what would you do if you pulled a guy over but when you get to the window this dude is sitting there chewing on one of his own turds. Then he tries to stab you with a sharp object that was probably concealed in his butt when you pulled him over?” Never fails cause every time I get the same first response of disgust,then of shock and disbelief. Topped off with a “No way in hell would I do your job!” I realize how odd it sounds but this is a realistic scenario in the level 4 RTU unit where I started. Yes I did witness this first hand People outside of this profession have no clue about how inmates act behind bars. As I said before I’m a firm supporter of using the DVR videos to not only help balance the budget,but also show the general public,the ACLU hippies,and mommy and daddy bleeding heart exactly what their lil angels really do. But till then John Waynes book idea will do just fine. It might even become a best seller at Barnes and Nobles’ in airports everywhere. “Ugh… another long flight. Well might as well pass the time reading about Lil Johnny S&*# Slinger and the Magical Brown Trout”.

I have never met a fellow law enforcement officer be it Deputy Sheriff, State Patrol or City Policeman that would work where I did. I worked in a prison that catered to the worst of the worst in the State of Ohio. We led the state every year by hundreds, inmate on staff assault. Other prisons would lock the camp down when they had a stabbing. We put up a wet floor signe and continued running Inmates to and from chow. I know what you mean about respect from law enforcement. Remember most people do not respect what they fear. They look at us as guards not law enforcement. The only difference between them and us is the power to arrest. But, if you think about it, we do arrest the occupants of our very own city (jail, prison). I used to teach gang classes to law enforcement. After sitting with their mouths open when you know more about your hometown then they do, they really start to take notes. Teachers think we are crazy but they respect us. Students fear and respect us and Parents especially some Inmates parents have no clue how their son really acts in prison. Respect from everyone would be great. Maybe I can open some eyes. Let them know we are human too. We just can’t afford to show our emotions. That might be the straw that breaks the camels back for many of us.

Respect mostly from fellow police, Sheriff and State Troopers would be nice. I really would like them to require police to work in a jail for at least 6 months prior to them going on the road. Maybe then when they drop off some ass at the jail they know what we have to go through. From the contacts I had since 1998 doing jail tours with teachers, parents and students I think the general public has no clue what a CO does and those who are aware of what corrections entails are absolutely certain they would never do our jobs.

Very good. Would love to get other PROFESSIONAL Corrections staff ideas. Would want it to be a teaching guide as well as a book that opens the publics eyes to our profession. Maybe we would get a little respect.

Maybe your title could be “walk a mile in my shoes” or “so you want to be a CO”

I think I know who you are. Get in touch with me sometime. Would love to do breakfast and shoot the s$$$. I am serious about writing a book. Just don’t know how to go about it. Would love to hook up with a College student in journalism or a recent graduate. Not trying to get rich just have a ton of info that I would like to pass on. Help new hires with my experience and educate the public on what really happens. Not what they see on TV. IF anyone knows of anyone who could help me, please shoot me an email waynefout@yahoo.com.

I was a LUKE 2nd shifter, now I’m walking the beat at HCF the retirement home for inmates. But truth be told I’ve never lost my SOCF views or thought process. Doesn’t exactly make me the most popular guy on shift but old habbits sometimes never go away. I’ll agree with you there that I do miss working side by side with some of the best staff in this profession but the drive and hours away from home was killing my personal life. The staff here is good, but as we know you can never replace the bond you get for your partners when you walk through hell together.

Irish Assassin, glad to hear from you. You are right about the DVR. Glad to know a fellow LUKE is here. Was some tour of duty there. A lot of memories of that place. Some good, most bad. Worked with the finest corrections staff in the world. Of course my opinion is biased since that is the only prison I ever worked in. Have a bond that is un-breakable. I would still go to hell and back for anyone in our profession. I am glad to be out of their and retired but, do miss my peeps. Life goes on.

Commander, I always said during my time at Luke was that we should of taken all the video from the DVR system for the year, picked out the good parts and made a yearly highlight reel for sale to staff as christmas presents. Truth is often stranger than fiction and yes sadly most members of the general public couldn’t begin to wrap their heads around what really happens inside the walls. But isn’t that the kind of stuff that usually makes the best reading material? Least it does in my world.

Very well put Mick and Jamestown. I had an Inmate who was spreading feces over his self inflicted cuts saying that it was an old African way of healing wounds. The next day, he was ramming his head into the cell bars because he found out the guy down his range was just kidding about the feces. Millions of incidents like that happen everyday and people on the street would say we are lying.

I think its difficult for the general public to accept what COs see all the time, the most bizarre people you would ever see in your lifetime. You really can’t tell a citizen what its like to see a naked man sitting on top of a shower crowing like a rooster. Likewise you can’t have them envision what its like to see a grown man with feces in cups tied to his ears, nose and armpits eating it and drinking water from the toilet. The public thinks we make this stuff up.

I would have to agree with jamestown0509.
The biggest problem with us writing books is nobody would believe half the stuff in it. They would think that we are making it up to “spice up” the story. Most humans (civilians) have no experience of a prison or the creatures (inmates) that inhabit it. So what to us is a normal everyday event, to them would seem like something from the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales.

I got the job. They called Friday and said the guy they were interviewing for the full time position in my home town did not show up. They offered me full time and I accepted. This will certainly be different. It will be fun though. Keep me busy.

Good for you commander and hope it works out. I teach part-time as a substitute at BOCES, part of their CTE (career technology education) classes is Criminal Justice which I have helped teach plus other interesting classes in Construction, Conservation, IT and others.

That is a very good thing. Pass on our experience to new employees. I am looking into possibly trying to get into teaching some corrections classes or assisting in Criminal Justice classes at Ohio University or Marshall. Having a degree is nice but, it does not replace experience. I like to tell people that I have a Masters/Doctorate in Prison life. I am currently going to my 3rd interview this Tuesday for a part time Hospital Security job. The potential boss explained that he was impressed with my resume, certifications and training. He stated that he would like to have me teach the other Security some ICS and FEMA issues and help him re-write some secuirty policies. All the training I was involved in while in corrections, might finally pay off. Sounds like this could be a lot of fun.

I could write a book myself but obviously what we have experienced in corrections wouldn’t be believed by most of the general public. You really have to walk in our shoes to know what a CO does and goes through during a career. What I am doing is teaching CPR/Advanced First Aid to new correction officers and during that process I give them the real story of what to expect on the job.

With over 26 years experience working as an Officer, Sgt., and then Lt., I would love to write a book. I am retired but, while working at a Maximum Security prison in Southern Ohio, I have a lot of experience. From fights, assaults, homicide, riot, hostage situations to escapes. I was a Chemical Munitions Instructor, OC Coordinator, STG unit member, Tool Control and Supervised every shift at my prison. I have dealt with almost every conceivable Critical Incident. Would love to write a book that might help people starting out in Corrections. Not sure where to begin or how to start. Any assistance would be very much appreciated.