To me uniform inspection is important.Hair trim,and boots polish.The way we look toward the inmate population and civilian employes shows a professional attitude toward our job ,plus on a humorous note,checking your uniform before entering the prison,which we do despite no inspections can often save us from embarrassing moments,such as cellphone in shirtpockets or on the males,zipper open.believe it or not….

When I first started 22 years ago they gave us grey uniforms (like the Deputies) and they were quite comfortable, durable and looked pretty good. They were cleaned by the department. One officer back then used to wear his uniform to work but before he came sometimes would go milk cows in the barn and would be covered with manure and his shirt had several layers of food on it. Back then they didn’t hound on cleanliness as they do not. Our recruits now have to pass uniform inspection, shined shoes, haircuts, trimmed mustaches and absolutely no tattoos that aren’t hidden by the uniform.

Wow SGM …..what was your MOS?? You sound a little ‘’over qualified’’ to be a C/O……impressive resume!!!!

Boy if my Dept. stood inspection practically all would fail. I’m not perfect by any means, but …. Let’s see… no polish on the boots, uniforms might be washed once a week if not once a month. It’s like “I’ve got seniority and they can’t touch me. If they say anything I’ll file a lawsuit.” BROTHER…. I show up at work with spit shined boots, pressed uniform, high n tight flattop. Yeah the moustache is a bit long but within regs.

Must be a universal thing, Cambinator. What state are you in?

EDIT: Disregard. Shoulda read the other new posts first. : D

We are suppose to have clean uniforms/trimmed facial but all the inmates run around with pants off their butt and facial hair for days due to “religious beliefs” and what not. kind of ridiculous, and if you did want some new uniforms thats pretty much non existant

Sweet. I know officers who got new uniforms issued because they gained/lost a lot of weight. New uniforms really stand out where I work. There is only so much a person can do to maintain old uniforms, especially when they start to fray at the collar or otherwise wear out.

We can also let the institution launder our uniforms. The uniforms are normally done that day, but sometimes “stuff happens” and ya never know. I prefer to do my uniforms at home.

Yes. Once issued they belong to us. Although some pieces of uniform I was issued a few years ago would not be much use to me now. (Much thinner and fitter then.)

Mick: Sounds like you guys have a good deal going. Do you keep the old uniforms?

Comfortably Numb: I like the way your system is set up. Our supply room has been shut down and we now get uniforms/equipment/supplies through another institution, so we don’t know the person who would be handling our requests. By the way, our personnel section has also been moved to that institution. Both changes are cost saving measures. Some of the people who worked in those two areas have transferred to vacant CO slots.

Sometimes an officer’s uniform indicates how long he’s been an officer. There are several officers here who still wear the round, old-style shoulder patch on their sleeve.

We get a new uniform issue every six months (2 x pants, 2 x shirts, 1 X Jumper/Fleece 1pair of Shoes/Boots) at present but that is going to change in the new year when it will be once a year. Where we will get everything in one go.

Mudflap, we don’t have to turn our old uniforms in anymore, they stopped doing that about 2 or 3 years ago at our place. We’ve been getting them much easier now. The last time I needed some I just shot an e-mail to the Sgt. handling the uniforms, and about 3 weeks later, there was a bag with my uniforms waiting for me in the entry building. Much nicer now. Used to be the same as yours and a real pain.

Technically, Mick, our facial hair must be “neatly trimmed” too.

Is it easy to get uniforms replaced? We are issued five pair or pants and five shirts. We can get a pair of pants or a shirt replaced if we rip them or something like that, but we have to have a form signed by a supervisor saying we need that pair of pants replaced. Turn one pair of pants in and get one pair of pants back.

We do but they must be neatly trimmed.

We are supposed to, but alot depends on the supervisor. Some do, some don’t.

Thanks Mick. Does Ireland allow beards and such? Ohio allows us to have facial hair (beards and gotee’s) as well as a mustache.

Not as much as the military but you do have to be a certain standard in your uniform and cleanliness.

When I worked for a different state we also were required to wear a tie like BestJail does. The brass eventually let us NOT wear a tie if we were inside the facility, but we had to have one available in case we had to leave on an ambulance run or something like that.

The thing Mick said about “Desciplined Service” is interesting. Do you guys have a lot of “spit and polish” requirements?

“Parade” Just means that we all form up in a straight line and are inspected by a Chief Officer. And then any orders of the day are read out to us. We are classed as a “Disciplined Service” similar to the military.

Parade is a term used by the military its like standing at attention in line to be inspected while the supervisor walks up and down the line checking out the officers. We are suppose to wear a tie if we wear long sleeves to but no one goes by that rule when its cold but if we have to go to cout of any official business or a funeral we wear ties.

What does “parade” consist of? The word makes me think of the officers “passing in review” and I don’t think that’s what you mean.

I’ve never worked any institution where we had an official inspection. but did have an “unofficial” inspection (meaning the brass kinda looked us over as we arrived) and were also “looked over” when the brass visited the posts during our shift.

At one prison here in the states we had to wear a tie if we wore a long sleeve shirt or a jacket.
Where I now work I wasn’t issued a tie or long sleeve shirts when my uniforms were issued.

At one time we had to stand in line at the begining of shift and the supervisors had to inspect our uniform and document it we were not in compliance. That didn’t last long because some supervisors themselves weren’t incompliance. I personally think its a good idea because it demands unification of everyone. I think when an officer’s uniform is pressed boots shined all equipment on your belt it sets a image for all that you are a professional and you take your job serious. It should also make you feel better about yourself.

With us we have “Parade” twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

I looked for a previous thread but didn’t find one.

We don’t stand inspection per se, but if an officer looks ragged he might (or might not) get a comment from a supervisor. Does any department out there stand an official inspection (such as a military style formation) before the start of shift, or is it more informal?