Topic: The Club House / CERT rank structure

It sounds like your agency is having communications issues.

The key to correctly employing any special team is everyone being
on the same page. Have you thought about inviting the other supervisory level
personnel that will be present on the shifts to your training?

Do they know your Teqniques, Tactics and Proceedures (TTPs)?

Do they know what your limits and capabilities are?

Any time you get any special team that has to interact with the
line staff of any facility, there will be some friction and resentment
on both sides. The only way to knock down those barriers is
to put the egos in check,

As far as a ranking structure, it depends on what the staff ranking system
is in your system.

In TX we have CO I through CO V. OUr union is pushing for a CO VI but that’s
a pipe dream at the moment. Then it’s SGT, LT, CPT, and MAJ. I’d suggest you
opperate within whatever rank structure you have…..It’s just that there has to
be a supervisory level person on duty at all times when the ERT is going to be active,
or at least a team leader that is specificly authorized by rank (Warden) to operate
autonimously under particular situations.

Topic: Security Central / Importance of weapons certifications

Being qualified with whatever tools you need to do your job in any profession is sort of a must. In
TX we use the AR, the Remmington 870P and the S&W 65. I’ve already got an AR. An 870 is
actually pretty cheap, and I will eventually purchase a 65. There isn’t really an excuse to not be
competant with weapons, even if your agency wants to cheap out. A pump action shotgun will only run you
about 300 bucks at Wal Mart. 00 Buck is cheap.

There’s the way things are, and the way things should be.

It’s up to the individual to make up the slack where agencies fall short if you
really care.