Originally posted by imjin138:
The job is very frustrating, of that there is no doubt. QUOTE]
I pulled this gig for 14 years in a 4 level pirson, Max, Close, Min and community custody.
We also house Close Mamagement I, II's and III's. The CMI's were by far the dirtiest hardest to deal with. ALways 2 on 1 supervision for officer and inmate safety.
Every day I came to work with a smile on my face and hoped that the 7 other officers that I worked closely with and who along with me took about 110 minimum and community custody inmates of of the west gate to do ground work, warehouse workers, waste water workers and sanitation workers. Rarely a problem with one of them. They and the staff both had different attitudes about the job/ and "clients.
We were (and they still are) very proficient at reading body language, lieing faces and inmate jargon. Sometimes we/they would have cause to take one down who was trying to slip someting back in the gate that someone had dropped off for him or handed him directly. As long as you never let it get personal until he puts his hands on you or you had to put your hands on him.........NO WORRIES, He/She could talk all the bullshit they wanted about going to my house, doing the old lady and kicking my dog. I usually responded with a great big smile and saying " Why you want to kick my dog. I petted yours on the way out!
If an inmate went out of his way to try to embarrass or belittle you in front of his homies......well he is going to loose big time in front of his homies and possible get gassed, cuffed and drug by his heels to confinement. (the nurses would meet us there for a "pre-confinement pyhsical") When it was done it was time to laugh about it or kid the guy that had to do it or get kidded about your involvement.
We always joke that if you had to put your hands on one that you were lacking in your Inter-Personal Skills department and would always offer him/her a quick refresher course.
It's just a job. In the 14 years I never put my hand on an inmate with the intent of doing grave bodily harm. I was caused to outright fight a few times and was bound and determined to cause pain damages and receive as litle as possible, but when he was cuffed........it was over. Do some paper work, go let one of the purdy nurses do a complete body check for scratches and bruised and come home laughing about it while at the same time, replaying it in your head to see if you should have reacted a 1/2 second earlier or used a different take down method. Especially since you were on concrete!
Bottom line, it's a job. If you take everything a convict says to you to heart...... Go home and please stay there. You are more of a liability than an asset!!!!!!!!
Retired from FL DOD Jan 2, 2009