Any prison guards here?

**Ryan423** · Posted On: 8/25/2010 9:09pm

Can you give me a non sugar-coated view of what your job entails? I'm applying at many different LEO centers and also a few prisons in the area. I have no friends/family who are guards so I have some questions as well, but mostly want to know "what is it like? do you like your job? why are you a guard? etc.

Thanks for your time,

**SFGOON** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 12:31am

I was a cop for a while. I'll tell you this.

Jailers are either fat guys who couldn't make it as cops, or Russians who love to hit people.

It's a fucked up job. But, you get in a lot of fights.

Also, a lot of departments will hire jailers 'cuz they know bad guys and can fight.

**thorthe power** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 5:43am

I worked 5 years in a state institution. It's a thankless job, and it sucks! But like anything else it's what you make of it. I'm a cop now and I can say working a prison really helped me...not to much gets by me now.

If you get the job remember "to walk quietly and drink a lot of water" for a while.

**MEGALEF** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 5:48am

Why the mass consumption of water?

**thorthe power** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 9:48am

Originally Posted by MEGALEF

Why the mass consumption of water?

The saying goes that if your drinking a lot of water your not running your mouth....

**Ryan423** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 12:29pm

Thanks for the replies all,

Yeah I'm thinking about it because of how difficult it is to get hired in my area. Most hires are lateral transfers of people with experience. We haven't had an academy in years.

But I heard like you guys said, they hire police out of jails and after a year you could become a roaming Sheriff which is appealing.

Thorthe power, could you describe a normal day at the prison? How often did you get into brawls, how did you deal with prisoners giving you ****, what could you do/not do?

Thanks again :)

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 12:32pm

Jails and Prisons are totally different worlds. In jail, inmates have rights still, in prison, they don't.

I've got 2 years with Department of Juvenille Justice, 7 years with Depatment of Corrections, 5 years on the Rapid Response Team, 6 years on the Cell extraction team, and have graduated to inspector. I have every advanced DT course that DOC provides, and have taught DT. I've got 3 family members that are Cops, and one is a Federal Cop.

So yeah, little bit of experience in prisons. Some people do well, some get caught up in the bullshit and don't make it. Some never make it through the first sally port because of clastraphobia. Some get freaked out the first time they see a shank, or real fight, or an officer get jumped on. You never really know how you are going to take it until you get there.

Good sides: You don't have to worry about someone pulling a gun on you. You know the environment that you are going to be fighting in. The pay is good. Plenty of job security. Lots of practice in use of force activities.

Bad sides: Long hours. Working double shifts. Patroling the yard when there are 3 officers and 1200 inmates. Patroling the yard when it is 100 degrees outside. Patroling the yard when it is 25 degrees outside. Getting piss, cum, feces, and puke thrown on you. Doing cell extrations when the inmates has rubbed blood or **** all over himself. Sitting in the inspector's office answering all kinds of hypothetical questions about your use of force techniques. Answering bull **** grevances just because you did your job, and people don't like it. Having your integrity and ethics questioned on a daily basis. Busting your ass when fat officers half ass their jobs.

If this turns into another, "I hate cops" thread, I'm out. Otherwise, feel free to ask questions.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 12:42pm

Originally Posted by Ryan423

Thanks for the replies all,

Yeah I'm thinking about it because of how difficult it is to get hired in my area. Most hires are lateral transfers of people with experience. We haven't had an academy in years.

But I heard like you guys said, they hire police out of jails and after a year you could become a roaming Sheriff which is appealing.

Thorthe power, could you describe a normal day at the prison? How often did you get into brawls, how did you deal with prisoners giving you ****, what could you do/not do?

Thanks again :)

A lot of our local jails, hire people out of the jail to work on the streets. The jails are a good training ground to learn stuff for street work.

Normal day at prison depends on which shift you are on.
Midnight shift: Count, count, count, then wake up inmates, feed them, then count again, then get them out of bed, make them straiten up their areas, and get them ready for work call.

Day shift: count, work call, medical call, then release for rec. Patrol the yard, shake down the dorms, shake down the yard, shake down the inmates. Put them back in dorms and count again. Feed them, then count again. Then afternoon work call, medical call, and rec again.

Evening shift: end rec and put them back in dorms, then count, feed, then count again. Do showering (in confinement), hand out supplies, shake down dorms, shake down inmates, give meds, master count, lights out, then count again.

Fights depend on what shift you are on and where you work. I averaged about one big one a week. How you deal with inmates giving you ****, is the biggest question. You won't know that till you do it. Just don't bitch up, no matter what.

**thorthe power** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 1:17pm

Diesel pretty much summed it up^^^^

As far as handling hostile inmates goes, we always fought like bananas…yellow and in a bunch!

Altercations between CO’s/Staff and Inmates seemed to be mostly comprised of breaking up fights between inmates…except the mental health and juvenile units or pods as they are referred to. Those units you have to be even more careful in especially with dudes already doing a life sentence…they can care less about having an extra two years tacked on for assaulting an officer.

**thorthe power** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 1:25pm

Originally Posted by diesel_tke

How you deal with inmates giving you ****, is the biggest question. You won't know that till you do it. Just don't bitch up, no matter what.

That really sums it up...if you let that happen might as well seek employment elsewhere...

Word of what kind of officer you are will spread overnight. If your in a parent institution making a reputation for yourself is a little easier.
In a reception center it goes in cycles...because of the constant in and out flux of inmates you will be tested a little more often.

Biggest advice can give is be firm, fair, and consistant in how you deal with the inmates and other staff.