Will do. Thanks.

Will do. Thanks.

Commander just send me an email at: radar0509@yahoo.com and I will send it back with the True Tales. It is in Microsoft Word format but to be sure I will just copy and paste it into the email. I do think that both of us are better off retiring, there are more important things to do and I am satisfied as you are that we did our jobs and contributed to our departments in many ways. I might get out to Ohio sometime this summer if I ever get caught up with fire dept, fire police and babysitting.

Agree Jamestown. The best thing ever was to retire early. My plate is nearly as full as yours. I did not receive the True Tales. Would love to have it. I do watch my 3 grand daughters a lot. Take the oldest to school everyday and home in the afternoon. Didn’t realize how stressed out I was until I retired. That truly gives me the ultimate warm and fuzzy feeling. You ever make it to ohio, be sure and let me know. Your’e welcome to a breakfast on me. That goes for anyone who served honorably.

I agree completely with both of your comments. You do have to diffuse some of the tension and stress by telling jokes, relating experiences and stories with other officers. I know that Commander has my “true tales from the jail” series that I compiled over the years of things inmates have told me or done that an ordinary citizen would think we were nuts for saying it happened. Interestingly enough after retiring last June I met the Sheriff’s secretary today at Walmart and she said I looked so relaxed compared to when I was working at the jail. I told her that actually I thought I was busier than when I was working full time because I teach part-time at a local trade school, watch my granddaughter, do tons of paperwork and computer filing for the fire department, in charge of bingo operations and operate the County fire police response team van. I do think that my retiring early was the best choice.

Yes, Mick is on track. Only way to survive a career is have some enlightening moments. Like when we used to tell the tower guards to look for the lightening rods. Or when we would put a dab of OC on a certain Lt’s sandwich. We do have a stange sense of humor. Some might even call it morbid.

Probably not, but I’m fairly sure scince I transfered from level 4 max to the level 1&2 camp I’m at now several of my new co-workers don’t usually understand my way of thinking. If I tell them about working the GP block where three inmates threw another one over the top tier railing, or about another one getting carved up with a razor blade they seem to start questioning my mental stability. It’s always a bad thing when when we lose one of our own or when someone gets injured. The risks are real and we all know that, but I think what Mick was getting at is finding some humor somewhere in our work every now and then helps lessen the burden from time to time.

Don’t know if therapy would help. Ha Ha. Do know I would love to meet some corrections professionals one day. Just have lunch and throw some stories around. Bet it would be a great time. Of course anyone listening in on us would think either we were liars or just plain crazy. I truly always got a warm and fuzzy feeling when I watched the shifts I supervised, clock out at the end of the day. Too many bad memories. Lost two employees while I was working as an Officer. After promoting to Sgt. and then Lt., had several Officers beaten by Inmates. One Officer has permanent injuries. Lost eye sight in one eye and has a brain stem injury. I will carry that forever. Wasn’t working the day that Officer was assaulted but, still remember not sleeping for two days over that one. People out on the street have no idea what we go through and the baggage we carry around in our heads for life. I have nothing but respect for my brothers and sisters while yall continue to walk the silent beat. You get no glory but you do have the satisfaction of knowing you do what most wouldn’t dream of. When everyone else is running away, you run into it. Thanks.

All I had to do was read this and I got that warm and cozy sensation. Almost like sitting around the fire on a cold winters day with a steaming hot cup of cocoa. Not quite but close…. Maybe we should all seek therapy.

I also have been involved with gang identification and task force within prison settings. I am going to write a short article to publish on this website about gang awareness for younger correction officers because I think the gang element in our jails and prisons is much more prevalent than it ever was and needs to be addressed. One of our gang intelligence correction officers interviews inmates much like you did Commander and seems to get a rapport with them finding about what gang their are with, who might be involved in criminal activities and what threats we need to look for. He has a summary of each of those gang members on Microsoft Word that is disseminated to all staff including a picture of the inmate and details about the interview he had with them.

My favorite was when I assisted the Security Threat Group coordinator in completing investigations. I have over a thousand hours of training with Gangs, Hate Groups, Militia Groups and Radical Muslim groups. I interviewed a guy one day and told him at the outset of the interview that I wouldn’t ask a question unless I already knew the answer. I then proceeded to turn on the video camera. An hour later, I had to give him a cup of coffee to shut him up. I hadn’t asked the first question but, he realized I had shaken down his cell and probably had all his notes and nick name lists. Actually I hadn’t made it to his cell yet. He told on everyone including his mother. The best intelligence I ever gathered. We did shake his cell down and found all the paperwork describing his gangs activites and how much money they were making. Also had 3 Officers names included in dealing and they were later asked to resign.

It must be a thing unique to Corrections. That when you F*** up an inmates day/week it gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
Take today for example. During a cell search I found a mobile phone hidden among an inmates things. Now I was happy enough with that but as I was leaving the cell the inmate says to me " Can you not give it back to me". You should have seen his face when I gave him my answer. I burst out laughing.
He was looking at me as a child would look at the chimney on Christmas Eve expecting Santa to come down any minute. And When I started laughing it was like he had just been told that Santa doesn’t exist.
Now that made my day. The look on his face was priceless.
Now I know many people would read this and say that it was petty and nasty of me. But talking to the other guys in work about it they all got a good laugh out of it. And it generally seems to be the norm for Officers here.