?'s for any Co CO's

[robeans]

So I love Colorado and have been kicking around a move back, so a couple of questions for you all.

How is the system there, pro inmate or pro staff? How are the beni's? How is the retirement system? How are the uniforms? Where is the best place to work?

I want to come down but it looks like Sterling is in bad need, are the other joints still hiring?

Thanks for the help, and if you don't mind a pm with a regular take home check, that would be great.

beans

[Crosstimbers Okie]

You know that Sterling is way the Hell out on the Plaines--far, far from the mountains?

[robeans]

Oh yeah. Back in 99 I was going through the employment process with CO but that was when Sterling was opening and there was NO way I was moving out there, so ended up going to another state.

[Correctionsguy]

as for the system, it's like all of the other systems of the nation, liability and risk management first, everything else second. I will say, depending on where you go there are some good supervisors that don't back down from inmate grievances or threats.

I would say all in all, the system is inmate neutral. The beni's also suck! I don't know if you have kids or a family, but if you do the medical insurance will run you roughly 380 bucks monthly with $30 copays. As for the retirement, it's decent, however it is not a public safety retirement, per se. You would be part of the Public Employees Retirement System or PERA. It's decent, but nothing compared to say Arizonas PSRS or CORP.

The uniforms there are light blue tops and dark blue bdu bottoms. The uniforms are actually decent as long as you don't wear the inmate made pants. The medical transport unit at DRDC wears navy blue bdu's, so there is an opportunity to look sharp on a daily basis. I will say, the badge they give you is a JOKE. It used to be a normal sized starburst type badge, but now it is a miniature cracker jack box badge. For some reason years ago the badge shrunk. I think it's a metaphor for where the shrinking of the desire to view and train correctional officers as members of the enforcement community.

The best place to work there is very subjective. There is a huge conglomerate of prisons in Canon City and that is where all of the extracurricular training goes on. The firing range, and shoothouse are both in Canon City. SORT training goes on in Canon City. The firearms instructor schools, dog tracking schools, chase school etc all occur in Canon City. So long story short, if you are into advanced training and the like, Canon City would be your place as the courses tend to be made up mostly of CO's from Canon City and then sparsely populated by CO's from elsewhere.

If you're not into the extra training, I would go to Denver. There's DRDC, which has the medical transport unit, DWCF a women's facility, and CCC which is a minimum "honor camp" type of facility. Working in Denver also comes with the ability to live in a big city or a suburb thereof and still be within a short drive to say Breckenridge.

There is on excellent part of being a CO, but the DOC will never tell you. In Colorado CO's are Peace Officers while on Duty. CO's also have general arrest authority while on duty and on property owned or leased by the CDOC. Title 17 gives the authority to arrest for anything that constitutes a crime in the state of colorado. But again, NOBODY will ever tell you these things because then they have to address LEOSA and off duty weapons etc.

If I had it to again I don't know that I would have ever worked for CDOC, I think I would have went back home to California and started my career out there. Anymore questions, let me know.

[robeans]

Good answers!

Kind of surprising, especially the health benefits! That sh#t is ridiculous! I pay 13 dollars a month, but that's just for me, so I guess it's not the same.

I've been looking at Denver County, and I think that would be the only gig I would take down there. Between your post and my own research, CDOC just doesn't have enough going for it to pull me from my current situation.

Thanks,

[Correctionsguy]

if you're looking at Denver specifically, you should check out Arapahoe County Sheriff's department an Denver Sheriffs. Denver Sheriffs are peace officers and considered law enforcement for all intensive purposes. They do court enforcement, run the jail, and they even have a warrant unit. The only caveat is they are not POST certified. There's a weird Denver City Home Rule that gives Denver the option to choose who is and who is not POST certified.

Anyhow, Denver County Sheriffs get paid well and their beni's are much better than CDOC. Also, after working in the jail, you have the options to get into investigations, warrants, etc. Lots of opportunity for that Agency. Just a thought though.

[LockDown]

Sterling has a bad rep, I assume because it is way out in the sand.
I grew up in Denver but became accustomed to Sterling somewhat quickly.
The facility is great, benefits do need improvement though.
From what I have heard about many other facilities throughout the state, Sterling has the best "Teamwork" attitude...... that can go a LONG way into making your career enjoyable!

[NVDOC]

ROBEANS, come to Nevada. We are hiring alot in the Vegas area. And not just the state. LVMPD is on a hiring drive also. Top pay for LVMPD is 77k and for us as a Senior its about 63k. Benfits are good and overtime is rampant.

[coloradosgt79]

Colorado is a good place to work in corrections. We all work as a team and are close. We have are times but we work through it. If something happens on shift all we have is each other. Most of us realize that. How's Washington I've never been?