Vests for CO's???

[KBCraig]

Originally Posted by Custodian

Correctional Officers are the police inside their institution. Thus, they should be armed like they are the friggin' po-po! I'll concede on the firearms (even though North Carolina institutions use to have firearms INSIDE the prison until the 1970s) Armor, Sam Browne belts, baton (i prefer the PR-24, but a collapsible will work) or cattle prod, TASER, OC/CS/Mace, & a decent no-nonsense mixed martial arts program with an administration that allows for exercise while on site & on shift like some county facilities have! (Heck, maybe during those non existent breaks!)

And why not a pepperball sidearm?

I do not care how much crap you pile on my belt, it's not worth 1% as much as another officer at my back.

I would welcome a major change in BOP thinking, so that we undertook some real training, but let's face it: when our 4 hours per year of self defense "training" consists of about 30 actual minutes on the mats "letting the force pass", crab-walking backwards, and yelling "get back!", can you imagine trying to get the whole institution qualified with a PR-24 or TASER?

About 10% of our employees "qualify" (I use the term loosely) with firearms only after some remedial pencil whipping -- err, I mean "remedial training".

We've got a decent hack force at Texarkana, and most of them would welcome the chance to get serious about training and improved tools. Would we stop pretending that "correctional worker" is synonymous with "correctional officer"?

We're all correctional workers first, but we're not all COs, and never will be. Would we limit this specialized training to COs? If so, would only qualified COs work CO posts? Bring it on! No more unit secretaries "running" the unit from their offices because the Custody post is vacated. No more counselors or case managers who aren't BPT qualified working OT in their unit with the officer is roster-adjusted to the hospital.

As nice as that sounds, and as much as I've been clamoring for real training for 16+ years now, if it's an either/or, I'd still much rather have another CO covering my 6.

[LTABM]

Give something to the officer so he/she will stand a chance !

[Iowa #1603]

Originally Posted by Kebemt

most places we are out numbered... but as for me the only way anyone is getting off my belt is if they kill me cause i wont stop fighting... thats just me...

I was issued mace on the first day I worked a cell block back in 1976..............and I have carried mace/OC pretty much every day since. In all that time................3 different instituitions and 5 yrs as a deputy sheriff later................I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CAN TAKEN FROM AN OFFICER.
Has it happened..........................sure...........w ill it happen again..........sure.....................

But I have it available if I need to defend myself....................that said.....its about all Iowa gives us. As a supervisor I carry a NOVA stun gun (no not a tazer...hand held electronic restraint device), but only because I am a supervisor.................anyone who works inside the institution can check out OC........most do. Batons & Vests are a No-NO

[BOPCO87]

Originally Posted by KBCraig

I do not care how much crap you pile on my belt, it's not worth 1% as much as another officer at my back.

I would welcome a major change in BOP thinking, so that we undertook some real training, but let's face it: when our 4 hours per year of self defense "training" consists of about 30 actual minutes on the mats "letting the force pass", crab-walking backwards, and yelling "get back!", can you imagine trying to get the whole institution qualified with a PR-24 or TASER?

About 10% of our employees "qualify" (I use the term loosely) with firearms only after some remedial pencil whipping -- err, I mean "remedial training".

We've got a decent hack force at Texarkana, and most of them would welcome the chance to get serious about training and improved tools. Would we stop pretending that "correctional worker" is synonymous with "correctional officer"?

We're all correctional workers first, but we're not all COs, and never will be. Would we limit this specialized training to COs? If so, would only qualified COs work CO posts? Bring it on! No more unit secretaries "running" the unit from their offices because the Custody post is vacated. No more counselors or case managers who aren't BPT qualified working OT in their unit with the officer is roster-adjusted to the hospital.

As nice as that sounds, and as much as I've been clamoring for real training for 16+ years now, if it's an either/or, I'd still much rather have another CO covering my 6.

Amen brother... That is the best tool we can get issued. The rest of the stuff would be nice, but give me another officer and I will be elated!

[grunt11b]

Originally Posted by miami

iT'S ABOUT TIME THE BOP IS STEPPING UP!! YES THE OFFICERS IN THE BOP ARE UNDERPAID AND NEED SOME PROTECTION IN THE CELL BLOCKS. WE ALSO NEED A BIGGER PAY RAISE TO KEEP OFFICERS FROM LEAVING TOI OTHER JOBS.

Underpaid in the BOP? That's the first time I have ever heard that. I think every CO is underpaid, but us BOP officers I think are paid very well, yes we would all like more, who wouldn't, but come on...Underpaid? I make over $21.00 an hour, I cannot complain, but I am not saying I would not take more if they offered it either.

[Thorn]

Some officers are probably making shanks and homemade devices in their offices to use in case of a problem. When I go into a unit, I always look around me for something that I can use in case I have to fight my way out. Thankfully there's usually a broom laying around. I can easily snap one of those suckers in half and have two sharp stakes if need be. I wouldn't have to do that if I always had a defensive weapon holstered on my duty belt! Give us some freakin mace guns!!!!



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[ALOCK]

I hear a lot of talk of the stab proof vests. Awesome I respect the need. Ever since the famous cost savings initiative at the start of the war we shaved four direct supervision posts every shift. That is four sets of eyes, ears, hands,and feet that will no longer be there to help and that is four officers the inmates do not see. Less presence, less safety. This is a problem. The so-called extras we were suppose to have are now in posts every shift. They are not there as was told to us by the Warden at ART as he was saying how if everyone did not call in sick the extras would be there. As we all KNEW the extras are now gone. Nice to be lied to and know you are being lied to.