A Day In The Life

Not My Keys

I am passing out food trays on morning. An inmate with some mental issues tells me he needs to speak with another officer. He says he is going to “hold his trap” until he speaks to them. Basically he is going to stick his arm out and not allow me to close his food slot. Usually inmates just do it. They don't ask first. Anyway, I tell him I am going close the trap and I will let the other officer know. Which I do.

The other officer goes down to talk to him. He wants to move. He says he disrespected his cellmate and there will be problems if he doesn't move. He is assured he will be moved. Now begins the task of finding a place for him.

With the inmate having some special mental needs, it is difficult to place him. We are asking everyone we can think of. No one wants him. He is getting desperate. Every time I walk by his cell, he calls out to me asking when he will be moved.

Finally, we take him out of that cell. We still have no where else to put him. So we put him in the holding area. It looks like an old fashioned cell, with bars. I walked by him in that cell. But I didn't see him as I was walking away. But something sure smelled bad. So I moved quickly knowing that inmates throw feces. I didn't get hit with any.

A moment later I heard officers yell. I went back. The inmate in the holding cell had smeared feces all over the wall. He had also reached out of the bars and pushed feces into the lock.

It smelled so horrendous. I was gagging. The inmate was yelling for me and another officer to come talk to him. We declined the offer and attempted not to throw up.

I was not putting my key in that lock.

Officers removed him from the holding area and forced him to clean up his own mess. But he couldn't clean out the lock very well. I think it may still be a risk to put your key in that lock.