Bark.
Bark.
Bark.
Bark.
Each individual yap is making it very difficult to sleep. Why can’t the neighbor’s dog bark like a normal dog?
Bark.
Bark.
Bark.
I open my eyes considering the murder of a small dog, when I notice it is awfully light outside.
That can’t be right. My alarm hasn’t gone off yet and I usually get up at 5:00 AM. It’s usually still a little dark.
I roll over and look at my alarm clock.
Nothing.
It isn’t on.
I am now awake. I realize the fan is off and I can’t hear the fan in the baby’s room because the monitor is off too.
No wonder the dog woke me up, it is silent in here.
But… Wait. What time is it? I am going to be late for work.
I run out to the living room and look at David’s phone.
6:20 AM.
I was supposed to be at work at 6:00. I frantically call my supervisor who can’t find me on the roster for the day. Then he finally does and I tell him I am on my way.
I am quickly getting dressed and still trying to figure out why we have no power.
I had paid the bill.
The neighbor’s dog is still barking.
And the power comes back on.
I run outside to get in the car for work and there are Edison crews parked between my house and the neighbor’s house.
And that is why I was late to work.
Showing posts with label Prison Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prison Life. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
A Day In The Life
And This Is Why I Always Do My Rounds...
Original News Story from
KCBD NBC 11 Lubbock, Texas
ABILENE, Texas - Former Correctional Officers at Big Spring Correctional Center (BSCC), in Big Spring, Texas, have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigation that was initiated when an inmate committed suicide in the facility two years ago while they were on duty, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Today, Frederick Hernandez, 45, of Big Spring, appeared before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements and aiding and abetting. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Last Friday, Christopher Moore, 42, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report for each defendant with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of those reports.
According to plea documents filed in the case, from August 22 - 23, 2012, Hernandez and Moore were assigned to the Flight Line Unit in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at BSCC; Hernandez was the Officer in Charge. Part of their duties included making mandatory 30-minute safety checks of each cell and conducting six mandatory formal inmate counts during a 24-hour period, beginning at 12:01 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Each Correctional Officer is further required to certify that the mandatory 30-minute safety check of each cell and the mandatory formal inmate counts were made.
An inmate housed in the Flight Line Unit committed suicide during the 8:00 p.m., to 8:00 a.m. shift on August 22 - 23, 2012, and was discovered during the morning feeding on August 23, 2012.
Hernandez admitted that he completed, signed and submitted to the Department of Justice, as required by law, the "SHU Control Log" forms indicating that formal counts of inmates had been performed from 12:01 a.m. to 5:10 a.m., on August 22 – 23, 2012. Hernandez further admitted he knew the logs were not correct and were false in that the formal counts of inmates were not conducted.
Moore admitted he knew Correctional Officers at BSCC submitted forms to the Department of Justice, as required by law, indicating that safety check rounds were conducted, when, in fact, he knew they had not been conducted. He further admitted that he concealed this fact and failed to advise an authority.
In related cases, two other defendants, James McKinnon, 22, and Jamie Navarette Salgado, 24, each pleaded guilty in September 2013; McKinnon pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony and Salgado pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements and aiding and abetting. In December 2013, McKinnon was sentenced to six months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $500.00 fine. He is presently serving his prison time. McKinnon and Salgado also worked as Correctional Officers assigned to the Flight Line Unit in the SHU at BSCC. Salgado admitted making false entries on logs and falsely indicating he had conducted safety rounds. McKinnon admitted that he knew entries on the logs were incorrect and that he failed to advise an authority.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulina Jacobo is prosecuting.
Original News Story from
KCBD NBC 11 Lubbock, Texas
ABILENE, Texas - Former Correctional Officers at Big Spring Correctional Center (BSCC), in Big Spring, Texas, have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigation that was initiated when an inmate committed suicide in the facility two years ago while they were on duty, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Today, Frederick Hernandez, 45, of Big Spring, appeared before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements and aiding and abetting. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Last Friday, Christopher Moore, 42, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report for each defendant with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of those reports.
According to plea documents filed in the case, from August 22 - 23, 2012, Hernandez and Moore were assigned to the Flight Line Unit in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at BSCC; Hernandez was the Officer in Charge. Part of their duties included making mandatory 30-minute safety checks of each cell and conducting six mandatory formal inmate counts during a 24-hour period, beginning at 12:01 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Each Correctional Officer is further required to certify that the mandatory 30-minute safety check of each cell and the mandatory formal inmate counts were made.
An inmate housed in the Flight Line Unit committed suicide during the 8:00 p.m., to 8:00 a.m. shift on August 22 - 23, 2012, and was discovered during the morning feeding on August 23, 2012.
Hernandez admitted that he completed, signed and submitted to the Department of Justice, as required by law, the "SHU Control Log" forms indicating that formal counts of inmates had been performed from 12:01 a.m. to 5:10 a.m., on August 22 – 23, 2012. Hernandez further admitted he knew the logs were not correct and were false in that the formal counts of inmates were not conducted.
Moore admitted he knew Correctional Officers at BSCC submitted forms to the Department of Justice, as required by law, indicating that safety check rounds were conducted, when, in fact, he knew they had not been conducted. He further admitted that he concealed this fact and failed to advise an authority.
In related cases, two other defendants, James McKinnon, 22, and Jamie Navarette Salgado, 24, each pleaded guilty in September 2013; McKinnon pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony and Salgado pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements and aiding and abetting. In December 2013, McKinnon was sentenced to six months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $500.00 fine. He is presently serving his prison time. McKinnon and Salgado also worked as Correctional Officers assigned to the Flight Line Unit in the SHU at BSCC. Salgado admitted making false entries on logs and falsely indicating he had conducted safety rounds. McKinnon admitted that he knew entries on the logs were incorrect and that he failed to advise an authority.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulina Jacobo is prosecuting.
Friday, February 21, 2014
A Day In The Life
Everywhere You Want To Be
On a fabulous day working visiting, a couple came in. They were in their 80’s and the woman was crying. They are there to visit but are afraid they just don’t have the proper documentation.
They tell me how they looked on the website to see what they need. ID is required and the prison will accept…
State Issued ID/ Driver’s License
Passport/Border Crossing Card/Visa
Military ID
The man says he has something, but she doesn’t have anything.
Sorry, there is nothing I can do for them if she has no ID. She is upset. But really, ID is required.
He calmly tells her to relax. He will go in and visit for a short time and come right back out. He fills out his form and hands it to me along with his card.
The lady is still there crying.
She asks me why an American Express won’t work.
What?
Then I look at his ID. It is not an ID at all, but a Visa card. Visa credit card. Not a visa passport card.
Wrong kind of visa.
I tell him and he looks at me like I just said a dirty word.
He and his wife leave in a huff.
He comes back a short time later and presents a military ID. He says his wife had nothing with her except her American Express. He is then processed in for a visit. He doesn’t visit long, as his wife is waiting.
At least he got in.
On a fabulous day working visiting, a couple came in. They were in their 80’s and the woman was crying. They are there to visit but are afraid they just don’t have the proper documentation.
They tell me how they looked on the website to see what they need. ID is required and the prison will accept…
State Issued ID/ Driver’s License
Passport/Border Crossing Card/Visa
Military ID
The man says he has something, but she doesn’t have anything.
Sorry, there is nothing I can do for them if she has no ID. She is upset. But really, ID is required.
He calmly tells her to relax. He will go in and visit for a short time and come right back out. He fills out his form and hands it to me along with his card.
The lady is still there crying.
She asks me why an American Express won’t work.
What?
Then I look at his ID. It is not an ID at all, but a Visa card. Visa credit card. Not a visa passport card.
Wrong kind of visa.
I tell him and he looks at me like I just said a dirty word.
He and his wife leave in a huff.
He comes back a short time later and presents a military ID. He says his wife had nothing with her except her American Express. He is then processed in for a visit. He doesn’t visit long, as his wife is waiting.
At least he got in.
Friday, January 31, 2014
A Day In The Life
Shortest Fight
So I was walking along, minding my own business.
Actually, I was minding the business of inmates in recreation areas. There were between 2 and 4 inmates in each outdoor recreation area. It was a pretty nice day and inmates were exercising and playing handball and generally enjoying some time outside.
There were two inmates in a middle area that were watching me pretty intently. Of course they think I am too dumb to notice. I am not the only officer out there. There is another officer out there watching as well. He too notices the odd behavior of these two inmates.
They appear to be jogging; around and around in their area. Not talking and watching us.
Each time we pass by they stop.
Finally on the third pass, one of them says to me…
“Hey CO Lady. You think I could fight this guy?” He indicated to the other inmate in his area.
“I don’t think you should. How about you come out of there now?” I signaled to the other officer who had the keys.
Before the officer could get there, the inmate he mentioned walked up and punched the inmate who had been talking to me right in the stomach.
The inmate who had been punched doubled over. I called for other staff as I had no idea what else would happen.
The officer with the keys opened the inner door and the inmate who had been punched walked to the outer door. The officer then closed the inner door, separating the two inmates.
Then the inmate who punched him, went back to his jogging. He didn’t say a word.
More staff arrived and escorted the punched inmate to medical and then back to his cell. They also did the same for the jogging inmate, who seemed unhappy his jogging time had been cut short.
I asked him why.
He said some people just deserve a good punch every now and again.
So I was walking along, minding my own business.
Actually, I was minding the business of inmates in recreation areas. There were between 2 and 4 inmates in each outdoor recreation area. It was a pretty nice day and inmates were exercising and playing handball and generally enjoying some time outside.
There were two inmates in a middle area that were watching me pretty intently. Of course they think I am too dumb to notice. I am not the only officer out there. There is another officer out there watching as well. He too notices the odd behavior of these two inmates.
They appear to be jogging; around and around in their area. Not talking and watching us.
Each time we pass by they stop.
Finally on the third pass, one of them says to me…
“Hey CO Lady. You think I could fight this guy?” He indicated to the other inmate in his area.
“I don’t think you should. How about you come out of there now?” I signaled to the other officer who had the keys.
Before the officer could get there, the inmate he mentioned walked up and punched the inmate who had been talking to me right in the stomach.
The inmate who had been punched doubled over. I called for other staff as I had no idea what else would happen.
The officer with the keys opened the inner door and the inmate who had been punched walked to the outer door. The officer then closed the inner door, separating the two inmates.
Then the inmate who punched him, went back to his jogging. He didn’t say a word.
More staff arrived and escorted the punched inmate to medical and then back to his cell. They also did the same for the jogging inmate, who seemed unhappy his jogging time had been cut short.
I asked him why.
He said some people just deserve a good punch every now and again.
Friday, January 24, 2014
A Day In The Life
How Could This Happen To Me?
So I was working one day when the lieutenant called me and told me I was needed up front. That can’t be great news.
I headed up to the front where I encountered another lieutenant and a female visitor. She was crying. The lieutenant looked furious. He told me to come with them.
Okay.
We entered the front lobby and encountered a female SIS (Special Investigations) officer coming in to begin her shift. She immediately joined us.
The lieutenant left us ladies alone and the SIS Officer asked the crying visitor if she had drugs on her. She said she did. The SIS officer asked if she would consent to be searched. She said yes. The officer pat searched her. I stood by.
No drugs were found.
But she said she had some…
And she stripped down and removed a maxi pad filled with balloons of what she told us were heroin and “ice”. The SIS Officer took it. The visitor redressed. We escorted her to another room and I sat with her while the SIS officer went and tested the drugs and do what they were supposed to do.
The visitor sat and cried. And cried. She asked me what was going to happen to her. I didn’t know. She asked if she would go to jail. I said I didn’t know.
But I told her I did know it is a crime to introduce drugs into a prison.
She cried some more.
She said she never thought she would get into trouble.
No, of course not.
The SIS Officer came back and said that it would be up to the police if she was going to jail. But that the police were on the way. She said they searched her car as well. She cried some more.
I can’t go to jail.
She tells the SIS Officer that she has a son and that he was at the babysitter’s house. She needs to go get him. The SIS officer asks for the name and phone number of the babysitter so the police can get in contact. She doesn’t know.
Of course, mother of the year would leave her precious baby with people she doesn’t know so she could smuggle drugs into a prison.
The police arrived to take her to jail. She asked about her car. She was told her car would be towed. She cried some more because it was her father’s car and she was supposed to give it back.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. She told us she did not even get paid for the drugs.
How could she possibly have known that attempting to smuggle drugs into a prison she would face a possibilty of going to jail, getting her father’s car towed, and having CPS pick up her kid?
How could she know?
I don’t know. I guess it will remain a mystery.
So I was working one day when the lieutenant called me and told me I was needed up front. That can’t be great news.
I headed up to the front where I encountered another lieutenant and a female visitor. She was crying. The lieutenant looked furious. He told me to come with them.
Okay.
We entered the front lobby and encountered a female SIS (Special Investigations) officer coming in to begin her shift. She immediately joined us.
The lieutenant left us ladies alone and the SIS Officer asked the crying visitor if she had drugs on her. She said she did. The SIS officer asked if she would consent to be searched. She said yes. The officer pat searched her. I stood by.
No drugs were found.
But she said she had some…
And she stripped down and removed a maxi pad filled with balloons of what she told us were heroin and “ice”. The SIS Officer took it. The visitor redressed. We escorted her to another room and I sat with her while the SIS officer went and tested the drugs and do what they were supposed to do.
The visitor sat and cried. And cried. She asked me what was going to happen to her. I didn’t know. She asked if she would go to jail. I said I didn’t know.
But I told her I did know it is a crime to introduce drugs into a prison.
She cried some more.
She said she never thought she would get into trouble.
No, of course not.
The SIS Officer came back and said that it would be up to the police if she was going to jail. But that the police were on the way. She said they searched her car as well. She cried some more.
I can’t go to jail.
She tells the SIS Officer that she has a son and that he was at the babysitter’s house. She needs to go get him. The SIS officer asks for the name and phone number of the babysitter so the police can get in contact. She doesn’t know.
Of course, mother of the year would leave her precious baby with people she doesn’t know so she could smuggle drugs into a prison.
The police arrived to take her to jail. She asked about her car. She was told her car would be towed. She cried some more because it was her father’s car and she was supposed to give it back.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. She told us she did not even get paid for the drugs.
How could she possibly have known that attempting to smuggle drugs into a prison she would face a possibilty of going to jail, getting her father’s car towed, and having CPS pick up her kid?
How could she know?
I don’t know. I guess it will remain a mystery.
Friday, January 10, 2014
A Day In The Life
Minor Investigation
It was Mother’s Day. I was the Visiting Room Officer. AT A FEMALE CAMP!
I work there enough that the inmate’s families know me. So it isn’t surprising when a 9 year old comes over to my desk and wants to tell me something. This young guy is the grandson of an inmate and he visits often. He comes up and tells me he saw something bad.
Bad?
Yes, he says he saw bad cigarettes.
I ask him where and he says it is over near the vending machines.
The room is packed. I clear the vending area to a few grumbles so he can show me what he found. He squeezes his tiny body behind the machine and pulls out a bag. There are two packs of cigarettes and what appear to be snack wrappers. They turned out to be full of pills. Nyquill Liquid Gels from what I could tell.
I take these to the officer’s station and call the lieutenant. Then I ask this bright young man how he happened to find that bag way back there.
Well, he tells me it wasn’t behind the machine when he first saw it. That he saw a man in a red shirt drop it under the front of the machine. And he picked it up and put it way back there so little kids couldn’t get it, because it was bad. Then he came and got me.
The man in the red shirt?
There was only one visitor wearing a red shirt, the husband of an inmate sitting at a table.
The lieutenant comes and ends their visit. Not a whole lot that we could do after that though. The inmate was released the following day. Perhaps that was her one last hurrah.
Too bad my tiny detective was on to their scheme and busted her. He told me when he grows up he is going to be a detective. I bought him a candy bar.
It was Mother’s Day. I was the Visiting Room Officer. AT A FEMALE CAMP!
I work there enough that the inmate’s families know me. So it isn’t surprising when a 9 year old comes over to my desk and wants to tell me something. This young guy is the grandson of an inmate and he visits often. He comes up and tells me he saw something bad.
Bad?
Yes, he says he saw bad cigarettes.
I ask him where and he says it is over near the vending machines.
The room is packed. I clear the vending area to a few grumbles so he can show me what he found. He squeezes his tiny body behind the machine and pulls out a bag. There are two packs of cigarettes and what appear to be snack wrappers. They turned out to be full of pills. Nyquill Liquid Gels from what I could tell.
I take these to the officer’s station and call the lieutenant. Then I ask this bright young man how he happened to find that bag way back there.
Well, he tells me it wasn’t behind the machine when he first saw it. That he saw a man in a red shirt drop it under the front of the machine. And he picked it up and put it way back there so little kids couldn’t get it, because it was bad. Then he came and got me.
The man in the red shirt?
There was only one visitor wearing a red shirt, the husband of an inmate sitting at a table.
The lieutenant comes and ends their visit. Not a whole lot that we could do after that though. The inmate was released the following day. Perhaps that was her one last hurrah.
Too bad my tiny detective was on to their scheme and busted her. He told me when he grows up he is going to be a detective. I bought him a candy bar.
Friday, January 03, 2014
A Day In The Life
The Eyes Have It
He was a big inmate. Probably close to 7 feet tall. Not a thin guy either.
I walked up and down the ranges in Special Housing looking for inmates that wanted to go to recreation. Mundane as it is, it’s my job. This inmate would like to go outside, or so he says. So I open the little trap door and cuff him and his cellmate up. I signal for the door to be opened and he steps out.
All of him. Huge in sweats and tennis shoes. Next to my 4’11”.
Anyway, the door closes and I un-cuff his cellmate. I close the trap door and proceed to escort him to recreation.
Oh yes, I am his escort.
We make it down the stairs and are walking toward recreation when suddenly he jerks toward the lieutenant’s office.
And I go with him.
No, we are going to rec.
But he wants to talk to the lieutenant.
Not now. Recreation.
But he won’t move. I can’t exactly move him.
The lieutenant sees what is going on and comes out. He tells the inmate that when he is directed to go somewhere by an officer, he better go. The lieutenant refuses to hear anything the inmate has to say and tells him to go to recreation and he will speak to him there.
Reluctantly, the inmate starts moving toward recreation. I am still his escort. The lieutenant comes too. Just in case.
He is visibly upset that he didn’t get his way and is stomping his feet like a three year old. We get out to the recreation area and the rec officer opens the door for him.
He kicked it shut. And it bounced right back at him. I would have hit him right in the face if he hadn’t turned.
Of course, I was still his escort and when he turned...
BOOM! Elbow in the eye.
He realized his mistake just in time to stop himself from hitting me too hard. And slamming me into the brick wall behind me.
The lieutenant escorts him right back out of recreation.
The inmate spent the rest of the day apologizing. And apologizing. And even days later, other inmates were reminding me how sorry he was.
So very sorry.
He was a big inmate. Probably close to 7 feet tall. Not a thin guy either.
I walked up and down the ranges in Special Housing looking for inmates that wanted to go to recreation. Mundane as it is, it’s my job. This inmate would like to go outside, or so he says. So I open the little trap door and cuff him and his cellmate up. I signal for the door to be opened and he steps out.
All of him. Huge in sweats and tennis shoes. Next to my 4’11”.
Anyway, the door closes and I un-cuff his cellmate. I close the trap door and proceed to escort him to recreation.
Oh yes, I am his escort.
We make it down the stairs and are walking toward recreation when suddenly he jerks toward the lieutenant’s office.
And I go with him.
No, we are going to rec.
But he wants to talk to the lieutenant.
Not now. Recreation.
But he won’t move. I can’t exactly move him.
The lieutenant sees what is going on and comes out. He tells the inmate that when he is directed to go somewhere by an officer, he better go. The lieutenant refuses to hear anything the inmate has to say and tells him to go to recreation and he will speak to him there.
Reluctantly, the inmate starts moving toward recreation. I am still his escort. The lieutenant comes too. Just in case.
He is visibly upset that he didn’t get his way and is stomping his feet like a three year old. We get out to the recreation area and the rec officer opens the door for him.
He kicked it shut. And it bounced right back at him. I would have hit him right in the face if he hadn’t turned.
Of course, I was still his escort and when he turned...
BOOM! Elbow in the eye.
He realized his mistake just in time to stop himself from hitting me too hard. And slamming me into the brick wall behind me.
The lieutenant escorts him right back out of recreation.
The inmate spent the rest of the day apologizing. And apologizing. And even days later, other inmates were reminding me how sorry he was.
So very sorry.
Friday, January 18, 2013
A Day In The Life
Kids Say....
I was working at a fabulous prison camp in the visiting room one day, eight months pregnant. I was waddling around keeping my eye on everything. I had been there a while (about 8 months... DUH!) so the kids knew me. They drew me pictures and showed me their new clothes when they came in. Some kids even knew how to say my name. (That is a feat as there are a lot of letters in it.)
On this particular day, one little boy kept calling me "Teacher".
"Look at this picture Teacher."
"That is my mom over there Teacher."
"Look Teacher, Grandma bought me and Mommy cookies."
He was cute.
I walked near his mom, the inmate he was visiting, and he said "Look Mommy, there is your teacher."
She looked at him. Then she told him, "No. That is not a teacher. She is a police lady."
He looked confused.
He argued. No, I had to be the teacher.
Back and forth. Teacher. Police lady. Teacher. Police lady.
He asked me. And I confirmed. Police lady.
Still, he didn't believe it.
Finally, his mom asks him how come I can't be a police lady.
"Because she is too fat to be the police." he says.
And there you have it.
I was working at a fabulous prison camp in the visiting room one day, eight months pregnant. I was waddling around keeping my eye on everything. I had been there a while (about 8 months... DUH!) so the kids knew me. They drew me pictures and showed me their new clothes when they came in. Some kids even knew how to say my name. (That is a feat as there are a lot of letters in it.)
On this particular day, one little boy kept calling me "Teacher".
"Look at this picture Teacher."
"That is my mom over there Teacher."
"Look Teacher, Grandma bought me and Mommy cookies."
He was cute.
I walked near his mom, the inmate he was visiting, and he said "Look Mommy, there is your teacher."
She looked at him. Then she told him, "No. That is not a teacher. She is a police lady."
He looked confused.
He argued. No, I had to be the teacher.
Back and forth. Teacher. Police lady. Teacher. Police lady.
He asked me. And I confirmed. Police lady.
Still, he didn't believe it.
Finally, his mom asks him how come I can't be a police lady.
"Because she is too fat to be the police." he says.
And there you have it.
Friday, January 04, 2013
A Day In The Life
So I am standing at the metal detector, freezing my ass off, watching inmates walk to breakfast. Living the dream. It's 24 degrees outside and I can not feel my lips. Or my nose. My eye balls and teeth feel frozen. It is awesome. My partner is also freezing and we are watching the clock in anticipation of time to go home.
An older, Hispanic inmate walks through the metal detector and it goes off. We send him back. Again, he sets it off. We send him back. He says no. He keeps walking.
Ummmm.... No.
I yell at him to get back here. He comes back, mumbling under his breath. He returns to the metal detector, and removes the radio in his pocket. My partner looks at him.
Really? The radio? You didn't know that would set off the metal detector?
The inmate looks at him and says....
"Suck my dick."
Wow.
That is how this is going to go today.
He clears the metal detector and we call him to us. We ask him to repeat himself. He starts telling us a story about how it was his medication that set off his metal detector.
Sure, that is all he said. I believe him.
I get his name and number and write him an incident report.
Living the dream....
An older, Hispanic inmate walks through the metal detector and it goes off. We send him back. Again, he sets it off. We send him back. He says no. He keeps walking.
Ummmm.... No.
I yell at him to get back here. He comes back, mumbling under his breath. He returns to the metal detector, and removes the radio in his pocket. My partner looks at him.
Really? The radio? You didn't know that would set off the metal detector?
The inmate looks at him and says....
"Suck my dick."
Wow.
That is how this is going to go today.
He clears the metal detector and we call him to us. We ask him to repeat himself. He starts telling us a story about how it was his medication that set off his metal detector.
Sure, that is all he said. I believe him.
I get his name and number and write him an incident report.
Living the dream....
Friday, November 02, 2012
A Day In The Life
Animals on Patrol
A year or so ago, I was driving the mobile patrol around and around some fabulous prison.
Around and around and around....
When I was stopped by the cutest, fluffiest little foxes.
Awwwwww....
But they didn't move. I honked. I yelled. Nope. They just sat and looked at me. I was afraid to run them over. They eventually moved. Someone must have been feeding them... Not that I am accusing anyone.
These foxes were cute, but I spent the night chasing fence alarms because of them. They think they own the joint. A lieutenant told me they were endangered and protected by the state. So I guess we were stuck with them.
Now I see them roaming the compound at night. They walk within a few feet of me and other officers. Running around, chasing birds.
Little foxes aren't the only animals running around. That same night I was bothered by little foxes, I saw a pack of coyotes chasing a rabbit across the parking lot. I saw a ton of adorable little owls.
On your average day I see lots of squirrels. More pigeons than anyone needs to see. Crows and ravens. Several cats. The occasional dog.
It's like a zoo. Except we lock up people and the animal roam free.
A year or so ago, I was driving the mobile patrol around and around some fabulous prison.
Around and around and around....
When I was stopped by the cutest, fluffiest little foxes.
Awwwwww....
But they didn't move. I honked. I yelled. Nope. They just sat and looked at me. I was afraid to run them over. They eventually moved. Someone must have been feeding them... Not that I am accusing anyone.
These foxes were cute, but I spent the night chasing fence alarms because of them. They think they own the joint. A lieutenant told me they were endangered and protected by the state. So I guess we were stuck with them.
Now I see them roaming the compound at night. They walk within a few feet of me and other officers. Running around, chasing birds.
Little foxes aren't the only animals running around. That same night I was bothered by little foxes, I saw a pack of coyotes chasing a rabbit across the parking lot. I saw a ton of adorable little owls.
On your average day I see lots of squirrels. More pigeons than anyone needs to see. Crows and ravens. Several cats. The occasional dog.
It's like a zoo. Except we lock up people and the animal roam free.
Friday, May 04, 2012
A Day In The Life
Liquored Up
I knew it was going to be a bad night when I was driving to work that evening. As I came around a corner, a fluffy bunny ran out into the road. I swerved to avoid it, but it swerved too. Next thing I knew, I felt a little bump and saw a cloud of fur fly out from under my tires.
A bad omen.
I get to work and it is count time. Another officer and I begin counting in his unit. We finish and head over to mine. We both notice the overwhelming odor of homemade intoxicants.
Great.
We start counting. We make it all the way around the bottom tier with no trouble. We get started upstairs. Just a few cells in we run into the first problem of the night.
The inmates are required to have their lights on and be standing up for this count. I had been in this unit for several months so they knew my deal. Which is why when I got to this cell and found it dark, I was surprised. I could see the inmate in there.
Sort of.
I wasn't sure if he was asleep or hurt or just had his headphones on loud or what.
So I banged on the door.
Nothing.
I kicked it and banged on it.
Nothing.
My partner, who was a big guy, pounded and kicked.
Nothing.
So we made the decision to open the door.
I unlock it and we go in. My partner gives the inmate a shout and he jumps up.
And falls over.
The inmate smells strongly of alcohol and can not stand up. He is insisting he is fine and had not been drinking.
Sure.
We lock up that cell and finish our count.
After we finish the count, my partner and I are deciding how to handle this situation. Th inmate in question is a guy who usually is quiet and causes very little trouble. And he didn't seem violent. Just drunk. Probably sleeping it off would fix him. But I did what I was supposed to do and called a lieutenant.
Usually drunk inmates are sent to the Special Housing Unit. But it had apparently been quite the day and the Special Housing Unit was a bit full. Since that inmate was alone in the cell, we decided to just leave him there and check on him frequently.
My partner and I decided to go have a chat with the head of the drunk inmate's gang. We just wanted to let him know what was going on so he wouldn't think something else that started another thing and in prison.... Every little thing could lead to something bad.
We go to that cell and open it. The inmate is sitting on the bed and stands up as we open the door.
Then he falls over.
Oh good. He's drunk too.
So I laugh and tell him I am locking him and his buddy in for the night and shut the door. He is good with that.
As I start to unlock the other inmates, I check each inmate for drunkenness.
I find two more white guys. (The first two were white guys.) I find two black guys. I find three Hispanic guys. All drunk.
I call the lieutenant back. I let him know. All drunk inmates are to remain locked up. Incident reports are written. They will be going to Special Housing Unit as soon as there is a space.
I decided to call the SIS. (Special Investigations) and let them know of my situation. I find out all the drunk inmates are gang leaders. The SIS guy is a little disturbed by this. So they decide to lock down my whole unit to investigate.
I knew it was going to be a bad night. I just knew it.
I knew it was going to be a bad night when I was driving to work that evening. As I came around a corner, a fluffy bunny ran out into the road. I swerved to avoid it, but it swerved too. Next thing I knew, I felt a little bump and saw a cloud of fur fly out from under my tires.
A bad omen.
I get to work and it is count time. Another officer and I begin counting in his unit. We finish and head over to mine. We both notice the overwhelming odor of homemade intoxicants.
Great.
We start counting. We make it all the way around the bottom tier with no trouble. We get started upstairs. Just a few cells in we run into the first problem of the night.
The inmates are required to have their lights on and be standing up for this count. I had been in this unit for several months so they knew my deal. Which is why when I got to this cell and found it dark, I was surprised. I could see the inmate in there.
Sort of.
I wasn't sure if he was asleep or hurt or just had his headphones on loud or what.
So I banged on the door.
Nothing.
I kicked it and banged on it.
Nothing.
My partner, who was a big guy, pounded and kicked.
Nothing.
So we made the decision to open the door.
I unlock it and we go in. My partner gives the inmate a shout and he jumps up.
And falls over.
The inmate smells strongly of alcohol and can not stand up. He is insisting he is fine and had not been drinking.
Sure.
We lock up that cell and finish our count.
After we finish the count, my partner and I are deciding how to handle this situation. Th inmate in question is a guy who usually is quiet and causes very little trouble. And he didn't seem violent. Just drunk. Probably sleeping it off would fix him. But I did what I was supposed to do and called a lieutenant.
Usually drunk inmates are sent to the Special Housing Unit. But it had apparently been quite the day and the Special Housing Unit was a bit full. Since that inmate was alone in the cell, we decided to just leave him there and check on him frequently.
My partner and I decided to go have a chat with the head of the drunk inmate's gang. We just wanted to let him know what was going on so he wouldn't think something else that started another thing and in prison.... Every little thing could lead to something bad.
We go to that cell and open it. The inmate is sitting on the bed and stands up as we open the door.
Then he falls over.
Oh good. He's drunk too.
So I laugh and tell him I am locking him and his buddy in for the night and shut the door. He is good with that.
As I start to unlock the other inmates, I check each inmate for drunkenness.
I find two more white guys. (The first two were white guys.) I find two black guys. I find three Hispanic guys. All drunk.
I call the lieutenant back. I let him know. All drunk inmates are to remain locked up. Incident reports are written. They will be going to Special Housing Unit as soon as there is a space.
I decided to call the SIS. (Special Investigations) and let them know of my situation. I find out all the drunk inmates are gang leaders. The SIS guy is a little disturbed by this. So they decide to lock down my whole unit to investigate.
I knew it was going to be a bad night. I just knew it.
Friday, March 16, 2012
A Day In The Life
Never Forgotten....
After work one night, as we all left together...
Me: Hey LT, it's 10:00 at night, why are you still wearing your sunglasses?
Lt. Bent: So I can check people out and they won't know. So why don't you just walk in front of me and we can see how they work.
Male Officer: You're going to get filed on LT.
Lt. Bent: Why? You jealous? Go on and walk in front of me instead baby. I am equal opportunity.
*****************************
Lt. Bent: So where are you going to be next quarter?
Me: SHU. Ugh. So many penises in the window.
Lt. Bent: I know, and that's just the staff. Lord knows what the inmates will do.
*****************************
Last week we lost a good man in a senseless tragedy brought on by one of our own. As we all heal and grieve in our own ways during this time, I'd like to think that Lt. Bent is somewhere amazing, happy, and at peace.
And having a beer with Elvis, watching girls undress.
Enjoy it LT.
After work one night, as we all left together...
Me: Hey LT, it's 10:00 at night, why are you still wearing your sunglasses?
Lt. Bent: So I can check people out and they won't know. So why don't you just walk in front of me and we can see how they work.
Male Officer: You're going to get filed on LT.
Lt. Bent: Why? You jealous? Go on and walk in front of me instead baby. I am equal opportunity.
Lt. Bent: So where are you going to be next quarter?
Me: SHU. Ugh. So many penises in the window.
Lt. Bent: I know, and that's just the staff. Lord knows what the inmates will do.
Last week we lost a good man in a senseless tragedy brought on by one of our own. As we all heal and grieve in our own ways during this time, I'd like to think that Lt. Bent is somewhere amazing, happy, and at peace.
And having a beer with Elvis, watching girls undress.
Enjoy it LT.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Little Drummer Boy
A Day In The Life
One fabulous morning I was working in control. It was time for the AM Census Check. There is no inmate movement during this time. Also, at this time, on that day, the power on the outside doors to the units had quit working. Only on one side of the compound. They were already working to fix it and I was helping by pushing the open and close buttons when told.
On the other side of the compound, where doors worked, an inmate was some how in the sallyport of a unit... Stuck between the inner door to the unit and the outer door, which I control. There is a door buzzer to let me know someone is waiting. He pushed it. I told him I would not let him out as there was no move at that time. Apparently, for the same reason, the unit officer would not let him in either. He was in the middle of his census check.
But that inmate would not quit. He continued to press the button. Over and over. And over.
And he got more and more belligerent. He called me every name in the book. I tried to ignore him, but because I had no choice but to sit there and help with the broken doors, I had to keep hearing the door alarm.
The lieutenant came into control to give us some information and I tell him about the button pusher in the unit sallyport. He gets on the intercom, identifies himself as the lieutenant and tells him to knock it off. The inmate starts yelling at the lieutenant because he thinks it is still me.
The lieutenant sends compound out to pick him up and take him to the officer for a little chat... And a trip to the special housing unit.
*************************
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
One fabulous morning I was working in control. It was time for the AM Census Check. There is no inmate movement during this time. Also, at this time, on that day, the power on the outside doors to the units had quit working. Only on one side of the compound. They were already working to fix it and I was helping by pushing the open and close buttons when told.
On the other side of the compound, where doors worked, an inmate was some how in the sallyport of a unit... Stuck between the inner door to the unit and the outer door, which I control. There is a door buzzer to let me know someone is waiting. He pushed it. I told him I would not let him out as there was no move at that time. Apparently, for the same reason, the unit officer would not let him in either. He was in the middle of his census check.
But that inmate would not quit. He continued to press the button. Over and over. And over.
And he got more and more belligerent. He called me every name in the book. I tried to ignore him, but because I had no choice but to sit there and help with the broken doors, I had to keep hearing the door alarm.
The lieutenant came into control to give us some information and I tell him about the button pusher in the unit sallyport. He gets on the intercom, identifies himself as the lieutenant and tells him to knock it off. The inmate starts yelling at the lieutenant because he thinks it is still me.
The lieutenant sends compound out to pick him up and take him to the officer for a little chat... And a trip to the special housing unit.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Friday, December 16, 2011
10 Lords A-Leaping
A Day In The Life
Some days people just feel like pushing my buttons.
Inmates were up and down wanting in and out all morning. Hello jerks, we have move times and I am not your personal door person.
They took their sweet time locking down for count at 9:45 am (It must have been a weekend.)
Then, during count, the jerks were not standing. Nope, they were sleeping. They had their lights off. They had towels hanging from their bunks covering so I couldn't see.
Fine.
I wrote 15 incident reports.
Inmates were shocked.
Apparently, never in their many years of incarceration, had some rogue officer dared to insist they follow rules.
I just laughed.
*************************
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Some days people just feel like pushing my buttons.
Inmates were up and down wanting in and out all morning. Hello jerks, we have move times and I am not your personal door person.
They took their sweet time locking down for count at 9:45 am (It must have been a weekend.)
Then, during count, the jerks were not standing. Nope, they were sleeping. They had their lights off. They had towels hanging from their bunks covering so I couldn't see.
Fine.
I wrote 15 incident reports.
Inmates were shocked.
Apparently, never in their many years of incarceration, had some rogue officer dared to insist they follow rules.
I just laughed.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Do You Hear What I Hear
A Day In The Life
One afternoon I was walking down the sidewalk. Just inside the yard fence, two inmates are walking along just behind me. I am heading to the gate to stand by as the inmates return from the yard to their housing units.
I heard one of the inmates say something behind me. It's not something good. It something to the effect of “shake that ass”. So I turn around and look at him. He stops.
I continue walking. Again, I hear him. “Shake that ass. Do it just for me. You know how I like it.”
Really?
I turn around again. Again, he stops. I ask him what his problem is. He says there is no problem.
I walk further. Just as he hits the fence so her has to turn away from me, he does it one more time.
I yell at him to quit that. He ignores me.
I walk down to the gate and wait for him.
He comes out of the yard and I immediately direct him towards the lieutenants office. On the way there I run into the lieutenant who says to take him directly to the Special Housing Unit. We get to the hallway that leads to the Special Housing Unit and a couple of guys take him the rest of the way. He starts yelling he didn't do anything. He calls me a bitch and a bunch of other stuff.
An hour or so later, he tries to convince a case manager it was a mistake. She comes and speaks to me about it. I tell her that I don't think it is a mistake. He said those things and he has a history of sexual proposal to staff as well as exposing himself or masturbating at staff.
A few days later, I was working in the Special Housing Unit. That same inmate starts telling me that I made a huge mistake sending him to SHU. He claims he wasn't talking to me. He didn't even notice me he says. He was just walking along singing a Little Wayne song.
I tell him that even if that was true, he was singing a Little Wayne song, he did so notice me. I turned and spoke to him several times. He should have known that in that environment that was not the time nor place to be singing that kind of song. He should have known better.
Later that same afternoon, he and another inmate are outside in a rec cage and the two of them try to convince me that he was singing a Little Wayne song. I tell them I don't care.
A few days later, I get an email from the disciplinary officer. He says he spoke to the inmate about the incident report I wrote and the inmate is claiming I said I would take it back.
I said no such thing.
A few days after that I got an email from the SHU lieutenant asking me the same thing.
Again, no.
Perhaps he should have sung a better song.
One afternoon I was walking down the sidewalk. Just inside the yard fence, two inmates are walking along just behind me. I am heading to the gate to stand by as the inmates return from the yard to their housing units.
I heard one of the inmates say something behind me. It's not something good. It something to the effect of “shake that ass”. So I turn around and look at him. He stops.
I continue walking. Again, I hear him. “Shake that ass. Do it just for me. You know how I like it.”
Really?
I turn around again. Again, he stops. I ask him what his problem is. He says there is no problem.
I walk further. Just as he hits the fence so her has to turn away from me, he does it one more time.
I yell at him to quit that. He ignores me.
I walk down to the gate and wait for him.
He comes out of the yard and I immediately direct him towards the lieutenants office. On the way there I run into the lieutenant who says to take him directly to the Special Housing Unit. We get to the hallway that leads to the Special Housing Unit and a couple of guys take him the rest of the way. He starts yelling he didn't do anything. He calls me a bitch and a bunch of other stuff.
An hour or so later, he tries to convince a case manager it was a mistake. She comes and speaks to me about it. I tell her that I don't think it is a mistake. He said those things and he has a history of sexual proposal to staff as well as exposing himself or masturbating at staff.
A few days later, I was working in the Special Housing Unit. That same inmate starts telling me that I made a huge mistake sending him to SHU. He claims he wasn't talking to me. He didn't even notice me he says. He was just walking along singing a Little Wayne song.
I tell him that even if that was true, he was singing a Little Wayne song, he did so notice me. I turned and spoke to him several times. He should have known that in that environment that was not the time nor place to be singing that kind of song. He should have known better.
Later that same afternoon, he and another inmate are outside in a rec cage and the two of them try to convince me that he was singing a Little Wayne song. I tell them I don't care.
A few days later, I get an email from the disciplinary officer. He says he spoke to the inmate about the incident report I wrote and the inmate is claiming I said I would take it back.
I said no such thing.
A few days after that I got an email from the SHU lieutenant asking me the same thing.
Again, no.
Perhaps he should have sung a better song.
Friday, December 02, 2011
Seven Swans A-Swimming
I was working one evening in the best Special Housing Unit in the universe. I was working outside as the recreation officer. When I first got there, I was trying to get an inmate to come inside and he decided to jam the gate. He used a Metamucil bottle full of rocks. Where he got rocks, I have no idea. How he got the bottle of rocks out to the rec cage... Well, it was hot. Inmates often take a cup out to the rec cage to drink. We provide water out there, they bring the cups. Cups and handballs are the only things they are supposed to bring out there with them. Sometimes, if they don't have a cup available they use peanut butter jars or coffee containers. Those are clear. Metamucil bottles are not clear.
Eventually we got him to remove the bottle and come out. We confiscated the bottle of rocks and he was escorted back to his cell.
Anyway, back to me. I was watching over the recreation area and letting inmates in and out. They brought out two Native American inmates. One was carrying a coffee container full of water. The other was carrying a Metamucil bottle. Learning from earlier, I asked to see what was in the bottle. He tells me it's water. I ask him to please open the container and let me see.
He says no.
I again ask him to open the bottle.
He says it's just water. And tells me to leave him alone.
I refuse to allow him into the recreation area until he shows me what is inside the bottle.
(You can see where this I going, right?)
So he opens his bottle and pours it right on my front.
Yep.
So I am soaked. I go into the lieutenants office and he asks me what happened. I tell him and we both go back to the recreation area where that inmate is waiting.
The lieutenant asks him why he did that. The inmate decides to demonstrate what he did the first time. He still had a little water left in the bottle. So he poured that on me too.
He was escorted back to his cell and I wrote him up so assault without injury.
And then I sat outside and dried off.
Eventually we got him to remove the bottle and come out. We confiscated the bottle of rocks and he was escorted back to his cell.
Anyway, back to me. I was watching over the recreation area and letting inmates in and out. They brought out two Native American inmates. One was carrying a coffee container full of water. The other was carrying a Metamucil bottle. Learning from earlier, I asked to see what was in the bottle. He tells me it's water. I ask him to please open the container and let me see.
He says no.
I again ask him to open the bottle.
He says it's just water. And tells me to leave him alone.
I refuse to allow him into the recreation area until he shows me what is inside the bottle.
(You can see where this I going, right?)
So he opens his bottle and pours it right on my front.
Yep.
So I am soaked. I go into the lieutenants office and he asks me what happened. I tell him and we both go back to the recreation area where that inmate is waiting.
The lieutenant asks him why he did that. The inmate decides to demonstrate what he did the first time. He still had a little water left in the bottle. So he poured that on me too.
He was escorted back to his cell and I wrote him up so assault without injury.
And then I sat outside and dried off.
Friday, November 25, 2011
A Day In The Life
Thankful For The Little Things
The other day an inmate stopped by my office. (It was this inmate, so I was prepared for anything.) He tells me he has a lot of things to be thankful this Thanksgiving.
He is thankful that he will enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner there in prison when there are plenty of law abiding citizens out there that will not get that luxury.
He is thankful that he did not receive the death penalty for the crime he was convicted of. (I believe it was murder.)
He is thankful he lives in America because in other countries when you get convicted of something like that, they kill you right away.
And finally, he is thankful for the opportunity to appeal.
He also informed me that he is starting his own mob because he likes the family camaraderie. And he'll be changing his name to Rico Soprano.
I am thankful that my job affords me so many interesting stories.
The other day an inmate stopped by my office. (It was this inmate, so I was prepared for anything.) He tells me he has a lot of things to be thankful this Thanksgiving.
He is thankful that he will enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner there in prison when there are plenty of law abiding citizens out there that will not get that luxury.
He is thankful that he did not receive the death penalty for the crime he was convicted of. (I believe it was murder.)
He is thankful he lives in America because in other countries when you get convicted of something like that, they kill you right away.
And finally, he is thankful for the opportunity to appeal.
He also informed me that he is starting his own mob because he likes the family camaraderie. And he'll be changing his name to Rico Soprano.
I am thankful that my job affords me so many interesting stories.
Friday, November 18, 2011
A Day In The Life
Makes Me Wonder...
I came across this email one day. It is from an inmate to what I can only assume is a lawyer or legal person of some sort.
Did you get the mesage about my request for you to file a motion to the court asking that I be allowed to wear my court clothing while in prison for the purposes of my executive presense.
First of all note the misspelled "message" and "presence". Then note that while this appears to be a question, it does not end with a question mark.
And then ask yourself this..
WHY?
Really? Do you really think that is going to work out for you? Are you really going to clog our court system with that triviality?
Yes, yes he is.
This is one of the many reasons I find my job to be so freaking hilarious.
I came across this email one day. It is from an inmate to what I can only assume is a lawyer or legal person of some sort.
Did you get the mesage about my request for you to file a motion to the court asking that I be allowed to wear my court clothing while in prison for the purposes of my executive presense.
First of all note the misspelled "message" and "presence". Then note that while this appears to be a question, it does not end with a question mark.
And then ask yourself this..
WHY?
Really? Do you really think that is going to work out for you? Are you really going to clog our court system with that triviality?
Yes, yes he is.
This is one of the many reasons I find my job to be so freaking hilarious.
Friday, November 11, 2011
A Day In The Life
Waiting For Something
I was working one morning watching inmates come and go out of the dining area. I see an inmate kind of lingering around. I know this inmate. I have dealt with him before. I am pretty sure I have seen his penis in a window somewhere.
Anyway, he is skulking around the corridor. He should have gone back to his unit by now. But he went and hid in medical. I go down there to see what the big deal is in medical.
Then I saw. A new contractor nurse was handing out the pills at pill line. She was young and Asian and pretty. She didn't deserve what was coming her way.
So I intercepted.
Medical was cleared and the gate was closed. That same inmate was waiting by the gate with me to get back to medical. I informed him that he would not be going to medical. I told him to wait right there by the wall and not move.
He wasn't happy.
So he unzipped his pants and started masturbating right there in the hallway.
Awesome.
I knew it.
So I march him into the lieutenants office and tell them what he did. He denied the whole thing. Said he would never do that and I was a liar. The lieutenant looks up his history. Hmm. Seems he has done that quite a few times before.
He goes to Special Housing and they strip search him. They find very strategically placed holes in his oversized pants. He has no idea how that could have happened. He was framed.
You believe him, don't you?
At least the nice new nurse didn't have to see it.
I was working one morning watching inmates come and go out of the dining area. I see an inmate kind of lingering around. I know this inmate. I have dealt with him before. I am pretty sure I have seen his penis in a window somewhere.
Anyway, he is skulking around the corridor. He should have gone back to his unit by now. But he went and hid in medical. I go down there to see what the big deal is in medical.
Then I saw. A new contractor nurse was handing out the pills at pill line. She was young and Asian and pretty. She didn't deserve what was coming her way.
So I intercepted.
Medical was cleared and the gate was closed. That same inmate was waiting by the gate with me to get back to medical. I informed him that he would not be going to medical. I told him to wait right there by the wall and not move.
He wasn't happy.
So he unzipped his pants and started masturbating right there in the hallway.
Awesome.
I knew it.
So I march him into the lieutenants office and tell them what he did. He denied the whole thing. Said he would never do that and I was a liar. The lieutenant looks up his history. Hmm. Seems he has done that quite a few times before.
He goes to Special Housing and they strip search him. They find very strategically placed holes in his oversized pants. He has no idea how that could have happened. He was framed.
You believe him, don't you?
At least the nice new nurse didn't have to see it.
Friday, October 28, 2011
A Day In The Life
Have You No Decency?
I was sick. I didn't want to admit it, but I was so sick. Yet, there I was, at work. Dumb, I know. I was sitting in the control center with another officer. I felt worse for him. I way praying that he didn't catch whatever it was I had. He had a couple of small daughters and a pregnant wife to go home to. So I disinfected the place three of four times. And I tried to stay away from him the best I could.
In control there is a lot of stuff going on. Staff and inmates coming and going. We control the doors and make announcements. We control the equipment. On weekends, we allow visitors in and out. It was a Saturday, so this is what I was doing. I was letting visitors through and watching the cameras.
A visitor lady came through and her outfit was a little questionable. It was a yellow dress. It was very pretty and it looked lovely on her. It was not low cut and really, it looked like a dress she might wear to church on Sunday. However, it was a little bit more north of the knee than it should have been. She had a couple of kids with her, one boy and one girl ad they looked to be between 7 and 9. I was sick and she didn't look too bad so I let it go.
I was sitting watching the camera. I noticed the same lady sitting in the visiting room across from her inmate. The inmate was holding the boy and kind of curling him up to his chest making him laugh. The little girl was at the vending machine. There was something odd about the way the lady kept fidgeting in her lap. A lot of contraband comes in through visiting. I motion to my partner to take a look with me.
He adjusts the camera so we can she what she is doing. No contraband, but every time the inmate curls the boy to his chest, the lady spreads her legs. And that's when we realize she isn't wearing any panties.
No way.
He calls the visiting room officers and asks them if they see what we see.
They do.
As we watch, the inmate puts down the little boy and the little girl comes back. The lady has pulled her skirt way down and closed her legs. She says something to the girl and gives her a little bag of change. The two children run off to the vending machines.
The lady hikes her skirt all the way up and starts touching herself. Seriously. She really did it. We got it on camera.
I was sick and livid. There were kids in there, two of them hers. I get on the phone and ask the visiting room crew to make it stop. One of the officers goes over there. As soon as she sees him coming she stops and pulls her skirt down. The visiting crew was all men and they didn't want to tell the lady what we saw. The inmate could have accused them of looking at his girlfriend/wife the wrong way. He could get violent. The lady could start claiming harassment. They needed a female touch.
So I decided to go have a few words with her myself.
I marched myself right to the visiting room. The visiting guys had already removed the inmate and had him waiting in the back. I walked right up to the lady and asked her to join me in a private room. I told her I saw what she was doing. She said she wasn't doing anything. I told her not to mess with me, I saw and I knew and I was not about to tolerate it. She said she was just adjusting her dress as it was riding up a little. I again, told her no, I saw her on camera. I saw her lift her skirt and give her inmate a nice peep show. I told her that I would be reporting this to my supervisor. I told her I couldn't believe she would do that with kids in the room, including hers. I was so mad.
I walked to the back room to have a few words with the inmate. I walked in there and just glared at him. The nerve of some people. I tell him I saw what they were doing. He starts to deny it, but I cut him off and tell him not to bother. I tell him he disgusts me. He breaks down and admits to it. He says he is so sorry and he has a long sentence and he was just getting a little thrill.
I go and talk to the lieutenant and he says as long as they don't do it again, they can go back to their visit. I went back to control.
They didn't do it again.
The next day, I stayed home. I tried to work the day after that, but they sent me home. So I stayed home the day after that too.
I was sick. I didn't want to admit it, but I was so sick. Yet, there I was, at work. Dumb, I know. I was sitting in the control center with another officer. I felt worse for him. I way praying that he didn't catch whatever it was I had. He had a couple of small daughters and a pregnant wife to go home to. So I disinfected the place three of four times. And I tried to stay away from him the best I could.
In control there is a lot of stuff going on. Staff and inmates coming and going. We control the doors and make announcements. We control the equipment. On weekends, we allow visitors in and out. It was a Saturday, so this is what I was doing. I was letting visitors through and watching the cameras.
A visitor lady came through and her outfit was a little questionable. It was a yellow dress. It was very pretty and it looked lovely on her. It was not low cut and really, it looked like a dress she might wear to church on Sunday. However, it was a little bit more north of the knee than it should have been. She had a couple of kids with her, one boy and one girl ad they looked to be between 7 and 9. I was sick and she didn't look too bad so I let it go.
I was sitting watching the camera. I noticed the same lady sitting in the visiting room across from her inmate. The inmate was holding the boy and kind of curling him up to his chest making him laugh. The little girl was at the vending machine. There was something odd about the way the lady kept fidgeting in her lap. A lot of contraband comes in through visiting. I motion to my partner to take a look with me.
He adjusts the camera so we can she what she is doing. No contraband, but every time the inmate curls the boy to his chest, the lady spreads her legs. And that's when we realize she isn't wearing any panties.
No way.
He calls the visiting room officers and asks them if they see what we see.
They do.
As we watch, the inmate puts down the little boy and the little girl comes back. The lady has pulled her skirt way down and closed her legs. She says something to the girl and gives her a little bag of change. The two children run off to the vending machines.
The lady hikes her skirt all the way up and starts touching herself. Seriously. She really did it. We got it on camera.
I was sick and livid. There were kids in there, two of them hers. I get on the phone and ask the visiting room crew to make it stop. One of the officers goes over there. As soon as she sees him coming she stops and pulls her skirt down. The visiting crew was all men and they didn't want to tell the lady what we saw. The inmate could have accused them of looking at his girlfriend/wife the wrong way. He could get violent. The lady could start claiming harassment. They needed a female touch.
So I decided to go have a few words with her myself.
I marched myself right to the visiting room. The visiting guys had already removed the inmate and had him waiting in the back. I walked right up to the lady and asked her to join me in a private room. I told her I saw what she was doing. She said she wasn't doing anything. I told her not to mess with me, I saw and I knew and I was not about to tolerate it. She said she was just adjusting her dress as it was riding up a little. I again, told her no, I saw her on camera. I saw her lift her skirt and give her inmate a nice peep show. I told her that I would be reporting this to my supervisor. I told her I couldn't believe she would do that with kids in the room, including hers. I was so mad.
I walked to the back room to have a few words with the inmate. I walked in there and just glared at him. The nerve of some people. I tell him I saw what they were doing. He starts to deny it, but I cut him off and tell him not to bother. I tell him he disgusts me. He breaks down and admits to it. He says he is so sorry and he has a long sentence and he was just getting a little thrill.
I go and talk to the lieutenant and he says as long as they don't do it again, they can go back to their visit. I went back to control.
They didn't do it again.
The next day, I stayed home. I tried to work the day after that, but they sent me home. So I stayed home the day after that too.
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