The Forgotten Cop
Posted on: April 12, 2007 | lee lee | 6 Comments | Print Article | Rate Post:
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The Forgotten Cop
What would the average citizen say if it were proposed that Police Officers be assigned to a neighborhood which was inhabited by no one but criminals and those Officers would be unarmed, patrol on foot and be heavily outnumbered? I wager that the overwhelming public response would be that the Officers would have to be crazy to accept such an assignment. However, as you read this, such a scenario is being played out in all areas of the country, maybe right here in your own neighborhood.
We are Correctional Officers. Not Guards. (Guards are people who watch school crossings.) We work at minimum, medium and maximum security Correctional Facilities. We are empowered by the Federal/State Government to enforce its Penal Laws, rules and regulations of the Prisons. In short, we are Policemen. Our beat is totally inhabited by convicted felons, who, by definition, are people who tend to break laws, rules and regulations. We are outnumbered by as many as 105 to 1 at various times of our workday, and, contrary to popular belief, we work without a sidearm. In short, our necks are on the line every minute of every day.
A Correctional Facility is a very misunderstood environment. The average person has very little knowledge of its workings.
Society sends its criminals to Correctional Facilities. As time passes, the gravity of each criminal’s crime fades from memory. The collective prison population becomes hordes of “bad” people who are warehoused away from decent society to be punished for what they’ve done, and so that they can cause no further harm to law-abiding citizens. The prevailing notion is that prison inmates cease to be a problem while they are incarcerated. Wrong!
Correctional Facilities are full of violence perpetrated by the prison population against the prison population and facility staff. Felonies are committed daily, but rarely reported. They are called “unusual incidents,” and rarely result in criminal prosecution. Discipline is handled internally and, as a rule, the public is rarely informed of these crimes. In the course of maintaining order in these facilities, many Correctional Officers have endured the humiliation of having urine and feces thrown at and on them. Countless Correctional Officers have been kicked, bitten, stabbed and slashed with homemade weapons, taken hostage, raped and even murdered in the line of duty, all while being legally mandated to maintain their professional composure and refrain from any retaliation which could be the basis for dismissal from service.
In addition to these obvious dangers, Correctional Officers face hidden dangers in the form of HIV, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis B and C. Courts are now imposing longer sentences and the prison population is increasing far beyond the system’s designated capacity. As the public demands more police on the streets, governments everywhere are cutting police in prison where violence reigns supreme, jeopardizing all those working behind prison walls. But society cant even tell Correctional Officers something as simple as a “thank you” for the job they do , so the next time you see a Correctional Officers remember he is risking his life and family to protect you from the very people society has locked away.
Although you will never see us on “911″ or “Cops”, we are Law Enforcement Professionals. We are the Forgotten Cops, hidden from public view, doing a dangerous beat, hoping to someday receive the respect and appreciation from the public whom “We Silently Serve.”
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6 Responses to “The Forgotten Cop”
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May 14th, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
Thank you!
July 26th, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
I agree 100% with the writer when it comes to the job and the danger of working in a facility. However, I have always said Correctional Officers are not Policemen and should never think they are. In fact most sworn police officers consider CO’s lesser than them and not really part of the Brotherhood. There are some exceptions and for those I always appreciated their ability to treat us like equals. When I started my career in corrections 23 years ago there were only two requirements: 1. Over 21 and 2. Breathing and for that reason we were called “Knuckle Draggers and Turn Keys”. But nowadays there is a better hiring and screening process. The CO’s now are smarter and more career oriented with a greater ability to deal with inmates in a positive manner. So don’t call yourselves Police Officers call yourselves Correctional Officers and be proud of that.
August 4th, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Well written, and so true.
I have spoke with a few street officers, and they say they couldn’t work in the prison environment, and many CO’s say they couldn’t work the streets.
The advantage that CO’s have, I feel, is that at least we know who the bad guys are, except for those that have gone dirty. That is the only thing worse then a convicted felon.
I am PROUD to be a Corrections Officer. I wear my uniform with pride, both inside and out. I am there for my brothers & sisters whenever needed, just as they are for me.
Stay safe!
October 3rd, 2007 @ 11:31 pm
What an excellent and well written narrative. I was a police officer in Florida for over thirty-six (36) years, but now I am retired. I have always had the highest regard for our corrections officers and the difficult and demanding job they do. It is not easy, and yes, it is very dangerous. Fort Lauderdale P.D. had its own city jail and I had the misfortune to work there for a short period of time. Even though this was just a city jail, with mostly minor offenders, I still got into a fight almost every day. My hand was broken once and I quickly realized what it must be like to be a corrections officer in a prison. From that point on I’ve admired and respected these people, because you don’t get the pay or support that you should. I’m amazed that there are still individuals out there who will take on this role. God bless them all.
Author of book: Badge 149 – “Shots Fired!”
My book’s web site: http://www.badge149.com
My blog (”Gary’s Police Blog”): http://badge149.blogspot.com/
February 11th, 2008 @ 6:43 am
I am 22 yeas of age and I have been with a state agency for a little over 2 years. I have recently been promoted to Sergeant at the unit I started my service with. I read this “Forgotten Cop” to my shift, and many of them said “thank you ” to me! I was shocked. They understood that I wanted them to know the importance of their jobs. I also wanted them to know that I appreciated them for a job well-done. Not just for showing up to work, (though at times that’s all some of them do…just show up). Whoever wrote this was on point in saying “A Correctional Facility is a very misunderstood environment”. As a woman, many of my friends can’t understand why I would subject myself to the things in the prison. I have to explain that if I work there I know that whatever inmate I make an impression on it is to help him better his life before he gets out and is living next door to me, figuritivly speaking. That should be the motto of all prisons… to reduce recidivism (or repeat offenses to send those released back to prison) To those who are looking for work, don’t be afraid to work in the prison. It is what this says it is, but you may be the one to make a difference.
May 15th, 2008 @ 7:57 am
I agree with Dale. The job is an important one, and the professionals who perform it should be held in the upmost regard. However…they are still Correctional Officers, not police officers. I don’t understand the obsession with it. Be proud of what you do, and if you aren’t…then become a police officer!