God bless him, and keep him safe. I worked for New York State in their prison system for 25 years. I was one of a handful of females who went to work at Auburn State prison in the early 80's. I only worked in male facilities. The bidding system was in place when I took the job. The first bid job I had was covering the phone room so the inmates could get their two calls a month. They each got 10 minutes to call someone on their approved list collect. After their 10 minutes was up, most would be decent, and hang up. Every now and then you'd get a dipshit who ignored your warnings, and I'd have to cut the call off. A few got belligerent saying I disrespected them, but I'd point to the rest of the guys sitting in the room waiting their turn, and tell them, you're cutting in on their call time. It's them you're disrespecting. Now they have phones in the yards and housing units.
I made Sergeant in 1989. Never really wanted to move up any higher in the system, because it meant starting all over from the bottom again, having to go to another facility half-way across the state, and working crappy jobs and shitty hours again. I had too much time in to be inconvenienced for a little extra cash. I figured if I really needed some extra money, I'd just work overtime.
I was in the highest tier in the retirement system. It gave me a month early retirement for each year I had in service, so I got out 23 months early. I'd had previous time in the retirement system, and left with 33 years under my belt. Never missed it one day. The job gave me good benefits and a decent wage so I could raise my two sons on my own. They're in their 50's now. Not long ago I ran into a guy who was an officer when I retired. He's now a Captain. He said the officers they are getting are very young, and inexperienced. They've gone from living in Mommy's basement, to working behind prison walls. Most of them don't even think they have to talk to the inmates. All they want to do is sit on their butts. Makes me glad I got out when I did.
Thank you so much.
I think in the parishes here, you have to work in the jails/penal system first for a year or so, before going into the academy.
He had some interesting stories he told me about the inmates. A Cuban hitman under federal protection, murderers, and the death of a child molester.
He originally wanted to get on with NOPD, several years ago, but after several interviews he was turned down.
I could have gotten him in just making a call to one political family there I grew up with to get him on the force, but there was no way. That place is horrible.
He says he plans to go into cybercrime after he finishes his Master’s.
It’s amazing how much he changed after entering the military.