After working as a sworn in Deputy Sheriff with the job title of Dispatcher/Jailor and being sent to the academy to be certified, I now find myself a CO at a regional jail due to the Sheriff's office jail closing when 3 jurisdictions pulled together to open a new facility. My question is, do you consider CO's to be LEO's? The academy drilled into our heads that CO's should be treated with the same respect as LEO's, but in the real world there does seem to be the attitude that CO's are not considered LEO's....opinions anyone?
Comments
You couldn't pay me enough to be a CO. You guys have a tough job - and bless ya for it!
Corrections also operate the exact same marked vehicles as patrol but they can't take them home like patrol deputies though.
Also, many of our correctional deputies are "cross certified", meaning they hold certifications in both Law-Enforcement and Corrections. This is great because if they decide to leave the jail to work patrol, it's very easy to do so for the most part.
The other notable difference, which I DON'T agree with is the difference in salary. Patrol deputies make much more than a corrections deputy. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember. Both disciplines should make equal pay in my opinion. Corrections deputies do absolutely everything patrol does, but on the inside. They investigate crimes that occurred within the facility, they charge offenders with new crimes, at times, they have to physically detain violent subjects and so on. The only major difference is there aren't any firearms in the jail (most of the time LOL) and corrections don't have any of the protective gear that patrol carries (gun, Asp. Taser, pepper spray, chucks, etc). They only possess their IP Skills, hands and a pair of handcuffs looped over their belt.
I give corrections deputies the upmost respect. I worked in the jail for a year before coming out to the road so I know what those guys / girls to through.
Be safe everyone.
BUT they do get my respect. Tough job dealing with the turds we bring them.
Seriously? CO's don't risk their lives everyday?
not sure what rock you live under but you may want to go take a tour of your local institution to educate yourself better. I am going to have to take a SWAG & say you aren't a LEO yourself...
Ignorance is unbecoming.
First off, "I" can not speak for all Correctional Departments nor the the scary Private Facilities and their Officers but for those of us here in NY I would have to say YES ... "WE are Law Enforcement Officers". WE are the Largest Law Enforcement Agency in NY with somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 Corrections Officers, Corrections Sergeants, Corrections Lieutenants and Parole Officers. "WE" graduate from a 7 week Corrections Academy and go right into the fray of on the Job Training hoping to use the tools of our 7 week academy! As with any Department we do have our bad apples in both Line and Civilian Staff but what Department doesn't! How do I know you may ask, well "I "am an active 25 year NYS Lieutenant at a Maximum Security Facility! "WE" are sworn NY State Peace Officers! We qualify every year and we go through 40 hours of additional training during the course of the year. Unlike what I saw above "WE" have Felony Arrest Powers on and off duty even though our department frowns upon any actions off duty including carrying, we still have that authority! Our CERT Teams guarded the NY State Governors Mansion, the NY State Capitol and the New York City Watersheds for many years following 9/11. WE Carry on duty (Perimeter, Towers, Armed Posts, Medical Trips, Funeral Trips and Court Ordered trips and WE carry off duty because we are Peace Officers!
Now to kind of address a few of the other misnomers I am seeing here. While we do live everyday knowing exactly who we are dealing with: Mental Degenerates, Gang Bangers, Murders, Rapist, Drug Runners, World Class Manipulators and White Collar Criminals we are expected to do same without a true knowledge of anything other than having a Crystal Clear ... High Crime Neighborhood. Need I say more? We even deal with the domestic issues and victim issues you see on the street! We see drug trade being run by the gang affiliates and while not a common occurrence and clearly on more than one occasion zip and regular hand guns have made their way into our facilities all either through "liberal" visitation or planned packaging or equipment packaging!
We don't wear stab protective vests as a regular day to day tool and we don't wear our antiquated bullet proof vests even on our armed posts! Our first line of defense are Metal Detector "Boss" Chairs, hand scanners and walk through Metal detecting scanners. But in their ever increasing ability to beat the system Inmates are now known to have titanium and ceramic Scalpel Blades making their way into our facilities. It is not uncommon to experience a dangerous cutting of an inmate even in a lockdown situation as locked down inmates are still used as gallery porters and that good old Gang kinship or enemy list works behind the walls and razor wire with not enough line staff to get the job done to take away the gang society and eliminate the most common way to move contraband) which can be threatening to both Civilian and Line Staff alike! Our Officers and even Myself have experienced Death Threats against us and our families and wild dream Law Suits. Just as many of you on the Street, few realize just how similar our day to day efforts are, ALL in a days job!
We are "On The Job" and "We are Law Enforcement Officers"!
Any questions, I would be more than happy to respond!
As a reserve, I have full power of arrest, patrol alone, assist other agencies, and I do it for free. I see that I get MORE respect wearing my police uniform than wearing my county uniform.
I was a state leo before i got on a pd so there is no doubt in my mind they are leo
After all, LEO's catch'em and C/O's cage'em!
My family and I moved to Maryland and I became a sworn in Deputy Sheriff (CO). We had to go thru the same academy as the LEO’s except we did not get into the laws. At graduation time we stood up and were sworn in together. We did have some Deputy’s (LEO’S) who, did not like that we shared the same ceremony. They felt that they were above us. But we are all equal, we all wear the same uniform that we serve and protect 24/7 our community.
Because without the CO's or deputy jailers, chaos would be on the streets. We are the thin line between chaos and order.
I have tremendous respect for those in the field for what they have to encounter on every traffic stop or while serving a warrant. They most certainly earn their pay...but so do we. Every night when I don that uniform, I pray for a safe night at work, for me and all of the officers under my command. One mistake could result in dire consequences for me or any of the officers in the building.