Correctional Officer

Correctional Officer

Bob Walsh

Stockton, CA

Male, 60

I worked for the California state system, starting as a Correctional Officer and retiring as a Lieutenant in 2005. I now write for the PacoVilla blog which is concerned with what could broadly be called The Correctional System.

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Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

my wife is in jail shes mental health scared and in medical the captin came to her with my mugshot asking why why why him and started asking what gang im in and all this is that legal

Asked by cory jackson almost 5 years ago

From what I can tell (your writing leaves something to be desired) the Captain at the jail asked your wife what gang you are in. As far as I know it is perfectly legal for him to ask. It is also perfectly legal for her to tell him to pound sand.

Why do almost all non uniformed cops wear khakis or a suit? I know most offices have cops wear them but its almost always 5.11 khaki like pants

Asked by asdf almost 5 years ago

Because most of them would be funny looking or unattractive if they walked around in their underwear.

Do you have to be 21’or can you be 18? Also is there a old age limit?

Asked by Mike over 4 years ago

In Ca you can be HIRED to be a peace officer at 20 1/2 but can not actually start work until age 21. When I started there was a maximum age limit of 35 to begin training. There was no mandatory retirement age. The max age limit to start went away while I was working but MAY have since been reinstated. There is still no max age that I am aware of, but few stay beyond 55 or 60 as there is little or no financial benefit from doing so and the job is somewhat physical.

Recently I asked you if you
regretted an innocent prisoner being jailed or executed. You remarked that you thought about it for just about a minute. Isn't that rather cold to feel that way about an innocent person. How come?

Asked by Neal Bracken almost 5 years ago

Perhaps I am just cold. Also, perhaps I realize that the job of the DOC is to incarcerate persons committed to it by the courts for the period of time required by law. I have never personally sat on a criminal jury so I feel no level of personal responsibility at all. I think that when such things happen it is regrettable and that the system should take appropriate steps to ensure this happens as little as possible, preferably not at all. That being said if you worry about things like that you will soon be unable to do the job.

What’s your opinion on auditors?

Asked by Cale over 4 years ago

An auditor is someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is and then charges you for the service. OK, that is an oversimplification. If you have a proper admin. set-up where people are doing their job your need for audits should be small and seldom. That being said an occasional audit does serve to keep the people who should be on their toes actually on their toes. They are a pain but an occasionally necessary pain.

What do you do in the case of fire, tornados, earthquakes, etc? What about different units or departments?

Asked by COVID-19 almost 5 years ago

We don't get tornadoes here. During the World Series Earthquake we did another count just to make sure nobody was injured and checked for damages to the fence, etc. not too worried about fire, you have to work real hard to burn reinforced concrete. a cell fire might get the two guys in the cell but is unlikely to spread significantly.

Why are so many child killers getting off. Like Casey Anthony and that cheerleader BITCH.

Asked by Carla over 4 years ago

Stupid juries I suppose. Not exactly my field of expertise. Plus a lot of jurors really think it is supposed to be like Law & Order or Perry Mason and if the bad guy does not confess it doesn't count.