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.
Yes. Quite a bit. The population has gone down very considerably due to "realignment" and changes in sentencing laws. Inmates are serving shorter sentences and the Covid infection has impacted things considerably towards staff and prisoners both. The death penalty is suspended (not that it has really been operational for almost 20 years anyway) and the politics of the system has swung very much towards the "warm and fuzzy" model of corrections.
We are peace officers under a different section of the penal code than "street cops." Our authority is limited to the course of our employment, which is, generally speaking, persons and locations under control of the department. We could arrest a person who interfered with, say for instance, the transport or medical treatment of a prisoner off grounds.
I had a friend whose husband worked there. I worked for the state for another agency at the time (not peace officer) when I saw a newspaper ad. I answered it. It appealed to my sense of structure, I thought it was worthwhile from a social benefit perspective and the pay, benefits and promotional opportunities were very good.
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.
Navy Officer (Former)
School Bus Driver
Zookeeper and Animal Trainer
I don't think about it at all. I have many other things to think about to keep my brain occupied.
No. I consider myself an honorably retired cop. Nice, but hardly heroic.
Wear them, and push the button when it seems appropriate.
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