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Question regarding DOC Officers

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Posted by: misty573

Hello All,,

I'm a first time poster and have worked in the corrections ( County ) fields int the past, and plan on taking the Doc exam.


I watched a documentary on the DOC about a month ago and it showed officers in a light blue shirt and dark blue pants ,, then I just recently watched another documentary on tv abouth the SBCC and the Officers were in a BDU style uniform.

1. Does the different uniforms depict different Jobs?
2. Do the Officers carry any hancuffs or O.C.
3. I know a the county level we took our radios home, do the D.O.C. officers doe this?


Posted by: fjmas1976

Quote:
Originally Posted by misty573
Hello All,,

I'm a first time poster and have worked in the corrections ( County ) fields int the past, and plan on taking the Doc exam.


I watched a documentary on the DOC about a month ago and it showed officers in a light blue shirt and dark blue pants ,, then I just recently watched another documentary on tv abouth the SBCC and the Officers were in a BDU style uniform.

1. Does the different uniforms depict different Jobs?
2. Do the Officers carry any hancuffs or O.C.
3. I know a the county level we took our radios home, do the D.O.C. officers doe this?
It depends on the Correctional Institution you work at. At Souza-Baranowski the CO's wear BDU's......at Cedar Junction they wear light blue shirts/blue pants. I am in the DOC academy now (RTC 294) and we were issued EVERYTHING. Doesn't make sense to me, you would think it would be one uniform and not varying and different at each facility.

Radios stay at the facilities and are accounted for at the beginning and end of every shift. No handcuffs and no O.C.........just a whistle and a radio.


Posted by: KozmoKramer

Misty - where did you see the SBCC video? I havent seen that one yet, but I there was an excellent documentary on CourtTV showcasing the Walpole (MCI-Cedar Junction) IPS team. One of our regular DOC members replied that the video of Walpole was several years old, but it was very interesting to watch.

I'd like to see the SBCC footage if you can point me in the right direction, thanks.

ALSO, DOC guys, why the traditional uniform in one facility, but BDU's in another?


Posted by: misty573

The Show was on yesterday on A&E I do believe, It was in regards to building maximun security prisons. It showed some pretty cool stuff and alot of different prisons around the country.

They showed stuff like the unit control office, a portable telephone on wheels so the inamet does not have to be released from the cell, and a portable exray machine that is rolled into the unit that is used in shell shakes and searches.


Posted by: misty573

Quote:
Originally Posted by misty573
The Show was on yesterday on A&E I do believe, It was in regards to building maximun security prisons. It showed some pretty cool stuff and alot of different prisons around the country.

They showed stuff like the unit control office, a portable telephone on wheels so the inamet does not have to be released from the cell, and a portable exray machine that is rolled into the unit that is used in shell shakes and searches.

**** Correct my own spelling ****


---Cell Shakes---


Posted by: KozmoKramer

Thanks Misty.


Posted by: misty573

Quote:
Originally Posted by KozmoKramer
Misty - where did you see the SBCC video? I havent seen that one yet, but I there was an excellent documentary on CourtTV showcasing the Walpole (MCI-Cedar Junction) IPS team. One of our regular DOC members replied that the video of Walpole was several years old, but it was very interesting to watch.

I'd like to see the SBCC footage if you can point me in the right direction, thanks.

ALSO, DOC guys, why the traditional uniform in one facility, but BDU's in another?

KozmoKramer,,

Regarding the uniforms

Thats what I didn't understand and hopefully some of the senior members can chime in on this. I cant understand why there would not be the same uniform across the board.

To me this doesn't make sense , but then again maybe thats the answer


Posted by: Barbrady

Quote:
Originally Posted by fjmas1976
It depends on the Correctional Institution you work at. At Souza-Baranowski the CO's wear BDU's......at Cedar Junction they wear light blue shirts/blue pants. I am in the DOC academy now (RTC 294) and we were issued EVERYTHING. Doesn't make sense to me, you would think it would be one uniform and not varying and different at each facility.

Radios stay at the facilities and are accounted for at the beginning and end of every shift. No handcuffs and no O.C.........just a whistle and a radio.
I have not worked behind the walls in awhile but tell me they did not take away handcuffs. And last I knew everyone wore BDU's, everyone was issued the dress uniform(light blue/blue) but never wore them. There were talks of going back to wearing the dress uniform.


Posted by: Delta784

I saw that special about Walpole also, and IIRC, some CO's wore the light/dark blue traditional uniform shirt, while others wore the BDU's. I assumed the BDU CO's were on some type of tactical unit.

I've dropped off prisoners at the Bridgewater detox several times, and the CO's I've seen there have always worn the BDU's.


Posted by: SGT_GRUNT_USMC

http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/doc/policies/224.pdf

Here's the DOC policy on uniforms for you future CO's.CO's don't carry OC or any type of weapons around inmates.Genarally just radio, cuffs, and keys.flashlight optional.Some posts you might not even have cuffs and/or radio.radio and cuffs are intitutional issue.they are traded off during shift changes.most CO's don't even wear a duty belt.


Posted by: SGT_GRUNT_USMC

Quote:
Originally Posted by fjmas1976
It depends on the Correctional Institution you work at. At Souza-Baranowski the CO's wear BDU's......at Cedar Junction they wear light blue shirts/blue pants. I am in the DOC academy now (RTC 294) and we were issued EVERYTHING. Doesn't make sense to me, you would think it would be one uniform and not varying and different at each facility.

Radios stay at the facilities and are accounted for at the beginning and end of every shift. No handcuffs and no O.C.........just a whistle and a radio.
How's the academy? Is it still "paramilitary"? I was in RTC 272.It was only 7 weeks then.

Semper Fi,


Posted by: WMPERK4

Quote:
Originally Posted by SGT_GRUNT_USMC
How's the academy? Is it still "paramilitary"? I was in RTC 272.It was only 7 weeks then.

Semper Fi,

I am in with fjmas, in class 294 and it is still paramilitary. It is now 10 weeks long. The one thing that they talk about that may be different is in a couple of weeks the academy is turned into a mock institution and we will run it like one. Some of us will be CO's and the rest will act as inmates.


Posted by: DEVO

BDU's are worn at every institution, class A(light blue) are rarely ever worn, graduation, funerals, etc. never in the institution. The documentary that you are refering to was years ago and corrections has changed dramatically. Whistles are a thing of the past also


Posted by: fjmas1976

Quote:
Originally Posted by DEVO
BDU's are worn at every institution, class A(light blue) are rarely ever worn, graduation, funerals, etc. never in the institution. The documentary that you are refering to was years ago and corrections has changed dramatically. Whistles are a thing of the past also
So I don't have to worry about wearing those light blue things wherever I finally get assigned to?


Posted by: thesarge

Misty,

The DOC has switched to the BDU style uniforms statewide as of about 3 years ago. They may have the option at Walpole to wear the light shirts (which are considered Class A uniforms, basically used for funerals, and honor guard events), although I cannot confirm this at the time of this posting. They may have the option at Walpole during the summer months to wear this uniform because of the heat conditions where it is a lighter uniform -- that is the only thing I can think of why they would still be in this uniform. I know all other DOC facilities wear the BDU's for line staff Co's. Officers carry handcuffs, but not O.C. The answer to your third question, DOC officer do not take radios home, they remain at the institutions, as do all the other equipment including keys and handcuffs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by misty573
Hello All,,

I'm a first time poster and have worked in the corrections ( County ) fields int the past, and plan on taking the Doc exam.


I watched a documentary on the DOC about a month ago and it showed officers in a light blue shirt and dark blue pants ,, then I just recently watched another documentary on tv abouth the SBCC and the Officers were in a BDU style uniform.

1. Does the different uniforms depict different Jobs?
2. Do the Officers carry any hancuffs or O.C.
3. I know a the county level we took our radios home, do the D.O.C. officers doe this?



Posted by: GateKeeper

Class A's (light blues) are a thing of the past. I don't know of any place that wears them, regardless of time of year, institution or funerals. Maybe during graduation from the academy, to which haven't seen any of those other then my own so I really can not comment. Regarding climate, when we were first issued short sleeved BDU's for the summer, they were made of the same heavy material as the long sleeved winter issued BDU's (whiched sucked) so some places could've worn the light blue uniform. Now we have a lighter material issued short sleeved BDU for the summer time.

I have attended many funerals over the years and the dress code was always BDU's, something I never agreed with. It always felt like we were going to move on the casket, but that was the dress code. I truly believe the DOC wants us to look like dopes in the public's eye. And if I new the person who died fairly well, I left the uniform behind. Most with time in respect the person more then the job, that being the DOC in the way things are being done now. Most don't even wear the uniform to and from work. The IPS dept. wears a different uniform all the time. TRT & SRT wear a different uniform when the are activated. The only branch currenty using different uniforms is State Trans who wear semi-street clothes. State Trans take inmates to and from court, medical appointments and family funerals. And they are so short staffed lately so half the time it's a few CO's from the prison doing that detail in BDU's.

There are no take home equipment other then your uniform you are wearing and chits you are given. SRT and HRT (High Risk Transport, part of State Trans) are allowed to take home their weapons. Everything must be accounted for at the begining and ending of you tour.

Some place's you will have cuff's, so you will not. Forget about being issued OC or any type of gas unless your on a move team and authorized, trained to use it.




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