The Thin Grey Line: Who Are We?

According to Wikipedia, the definition of a jailer is a prison officer or corrections officer, also known as a Correctional Law Enforcement Officer, or less formally as a prison guard˛a uniformed law enforcement official responsible for the custody, supervision, safety, and regulation of prisoners.

For a less formal definition, I think it depends on whom you ask. Some view us as insignificant and less than others. The illegitimate children of law enforcement. To others, we are every derogatory name in the book. But to me, many others, and hopefully to yourself, we are so much more. Detention and correction officers are the superheroes who work behind bars, glass, and cement. We are the keepers of nightmares. We come face-to-face with the monsters of the world daily, but we do not get to view them as monsters. They are to be viewed as a person. We do not get to see the crimes they have committed against others. Our personal feelings about murderers, sex offenders, and abusers are not allowed to come with us behind bars, glass, and cement.

How Do We Do It?

We are the ones who wear many hats throughout our course of duty. We perform many tasks from simple ones like feeding, laundry exchange, med pass, and getting the inmates/offenders medical care to more critical tasks like performing CPR, applying pressure when they have cut themselves, holding them up when they’ve tried to hang themselves, breaking up fights, and so many others. Willingly placing ourselves in harm’s way every time we walk through the doors of the facility. Detention and corrections officers work in a controlled yet uncontrolled environment. We deal with humans, and humans are unpredictable.

We turn the other cheek when we have been assaulted physically and verbally. We do not allow our emotions to override our intelligence. Over time we learn to trust our instincts and follow our intuition. Throughout our careers, our coworkers become our second family. You rely on that family for support. That family is your backup and helps you maintain order in the area you are assigned to work. This is the family that understands your struggles and knows what you deal with regularly. This family is where you vent your frustrations, and they are a resource to help you continue to advance and excel. These are the people who understand the twisted sense of humor that you have come to adopt as a coping mechanism.

What Is the Cost?

We are a special breed of people. An exclusive club if you will. Not everyone can do the job we do, and not everyone is ready to pay the consequences of the job. At the end of the day, you wish you could go home, and everyone could understand what your day was like, but on the other hand, you thank God they have no idea. We carry the things we’ve seen and heard with us tucked away and pray that no one opens Pandora’s box. We become secret keepers. Not out of malice or ill will, but so that those that matter most will hopefully never have to know how truly evil the world can be. We are the human shields for those we love, which often leaves us with anxiety and the feeling of the weight of the world on our shoulders. We become helicopter parents. Our children do not understand why we are adamant about knowing every detail of their plans.

We master the art of flipping the switch and turning off feelings and emotions to perform our duties without bias or prejudice. This is a great tool for work but can be detrimental to your personal life. Every time you flip that switch it gets harder and harder to turn the feelings and emotions back on. They say the inmates become institutionalized, and, to some degrees, so do we. Everywhere you go you’re scanning for risks and threats. Your back is always towards the wall, and never turned to where you can’t see what’s coming. Sound familiar? Some call it hypervigilance. To us, that’s just life.

What Is Our Purpose?

The heart is attributed with love, life, and all that is valued globally. We are not the heart. The heart is our family and friends. The lungs filter much-needed oxygen to the blood and filter out carbon dioxide from the body. The citizens we serve are the lungs. These are the people that support us in our daily duties. Without their support, our positions wouldn’t exist, and we would not have the equipment necessary to perform our duties. We are the rib cage additionally known as the thoracic cage. The rib cage must protect the heart and lungs. It keeps them safe and allows them to thrive, grow, and do beautiful things. A rib cage may not be as glorious as the heart or lungs, but without the rib cage, the heart nor lungs can survive. The job description and daily tasks of correction officers are not illustrious and often downright disgusting, but they are essential in maintaining order within the community.

Why Do We Do It?

There are several reasons why people get into this profession. The main two reasons are generally a gateway to patrol, or because the agency had openings when a job was in need. Over time many cease to view this as a job and start seeing it as a career. Once viewed as a career your opportunities are abundant. There is room to move to other departments within the agency, as well as the opportunity to be promoted to a higher rank. Career-oriented persons become an elite group of individuals steadfast in their commitment to honor and integrity. Vigorous to do their part to protect and serve their community. We are ardent about our duties and proud of the service we provide.

Who Are We?

The long answer is we are everyday people who choose to work in an environment that is physically and mentally taxing. The people who do not need to be in the limelight. The behind-the-scenes individuals who help keep the justice system running like a well-oiled machine. We are children, parents, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and even grandparents that love ferociously. We have seen evil face to face because of that, we know the importance of holding those we love closely. Although the weight gets heavy and sometimes seems unbearable, we can see the good in the world.

The short answer is that only the elite group of men and women that choose this profession to make their careers would understand.

We’re the brothers and sisters of the Thin Grey Line.

On a personal note, over the years I have had the honor and privilege of meeting and working with some of the people I am closest to, to this day. I have made friendships that have impacted me and my life profoundly. Working in this field has allowed me to provide for my family. What started as a job has become a career. A career that I am proud of and plan to continue to advance in. My wish is that this article has reached you and reminded you of the impact you have as an officer. During the tough days remember not every day can be great, sometimes you’re going to have to settle for all right, or even just making it home. My aspiration is for you to hold your head up high and be proud of the services you provide. When you can’t be proud of yourself, know I am proud of you. Remain safe, and alert, and make it home to those that matter most.

__________________________________

Lieutenant Wendy Hammonds has been employed at the Ellis County Detention Center in Waxahachie, Texas since October 2005. She was promoted to the position of Sergeant in 2012 and to Lieutenant in 2016. For more information, she can be contacted at wendy.hammonds@elliscounty.texas.gov.