In my 25 plus years as a criminal
justice professional, I have had the privilege of helping develop and shape
various aspects of officer safety programs. What has been most apparent to me
as an administrator is the need for a clear mission statement and a defined
scope of employment before implementing a program such as a self-protection
chemical-agents class for teachers.
If administrators who develop safety
programs do not clearly define what the duties and functions of staff should
be, the staff themselves will define their purpose.
Likewise, if administrators dismiss
the need for staff safety programs because of the fear of a “blurring of the
mission,” they jeopardize their staff daily until an unfortunate event
occurs.
Both approaches can be equally
threatening to the safety of staff and significantly increase the liability of
the organization.
Organizations must ensure that their
policies, procedures, training, and practices consider the role of staff safety
in the daily operations and duties of a corrections department.
·
The need for an employee / officer safety program should never be
questioned.
·
Administrators must have a clear understanding of the
responsibilities and duties of all staff and ensure that staff safety is the
first and foremost concern.
·
A concern for staff safety is not an argument for enforcement
versus social work.
·
The issue is whether departments require persons to perform job
tasks where risks to safety are foreseeable must be made priority one.
·
The assurances staff are given all the tools they need to carry
out their daily tasks effectively otherwise are they being set up for failure
and exposed to great risk and liability?
Administrators must focus on the safety of all staff through clear policy, practice, and training before addressing the mission of protecting and securing our communities by intervening effectively with offenders.
Employees must receive training
consistent with the needs of respective job classifications and relevant to the
employee’s work assignment – Since the attack on an educational teacher, the
agency has identified key support staff to receive professional staff development
training in the area of personal protection using OC chemical agents as a
defensive tactic device.
The training class should meet minimum requirements as
established by the curriculum lesson plan developed by the Corrections Academy
and set as a performance standard statewide.
The training class should have a specific written plan of
application, purpose, target group and written outlined objectives or
expectations at the end of the class.
A use-of-force continuum, also known
as a continuum of control, subject control policy, or subject management
policy, is a model by which an employee or officer can choose appropriate
verbal and physical reactions to someone’s hostile behavior, stop the behavior,
and establish control—
The agency will establish an
individual training record for each employee and maintain records in designated
system.
In a
nutshell - The training for OC spray lasted 20 minutes. It was originally
scheduled for 2 hours. It gave a very general / generic description of the chemical
agent’s ingredients, where to spray, how to spray and how to hold and practice
spray.
There was no
lesson plan as the training was conducted with hand written notes but the
instructor did refer to Department order # 804 illustrating the need to use
force and describes the use of force continuum.
Since the
department order was not read thoroughly and discussed accordingly the
information gleaned was limited to either past experience as a former
correctional officer or by taking the initiative to read it again after the
class.
Not everyone
in these classes were hired as prior CO’s
, so comprehension levels are questionable
at the least and does not satisfy a test of proficiency on the proper use of
this chemical agent device.
Poor
training causes confusion and confusion at a time there is a threat level will
cause a disaster
The classes
were made up of teachers, ACI supervisors and were conducted on the Eyman
premises where one class was standing room only and the other was partially
filled.
It was inadequate training. What
bothers me that this was the training solution to a very serious issue?
DO 804 was simply mentioned as the use of force policy,
it was not pass around or even read.
It was inadequate training because
It did not help anyone without prior training e.g.
teachers to know what to expect when the inmate doesn't get affected by the
spray.
They need to show at minimum a video on the anger they
will be facing when a individual is sprayed but not affected by the spray.
It should also be shown the effects on individuals who
are hyper sensitive to this spray.
The effects on other staff coming to help if you spray
them.
This type of
training is considered inadequate training in my opinion.
This
Department Order establishes procedures relative to inmate behavior control
situations in which correctional staff may become involved in situations that
require the use of less than lethal and lethal force, firearms, chemical agents
or other weapons or force. In addition, the Department Order describes the
operation of prison detention units as a means to temporarily or permanently
segregate inmates from the general population in order to preserve the safe,
secure and orderly operation of an institution, while also safeguarding the
health and welfare of inmates.
Force shall
only be used after every other reasonable attempt to neutralize the real or
potential danger has been considered and determined ineffectual. The use of
force is reserved for situations where no other reasonable alternative is
available to prevent escape, imminent death, serious bodily harm, or the taking
of hostages. Verbal abuse by inmates does not constitute cause for the use of
force. The use of force shall never be used as punishment or retaliation
This
Department Order is applicable to institutional staff who are authorized to
carry weapons in the performance of their duties, and who may become involved
in situations in which arrest and/or the use of force is required.
This
department order has 12 pages plus four (4) categories related to the use of
force for employees to become familiar with before using any of the use of force
tools listed on the continuum listed within the policy.
804.04 USE OF FORCE – RESTRICTED
804.05 PLANNED USE OF FORCE -
RESTRICTED 804.06 FIREARMS AND OTHER WEAPONS – RESTRICTED
804.07 USE OF FIREARMS - REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS – RESTRICTED
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