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2 years ago my agency did not allow hospital watches or transports to be armed.   Now we carry a pistol, asp, taser, and OC as well as the radio.   A new Sheriff came in and thought corrections deputies needed to be trained more like enforcement and treated as such.   We're getting there.  
Previously only high risk crooks were watched by armed deputies and then only in a double watch with an unarmed deputy.

Oregon DOC still does not arm their corrections officers at the hospitals.  I hate to think what would have happened if it were my wife there.  ( she works for DOC)

The deputy could have shot him, I probably would have.   Let's not second guess the decision to Taser the bad guy right now, we werent there.    With all the LEO involved shootings recently in this area it puts us in a good light to use less lethal when we can.  

I'm glad it turned out right, the good guy went home at the end of his shift and the bad guy went to jail.  

I've got 17 yrs of corrections, most of my OT is weather/Hurricane or inmate escort and most of that is hospital duty. I can tell you this; I will show up 1/2 hr early so that whoever I relieve will pass the weapon (instead of the keys) to me. I will check the weapon. I will check my mags. I will check restraints. I will check the bathroom. I will read the inmates jacket/paperwork. I will not sleep during that 8 hrs.
PS; If I ever have to do time myself... I sincerely hope that I will have a chance to go to the hospital.  
Stay safe

Fortunately here we're either issued a weapon or carry a personally owned one ( if approved) and issued the duty belt and body armor.    We also get trained force on force with simunitions and range 3000.   I think this incident will get us even more training.    Unfortunately we still have to stop by the jail to pick up a taser ( if coming from home) and I often dont as it's 20 miles out of my way.   I might have not had the taser option even though I'm certified with it.   The 5 second ride sucks but take the training if it's offered.  

If the Taser's even half as bad as my Springer Spaniel's shock collar is ...  
Thanks for the heads up. I take EVEYTHING I even think they'll approve me for.   Stay safe

We only have armed duty for level 5 inmates and then there are two officers. If we are OC qualified we can carry that whenever we leave with a crook.

Funny thing is here the risk wasnt from the inmate.   I worry more about other people than the crooks I transport.  This reinforced that belief.

That is a good video and will keep me on my toes next time I go on a trip. Makes you think.

Ok, First Mistake...Why the hell did the C.O./Deputy leave his inmate? A guy asks you to step into the hall, and you do? C.O. is damn lucky to be alive. Didn't he realize he could have been being set up by someone wanting to get at or help his prisoner to escape? WTF?

My JOB is to transport high risk assholes every single day. I do not sleep on a single one of them, even the ones I have known for close to 20 years (its a life career for a lot of criminals). I have had guys I have known for many years decide to bug out either by choice or maybe some meds they stopped taking. You NEVER know.

We do court, prison, hospital, etc. details and I expect my fellow officer to be as aware as I am. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen, but I am not opposed to getting in their ass about it.

I do not walk out of a building when transporting without Body armor,O.C., cuffs, sidearm, PR-24, etc.

Have prisoners been sprayed while in the E/R, hell yes. And if Joe Citizen caused a disturbance in my area that could affect myself or my prisoner, appropriate action will be used on him too.

A lot of officers tend to take this shit WAY too lightly. I can only hope that one day, it does not cost them their life.

Our crooks are chained to the ER bed via leg iron attatched to a heavy tow chain.   He wouldnt go anywhere.   I'm sure it was a momentary WTF on the deputy's part with the guy calling him over.   It happens all the time and depending on the crook I can see where he'd step over to see what's up.  

The purpose of posting this is not to critique what he should have done differently but to make you aware this can happen and that you should lobby your agency to be armed in these sort of tasks.   This IS an officer safety issue and cannot be ignored.    Just because you stay in the room with the crook doesnt mean he wont come right in at you anyhow.   In that case you have 2 attackers to worry about.

Quoted: It happens all the time and depending on the crook I can see where he'd step over to see what's up.

Depending on the crook? If you only knew how many guys that are in lock up at any particular moment for a bullshit charge that have SERIOUS charges elsewhere that just have not popped up yet, you would be amazed. That is why every damn prisoner gets treated the same.

We had a very recent case of a simple probation violation, who was re-arrested as soon as he walked out the door for a murder charge.

I am not trying to criitique the deputies actions, only stating what I know from years of experience.

I've had everything from extremely frail elderly inmates to big nasty ones in the ER.   Yes, depends on the inmate.    County jails get everything from the old man who got the DUI after he went to his wife's funeral to child molesters and murderers.    We probably should treat all crooks the same but frankly we dont.  

Once again, it aint about the crook here it's the other guy.    Corrections agencies are always focused on what the crook can/will do and often forget about the possibility of other people causing hate and discontent.    

Texas arms one officer, but only with S&W 65, and 6 rds. the other officer(s) are unarmed except OC.  No body armor, no batons, no radios.  




Army MPI
Former CO TDCJ-ID