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Had to Fire someone yesterday
txlawdog
Member Posts: 10,039 ✭✭
Had a guy yesterday that had brought snuff into some inmates and had another can on him! He admitted to it, fired him and arrested him on the spot. I will never understand why someone would do something like that. He had worked for the Sheriff's Office for 15 years, he was over 60 years old. Stupid, just plain stupid.
Comments
Remember,(as I see it) he fired himself, you really didn't.[;)]
Tobacco. The number one most sought after contraband substance by inmates.
Felony, eh?
That guy had a bad day. And had it coming.
How much does a can of snuff go for?
How much does a pack of Marlboro Red go for?
If it's snuff today its something bigger the next time. Once they get you to start being a mule for them they got their hooks in you, and will not allow you to stop. Ether you do it, or they tell and get you in trouble anyway. Ether way he was going to get caught, and he knew it. He knew the score, and he must have known what was going to happen if he got caught.
Trinity +++
I am just curious as to how valuable this stuff is.
I have a buddy who was in Federal prison in the nineties but tobacco was still legal then.
He told me 90 percent of the cons smoked.
I wouldn't have wanted to be the warden the day tobacco was made illegal.
If the 60 yr old ex-employee knew the rules he shouldn't have broken them. If he got caught this time, he more than likely didn't get caught the other times he violated the rules.
Regardless, you're dealing with prisoners, not the salt of the earth!
You are a jerk for firing this 60 year old man and ruining his life over a can of snuff. You could have warned him at least and I am sure he would have yielded to the warning. He probably looked at it as an act of kindness to someone in dire frustration. Older people realize kindness for fellow man. Younger people in authority are over zealous and without wisdom. No flexability = no proper judgement, no mercy, no tolerance. You of course have never made an exception, mistake or done the first thing wrong in your life so it's ok for you to jump on this like a raging lion on this old guy. I am sure you have many alocates from people just like you. I hope you get a comendation that you can put on the wall to look at and remind you of the 60 year old life you destroyed over this grand rule infraction. But you were just doing your job, right? I am sure it helps to bragg about it on a public forum.
This "rule infraction" = breakin the law, did you miss the part about him being arrested, or just fly off the handle? That moron ruined his own career by doin what he did. You have never worked this field so of course you don't understand.
I feel that these officers are along the same lines as the officers who violate peoples rights or will throw down a joint or a gun and say that its yours. They are crooked, there is not room in law enforcment for those type of folks.
If he had just forgotten the snuff in his pocket, that one thing, he might could have saved his job. When you deliver something to an inmate, thats another story. It changes the culpability.
I have only been in the jail less than a year, but inmates are worse than other crooks, they have nothing but time on their hands to get folks to do something for them. In my short time at this assignment, I have had about 5 that have messed up like that. Drugs, sex, tobacco, its a shame. Inmates are cons, I guess thats why they are in jail.
I really was not bragging, had I been bragging or looking for a pat on the back, I might have posted his name, or a link to the news story. Its pretty embarassing that this happens, but people are human, they can't help but be weak sometimes.
I wanted to point out that its this small percentage of crooked Law Enforcement that give us good guys a bad name and get us bashed to bits in a public forum such as this at times.
Only one person can get you in trouble, thats you.
You sir are the jerk for saying what you did.
How many times are LEO's attacked here on GB for having double standards?
I think there is a post about that on GB right now.
Now when law enforcement steps up to the plate and does the right thing and holds an LEO accountale you say it is too harsh.
You just can't win.[V]
Trinity +++
You are a jerk for firing this 60 year old man and ruining his life over a can of snuff. You could have warned him at least and I am sure he would have yielded to the warning. He probably looked at it as an act of kindness to someone in dire frustration. Older people realize kindness for fellow man. Younger people in authority are over zealous and without wisdom. No flexability = no proper judgement, no mercy, no tolerance. You of course have never made an exception, mistake or done the first thing wrong in your life so it's ok for you to jump on this like a raging lion on this old guy. I am sure you have many alocates from people just like you. I hope you get a comendation that you can put on the wall to look at and remind you of the 60 year old life you destroyed over this grand rule infraction. But you were just doing your job, right? I am sure it helps to bragg about it on a public forum.
Better get that hole in your heart fixed. It's bleeding.[xx(]
I am sure you want mercy but not willing to give it.
He committed a felony while working as a corrections officer.
Mercy? Stupid.
Whatever happened to a verbal or written warning for a first infraction??? Firing a person with that kind of longevity for a first offense seems like an over reaction. Of course, I am basing this opinion not knowing ALL of the facts and circumstances.
The warning you get is when IA approaches you and hands you an official letter that they are investigating you for certain suspicions. Then they come out with their findings and recommend whatever they feel is the right course of action.
He introduced contraband into a penal instituion which is a crime, while he was in service. There isn't much forgiveness for that type of action, its one small thing today and somethin alot more serious the next.
If he had accidently left it in his pocket and just brought it inside then went back out, thats a different story. But to bring in a prohibited substance, deliver it to an inmate has a whole different set of rules. In addition, he had done this with more than one inmate, multiple times.
As well as the fact that he had another can on him, was he going to keep on doing it?
We were way past the internal only stage.
I thought, "Maybe the inmates were lying." We know that happens at times, folks make things up. But when he had a fresh can in his pocket, it was clear that he was going to continue to violate the law.
I did what I could, at least I got him a PR bond. We for sure didn't want him in the same jail he had been working in.
Had a guy yesterday that had brought snuff into some inmates and had another can on him! He admitted to it, fired him and arrested him on the spot. I will never understand why someone would do something like that. He had worked for the Sheriff's Office for 15 years, he was over 60 years old. Stupid, just plain stupid.
Anyone who brings in any type contraband for an inmate should be fired. Our number #1 priority is protecting the safety of the public and staff, when a co-worker turns to the other side and brings in contraband for an inmate it puts the rest of us that work behind the walls in jeopardy. It starts with tobacco and then leads to cellphones, drugs, and possibly a cuff key? And once you start you can't stop, an inmate will turn on you in a heartbeat, no inmate is worth losing your job for. The money these people make for bringing inmates contraband isn't worth losing your family, home or a fellow co-worker for. In the last three years we in the State of Maryland have lost two fellow correctional officers, one was murdered on the tier at a prison by inmates while doing rounds in a prison filled with corruption and thankfully that prison has been shut down. Another Correctional Officer was killed while on duty with an inmate at the hospital, the inmate wrestled the man's gun away from him and shot him in an escape attempt that didn't work out for him. Anyone that brings contraband in for these scum should live in a cell with them. Inmates are doing time for breaking the law and should have to serve their sentence being miserable, give em' three meals a day and forget about them.
He is bringing in snuff this week, next week he will be bringing in meth, maybe next month it will be a .38
This guy has been on the job a long time, he knows the rules, word for word. Like most criminals, he didn't get caught the first time, he has probably been doing this for years.
These inmates are wily, they know the guard has committed a felony, thus, they have him over a barrel. They can blackmail hell out of him.
Tell him, a bag of meth and a .38 next week or I will turn you in to the Warden!
For God's sake you have to try to enforce these prison rules, enough crazy stuff goes on in prison as it is.
Now, I am just curious, but what does a can of snuff go for in the joint?
I saw a documentary on a jail in California, a single Marlboro was going for two bucks out there.
We can't and shouldn't have double standards, it's against the law for a visitor to do it they would also be arrested.
You can't fix stupid no matter how hard you try, stupid is as stupid does. He knew what it would cost if he got caught, wasn't like suddenly it's a no no in the jail.
Thank you txlawdog, have a good day.
Ah yes!
Tobacco. The number one most sought after contraband substance by inmates.
Felony, eh?
That guy had a bad day. And had it coming.
I hear that Cellphones are becoming hot commodity being smuggled into correctional facilities/jails. Ya'll have much of a problem with those?
I expect if Tx had not taken action, he himself would have been disciplined.
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
Ah yes!
Tobacco. The number one most sought after contraband substance by inmates.
Felony, eh?
That guy had a bad day. And had it coming.
I hear that Cellphones are becoming hot commodity being smuggled into correctional facilities/jails. Ya'll have much of a problem with those?
Yep, We have had quite a few deputies fired over this very issue.
Then I realized that the snuff could have been anything including weapons. I think that if a guard is willing to bring in any contriband he would be willing to, or be conned into, bringing anything else in.
I say you did the right thing, it would have been easy to turn you back on this, but you didn't, you stood behind your oath and obeyed the law and I applaud you. Men like this are necessary, and should not be malinged or berated for doing there job.
Thank you txlawdog.
Sheriff's office is an at will employer.[;)]
I hate that excuse. To me it's just smoke to cover the real reason at times.[;)]
To me employers should have the respect and decency to give reason for termination.
JM
What he did was a FELONY folks. You people screaming lawsuit have no earthly idea what you are talking about.
I remember sayin something similar to that somewhere in this post.[B)]
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain