In every career, not excluding ours, there are times when things hit the fan and four letter expletives somehow reinforce the urgency of the situation. With this in mind, here are some stories that are food for thought.
In an undisclosed county jail commercial power to the building was lost by a car striking a utility pole. Normally the generator would have kicked in and taken care of the job. Unfortunately the generator was down (11 hours) for repairs (a part was to be replaced the following morning).
The jail had a couple dozen flashlights, but only five flashlights were found working and in good order. The good guys still won in end, but their jobs were much harder.
This incident also revealed the fact that only 20% of the working staff knew what keys worked the locks in their area.
In another undisclosed county jail, there was a small riot put in force by 15 inmates. Later it was discovered that the other cell blocks did not want to participate in the riot, but knew of its existence.
The riot suppression materials had been moved to a different storage area, but staff was unaware of this. Jump to the end of the story: 2 deputies hospitalized, 13 inmates treated by medical staff, and 12 lawsuits filed.
In this case, the riot may not have built to the level that it did if the first responding deputies had access to the gear they needed.
We rely on equipment to do our job almost every day. Know where your equipment is and that it is functioning properly. The first person to give you the highest level of personal security is you. Take the time and the initiative. Your family believes you’re worth it; make sure you make it home to see them.