Here's the long version. Bear with me, please...
In 1977 I needed a job. I was working construction by day and GI Billing my way towards a Psych degree at night. As you know,construction is weather driven, if it rains you don't work.
On the advice of a friend, I took the test. Scored 99th percentile,and started at the Md House of Correction Oct 5, 1977. Broke up two fights my first day, and did not know when I left if I'd come back in the next morning. I did, and that may have been a mistake.
The MD House of Corruption,uh,Correction, was a zoo. Inadequately staffed by largely incompetent thugs morally indistinguishable from the clientele, corruption was so rife that I spent as much time watching my co workers as the inmates. And, by and large I was by myself. Racism was rife,and I'm no bigot.So, the White bigots didn't do anything to help me and the Black bigots hated me on GPs.
I ducked through a couple of setups, took a a large amount of marijuana away from two inmates ahd had a contract on me for 100 packs,got stabbed,punched, bit and so on.
BTW, my usual post during my first year was on the West Wing, an area that a Federal Prison Inspector referred to in an official report as, "The innermost circle of Hell".
Somehow I held on, acquired a somewhat inflated reputation as a rumble artist, kept a knife in my boot, and was smoking two packs of cigarettes per shift.
After a couple more years, I made Sgt in near record time for a male,and transferred out, following a "Major Disturbance" which included another setup that damn near got me killed,wounded or taken hostage in 1981.
Then I stayed a Sgt for 6 years, scoring in the top 3 on the test, and running whatever they gave me with the dregs of officers that I was given. I trained EVERY rookie on shift, and if they had a modicum of brains, talent, or courage,I didn't see them much afterwards.
During this period, I also served as a firearms instructor, and was dropped when a Capt's squeeze wanted me to pencilwhip her score sheet so she wouldn't have to stand in the hot sun and shoot.I refused,and was off the instructor's roster in hours...
Made Lt in 89,and then stayed a Lt for over ten years. They promoted people that I had trained on their first day to Major while I stayed a Lt on midnight shift. I was told by one able Capt I should have been a Major under 15, but the Brass would promote a dead man before they'd promote me. To this day, I've trouble wondering why. I was honest, hard working and just plain good. Maybe that was the problem.
For the record,NO officer under my direct supervision needed any medical attention beyond first aid in all that time as a Sgt and Lt. This was in Medium and Maximum security institutions, including the Md House of Correction(Known as the Cut from all the stabbings) Patuxent Institution(Where Harris did his research for Silence of the Lambs) and MD Correctional Institution-Jessup.That;s a record.
At the end of 97, it came to a head between the brass and myself. There was a Capt who I had to wake up to report to, there was a bunch of homeboys who regarded me as a threat,and some trumped up charges were filed. As soon as my lawyer talked to them, the State settled out of court and I retired PDQ. A happier man never left Jessup.
Here's some facts, they might not have given you at the Academy.
The stress here cuts your life expectancy. Mine,according to the insurance folks, is 12 years less than it would have been.
Half of retirees from LE positions die within 5 years of retirment date. IOW, statistically speaking, my chances of living another 3 years are 50-50. I'm 53....
We hacks have the HIGHEST divorce rate in America.
We have the second highest suicide rate.
We have, on the average, twice as many coronary and heart problems as our peer groups.If you're on night shift, that doubles.
And, we see the worst people under the worst
circumstances. This has its effect. Walking up to me and slapping me on the back is not a good idea,and I tend to be armed to go get the mail.
If there's any questions, feel free to ask.
Dave, AKA
Lt B D McCracken, Md Dept of Public Safety and Correctional Services....
