So all went well at the academy and off I go to my first actual prison to work. I lived downstate at the time so I chose a spot located not to far from my home. One big advantage I had which many CO's don't is I never had to commute long distances. Most have to take a job downstate and try and work their way back up North. And eventually, somewhere near where they live ( one of the major reason not to take the job). I was already down that way so I was home every night. OJT (on the job training)is a six week affair unless the State needs you a bit sooner. But they didn't need us all that quick so we got the full six weeks. I reported to a Max jail with a couple others from my class. This particular jail at the time was the main processing center for new Inmates. It was surrounded by a razor covered fence. It was laid out in sections that were all similar in appearance and were color coded. So wherever you were working things were somewhat the same. Made it a bit easier for us. Of course we were "new meat" and were made to do any job they could dream up. I remember one of the things we were doing was processing the New Inmates that came up from a Island jail in the city. Those Inmates looked in various states of fitness and hair styles. But they all left deloused and with the same hair cut. Also most of the time with the same very large boxer under shorts!! I have to say it was comical to say the least to watch them parade through the process all in line. But most were very happy to have gotten out of the last jail they were in. We were also made to do a variety of jobs and shifts for the OJT time period. I made a lot of quick friends and when my time was finished I really wanted to return at the first chance I was given. They all pretty much told me once I got to my first actual assignment I wouldn't come back. They were right I never returned there after getting established at my first permanent assignment.
So while at the Academy they told us we should never ever eat state food. I remember the Instructor saying "don't do it" but then saying "you all will do it". I vowed at the time not to eat Sate food. About the third day working the 4-12 shift while on OJT I did in fact eat State food. It was like a pressure situation!! All the CO's around me were eating and I like to eat so,, I ate. I'm not sure if they can fine me now for that since I'm almost gone but I did break the rules on eating quite quickly. It's a 250 dollar fine and most CO's will tell you that if ever charged they got their money's worth. I only know of one CO that ever got charged the 250. So most don't worry about it all that much. CO's and Supervisor's all the way to Supers eat State food. Some more than others. Anyways on to other broken rules on OJT. I also was encouraged by the regular CO's to play Ping pong. Some of the cell blocks had tables right in the middle of the unit. The Inmates assigned to these units would have most of their rec. right inside. Those Inmates also spent a lot of time "locked in" meaning open ping pong table. I had honed my skills while at the academy and now I knew why they had a table there. We didn't play all that often but I do remember playing ping pong on duty. All in all they gave me a good lesson in Corrections. This jail was "tight". No talking while going to chow. The Inmates walked in order two by two. Commands were given to stop and go. If anyone dared to talk the whole movement would stop until the CO felt like it was time to move again. I thought at the time it was a good system. I also thought that all jails worked like this. I later found out I was wrong about that. It wasn't just playing ping pong and eating food. I saw my first results of a stabbing while working there among other things.. Inmates would be moved to the "Box" when they need to be contained in a more secure environment. Or sometimes they would just be "keep locked". Held in their cells for most of the time. Things that later became routine at my next assignment at GH. There are all types of personalities in this world, and that holds true with CO's . Pretty women (one that I remember seeing and being shocked that she would want to work in prison)and Handsome men work in jails and the opposite is also true ugly ones work there too. Funny people and serious people. All kinds. We were all wearing blue and doing the same job and that bonded us. You need someone to watch your back so to speak. As a "New Jack" I tried to figure out which way I would go when confronted with issues and thought often what a good CO should do. Over the years I have changed quite a bit but still try and hold by that ideal. All in all the OJT training was decent and I figured I'd stick with the job for a while. We filled out a sheet to pick where we would like to be assigned. It was called a "wish list" I wanted to go to GH and I was the only one in our group that picked it number one choice. A few of them looked at me like I was nuts. I was trying to stay as close as possible to home. When our assignments came back I got my choice. Me and one other from my class reported to GH in the summer of 85. He resigned within a year. Went to Florida and did landscaping. He was a good guy and got me into weight lifting. He was from way up North. I sometime wonder what he is doing now. So off to GH which was the same drive time for me, but a very different Max jail.
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