I had no idea what to expect walking into the jail, but reflecting on the experience now, I can definitely say it was a something that I will never forget. Sheriff Thompson made the experience informative and personal which kept me engaged the whole time. One of the first topics that stuck with me was the rights infringement of privacy; Thompson told us that as soon as we walked in the door, we were being watched. He added that “there is no place to hide.” I can’t begin to imagine what the inmates feel like knowing they are watched 24/7. Thompson also talked about some of his worst days, but I was more intrigued by how he dealt with those worst days. He said focuses his passion on the positive aspects of the job and being able to engage with the community (especially kids). “I haven’t made the impact I want yet,” said Thompson when talking about the engagement he wants out of his department. I found it reassuring that he didn’t just want to pull people over, give out tickets, or bust down doors all day (which is what I picture most cops doing). Thompson flat-out said, “sometimes this job sucks,” but with the engagement he is trying to build and his leadership, I think the department will become family oriented and even more involved with the community. I also found the topic of gang member inmates interesting. I did not think that cops separated inmates based on gang affiliation just because it seems like such a silly task for officers to do, but hearing about the fights that break out I see the importance of the separation. Thompson also talked about working with the media to inform the community as effectively as possible; however, some information is released vaguely until more evidence can be provided. The last thing that will stick with me from the discussion with Thompson, is how officers treat inmates knowing what they did to be in jail. The inmates still need to be treated with respect and dignity, and no judgement should be passed until after the trial. A lot of the inmates come in having a mental illness that officers need to understand and figure out how to deal with. “Inmates are still someone’s brother, mom, friend and should be treated like anyone else,” Thompson added.
The next part of the experience was the tour. I especially liked seeing the monitor room where two ladies had eyes on the entire facility. This job, to me, would be one of the hardest because those people monitoring are responsible for the safety of every officer in the building. Another part of the tour was actually going into one of the inmate pods; I figured that the inmates would be in their cells, but that was not the case. When our group walked in, the inmates were all sitting around tables playing games and talking amongst themselves. I remember noticing how quiet it was and how uncomfortable I felt. I felt as if I was invading their privacy and looking at them as less than what they are; I couldn’t stop thinking about what they could have done to be put in here. Everything else in the pod looked very organized and stale, kind of what I expected. My group also had the opportunity to go into the dispatch room; all I kept thinking about in here was the movie The Call. It was exciting to hear the ladies working answering calls and sending out officers on the job.
Many students will never get to experience what it felt like to be an outsider in an inmate pod or hear a sheriff talk about his worst day. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity and never take for granted the things I have been given.
Journalism & Law 