S04: Alan: Police Officer

[Whimsy]

ALAN

As a police officer, Alan is hurt by the current lack of respect he and his fellow officers are experiencing. He feels the media has turned America against law enforcement, and he wants to remind the country that the police are not bad people, by leading by example and illuminating their humanity.

Alan believes if he can experience and understand the reality of an inmate he will be better equipped when he is patrolling the streets and dealing with teens that are heading down the wrong path. He’s upset that social and racial problems are often pinned on the police, and with the new knowledge he will gain from the program, he plans to guide the younger generation towards a more positive attitude towards law enforcement.

Furthermore, as an officer, Alan deals with correctional officers on a daily basis and is frustrated with their poor training, negative attitude and unprofessionalism. He wants to join this program in order to bring attention to the need for proper training of correctional officers and hopefully convey some of the merit and honor that has been denied police officers over the last few years.

Colonel Adger believes that Alan has the training and experience to be able to identify and expose possible corruption, particularly pertaining to correctional officers as he already interacts with them on a daily basis and is attuned to illegal activity.

[Bridget]

I'm glad that Alan has gone into this without the attitude of "I'm in law enforcement and these people deserve to be here." He's made some spot on observations that I can't wait to see him later discuss with Colonel Adger, whether it's about the dire conditions of the cells or about how some some of the COs conduct themselves.

When he said he would be fired if he behaved like certain COs  (I can relate 100%. I teach high school & that rule applies to all professions, not just law enforcement...not that I'd ever be horrible to students), along with the scene with the DART team leader verbally disrespect the inmates, it made me angry on behalf of the inmates. I don't feel bad for the knucklehead inmates who stir the pot and mouth off to the staff though. The staff who was swearing, along with using the N word, at the inmates is inexcusable. I realize when your buttons are pushed, It's harder to be the bigger person (everyday challenge for me at times!), but these COs need some type of professional development to learn how to deal with the inmates.

I know money and resources are severely limited, but if it was possible, the improvement needs to start with those who work in jails. It's my understanding that the turnover rate of people who work in corrections is incredibly high, but I'd like to think there are solutions to this problem.

The staff should be required to have psych screenings (if they don't) before being hired. Regular group therapy with the staff, or 1:1 sessions, to "let it all out" and learn some coping techniques would help so that all staff members are able to conduct themselves in a bit more of a professional manner, no matter how bad their day is. The jail administration (very similar to a school's administration team) can say how "they'd do it if they were dealing with the inmates", but I know the colonel and his immediate staff members aren't with the incarcerated men and women as often as those who are the inmates in a daily basis.

I think we can all agree that the inmates act up because they are straight up bored! Zero stimulation for them at all (which participants have said several times) = people go crazy. I am not excusing their behavior, but before any activities or group classes can take place, the staff members need to be in the right head space to even want to think about taking a group of inmates into a room for any activity or a classes that stimulate their brains.

I am looking forward to seeing Alan debrief with the colonel and on the Tell All special!

[Lynnlynnlynn586]

I was shocked tonight the cop crying and carrying on wow...

[Bostongirl]

I think he actually learned a lot from this experience, hopefully it will make him a better cop and identify better with suspects.

[Chaos Theory]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:54 PM, Lynnlynnlynn586 said:

I was shocked tonight the cop crying and carrying on wow...

 

18 hours ago, Bostongirl said:

I think he actually learned a lot from this experience, hopefully it will make him a better cop and identify better with suspects.

Cops are human like anyone else.  He is under a lot of stress just like everyone else and has a young kid at home.  From what I have seen he has been handling himself fairly well mixing in with the gangs.  Yes there have been a few hickups but nothing to put him on the idiot list with Matt, Stephanie, Emmanuel and Angele