We have seen an intimidating, self-righteous, simmering anger erupt from an officer in defense of a person unable to defend himself. The incident ended when the man killed himself with a gunshot to the head. The officer went home to little children waiting to celebrate Father's Day with their daddy. The duality of life and human nature is nowhere more apparent than in a police department. When volunteers are prepared for this, there is no place more rewarding to be of service.
Security always comes first.
Volunteers need to be able to recognize danger signals when working with inmates and to identify contraband, which includes many seemingly harmless items. A good working relationship with the officers is essential. This means informing them of changes in program plans and understanding that the officers are there for their protection. Inmates may manipulate and deceive volunteers to gain special privileges. For this reason, volunteers are told not to give inmates their address or phone number and to be cautious about sharing personal information about themselves or their family.