Incidents occur every day, and it is the correctional officer who must intervene to prevent injury. Officers are subjected to constant humiliation, abuse and harassment. Fortunately, this year the Florida Legislature passed new legislation that makes it a felony battery to throw, toss or expel certain fluids or materials on an employee of a correctional facility. DOC has tried for five years to make this a law and are pleased that the lawmakers have come to the same conclusion we have regarding this despicable practice. The inmate's most powerful weapon is to allege abuse.
Many inmates use the courts for the same purpose.
We take these complaints seriously and respond to each and every one. Our department is one of the few in the nation fully accredited by the American Correctional Association. We are reviewed by many outside agencies. I embrace the opportunity to show our operations and to tell our story. We are proud of what we do, and we are correctional officers - not guards.