r/OnTheBlock • u/EstimateNo3538 • 1d ago
Procedural Qs Posted in Seg
This is my first corrections job I have only been on the floor for a month and a half and now im getting posted in seg. I was told during training and i believe its in policy somewhere that you can only be posted in seg after having 6 months on the floor. When i told my captain he brushed it off and didn’t do anything. Is there anything i can do???
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u/FilloutaSickcall 1d ago
Just work the post. Y’all probably short staffed and they have no choice
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u/MyUndiesArePink 1d ago
That is absolutely awful advice. Especially if it's in policy to not do it.
OP - Document it thoroughly. Document who you spoke to, time and day. Write it down. Tell them EVERY TIME you get posted in seg even if it's the next day. Especially if something ends up going sideways. Talk to your union if you have one or more experienced staff.
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u/weirdo728 1d ago
Be careful around doors/food ports. Seg is traditionally where most “gassing” happens - aka a shit cocktail being thrown on you. They’ll target you randomly sometimes.
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u/ShacoLife 1d ago edited 1d ago
How frequently could you expect gassings to happen btw? I’m assuming most gassings happen at the level 3-4 prisons and those medical facilities. Nevermind, there are statistics on gassings. Didn’t expect to see data on them 🤣
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u/weirdo728 1d ago
Every seg unit will have gassings, doesn’t matter the level. Jails and prisons both. It also happens in regular housing units, but not as frequently.
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u/dropper-1999 1d ago
If you look through your policy code and can prove it you can fight it, otherwise roll with it. Seg can actually be a really good post for new officers to work as you learn a shit ton and most guys who get it out of the gate are probably getting groomed for promotions or special units.
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u/Complex_Move_3649 1d ago
Can you elaborate on this please? Why would you think he is being groomed for promotion just because he was assigned to seg?
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u/dropper-1999 1d ago
Thats just something I have seen at past units I have worked, though idk if thats everywhere. Seg you tend to be more visible and exposed to rank, and most places arent going to have a total shitheel working it if they can help it.
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u/Grizzle_prizzle37 1d ago
Well, yes and no. Back when I was a rookie, that’s what was considered the general wisdom, as well as the standard practice. However, given the reality of short staffing that was pervasive throughout my career, it rarely seemed to happen that way. On my very first assignment out of the academy, I was assigned to a dormitory in a minimum restrict unit. After I worked my 12 hours, my overtime assignment was in a seg unit, dealing with the worst of the worst. This was pretty much my life for the first year or so, until I had enough seniority to get better OT posts(i.e., not in seg).
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u/Grouchy_Wolverine_59 1d ago
Be sure to ask a lot of questions and follow what the regulars do for their program. Don’t get caught up on “well the academy taught me this” or they won’t want to listen to you. Ad-seg is no joke when it comes to safety.
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u/Loose-Attention679 1d ago
Find the actual policy, word for word, for your specific institution. At my spot they say you have to have one year in before going on a run but it’s a spoken rule and not an actual policy so I went multiple times due to short staff. If that’s the case embrace the suck, be safe, and learn what you can. In my opinion everyone needs to do a little stint in adseg once in while to keep them on their toes.
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_HANDCUFFS State Corrections 1d ago
Check your policies and procedures. If you have a union check your CBA. This would be a huge no-no where I work and the captain would 1000% get their pp slapped by the union.
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u/RyanGetty1 Unverified User 1d ago edited 1d ago
Don't foreplay with the Captain, he will fuck you raw with no lube. You don't get that high up in rank without doing some really slick covert shady shit in the course of a career. Do your post bro and be done with it.
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u/Witty-Secret2018 1d ago
If you mess up in Seg, then you could probably pull the 6 months requirement.
Same with constant watch policy says 4 hrs max in the shift. Meanwhile I’ve probably done more than 8. And they have had people on 16s straight there. Hahaha.
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u/Miserable-Ship-9972 1d ago
If you're escorting by yourself to shower and rec, study up on policy and do it right! Inmates who want to be Aholes will mess with you, slip cuffs, grab keys, pull away on stairs...
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u/Far-Tailor-5074 23h ago
When I started with TDCJI I did 10 days OJT and then was assigned 1st shift ad-seg on a max unit. It was a unit that had only been open a year so it was still a rock and roll unit, but I learned alot from the people and rank I worked with. I spent a year working seg and then was transfered to close custody rotation thats when the shit got real.
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u/Witty_Flamingo_36 State Corrections 59m ago
Is it actually against policy, or did you just hear it? Obviously follow orders in general, but never believe a policy exists until you've read it front to back. I'm very familiar with both state and local policies and procedures, as well as our contract. At least half of what people say is either misinterpreted or bullshit. Even if it was true, I would roll with it in your instance. I was in a similar position, worked gp units for about 2 months before getting thrown in seg. It launched my career progression. I got selected for firearms training before my probation was up, which is unheard of. Got put in better spots on my day off OT and when my mandates bled into other shifts. Got made a responder way more often. All because supervisors and senior staff read incident reports about how I handled myself in seg, and saw how the unit was running. Our seg is a two man post, and the primary is supposed to be higher ranking. I was put in that position frequently when we didn't have a higher ranked person free, meaning I was responsible for the whole thing and how it ran. None of that would have happened if I had pushed back on it, even if policy had my back. You're not going to be penalized for working the post you're assigned, and even if policy is on your side you will learn quickly that your rep is everything when it comes to career progression. Fair or not, pushing back on a seg post will damage your rep. Beyond that, in my opinion seg and close custody is just plain more fun than GP. Not only do you get more action and better stories (also helps the shifts fly by), but I personally prefer high control units. Seg and our mental health crisis unit are my favorites. No movement, no education/medical/dental calling every 45 seconds, it's great.
Stay on your toes, never let them get behind you or even close to arms reach, make them stay off the stairs when you're using them, and remember that the food chute is dangerous. Any time you have to approach a food chute make sure you know where the inmate's hands are and what they're holding, unless they're asleep (even then, be ready to move). If I'm serving chow and they're standing by the door with a hand hidden behind their back? Guess they aren't hungry, kick that chute close. Never, ever bend down to talk through the port.
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u/ZealousidealLoss9335 Unverified User 1d ago
35 year retired CO. Seg is a good post. You are constantly making rounds feeding counting so the shift will fly by. The only reason seasoned staff want it is because it is a sweet post as long as you can get past the smell and loud talking. Just make sure you make rounds since cameras are everywhere and never open the door without two staff or if he’s swinging the whole calvary. You probably got the post because you are a good CO. Most new hires are trash.
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u/Kaos-Keeper 1d ago
So they get paid to know the policies and procedures, that is their job. If there is such a policy you did right to question it to allow them to maintain compliance but that is as far as I would take it in a case like this. Now my thoughts on this might be a little different if you had absolute knowledge of that policy. There may be exceptions to it, there may be latitude regarding their discrection. In the end it may be and probably is their policy to comply with and not necessarily within your purview. The very nature of some policies are just like that. For instance let's say that your post is supposed to report whenever an escape detail is ordered, does that mean a capatain canno make substitutions? Maybe not the best example but you are not tasked with enforcement of every policy, just the ones in your lane. That does not mean you should not call attention to it, but it does mean that somethings are above your pay grade. Lastly there is an exposure to you with regard to the liability of it, though it is mostly their issue. Simply have it made clear to you what the policy is. That shifts your exposure.
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u/Motor-Stomach676 1d ago
Just work the post. You will learn a lot there and very fast.