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My former neighbor worked as a CO at MCI-Concord. Special state police while on duty in the correctional facility itself and while escorting an inmate to and from court, hospital or other destination. Can possess/carry firearms while on prisoner escort duty outside the walls and in the guard towers (AR-15s and slug-loaded Remington 870s in the towers). Within the walls, all they can carry are keys and a radio; no firearms or other weapons because of the danger of being jumped and disarmed by inmates. No off-duty authority, like a regular police officer would have in his/her town or state. Easier to get LTC-A-ALP for carry of a personal firearm off-duty because of the nature of the job and threats against CO's family. Not as much "professional courtesy" extended during a traffic stop; cops consider CO's to be prison guards or screws, maybe a couple of small steps above a mall cop or night watchman.In your opinion are Corrections officers considered Law enforcement officers? if no why? if yes why? I'm just curious what my fellow nesers think about this topic.
they have to be sworn as LEO's. I know Suffolk County CO's have to be sworn as deputy sheriffs to do details and carry a weapon.
Same with Essex, the CO's that transport prisoners are allowed to carry guns, a guard at Middleton can't.
For the purposes of buying guns we can't, I'd say no, as far as the state retirement system goes, yes they are classified the same as a LEO, As far as LEPA, unless they have the credentials issued by the department I'd say no.
they have to be sworn as LEO's. I know Suffolk County CO's have to be sworn as deputy sheriffs to do details and carry a weapon.
Same with Essex, the CO's that transport prisoners are allowed to carry guns, a guard at Middleton can't.
For the purposes of buying guns we can't, I'd say no, as far as the state retirement system goes, yes they are classified the same as a LEO, As far as LEPA, unless they have the credentials issued by the department I'd say no.
Sheriffs and Corrections Officers are NOT Police Officers in Massachusetts.
There are two questions:
1 - Are Sheriffs and CO's legally LEOs with the resulting legal impact (for example, being able to carry on school grounds without permission from the school; being able to charge someone who hits them with assault on a police officer, etc.)
2 - Are Sheriffs and CO's culturally accepted as LEOs by the police community.
The answers to #1 and #2 above may differ.
I did see Middlesex County deputies in Lowell, performing traffic control duties during some function (I think that it was a charity run or distance walk). The comments in the Lowell Sun from the Lowell Police officers were not good. Clearly, they looked down upon these interlopers intruding upon their turf. Sheriff DiPaola determined that he did have the authority to put his men on the street, regardless of what the Lowell cops thought. The Bristol sheriff did the same thing in New Bedford after an uptick in crime. The New Bedford PD didn't take too kindly to it and went to court to get an injunction to stop the sheriff from doing so. Apparently, the court agreed that the sheriff does, in fact, have the authority to send his sworn deputies on patrol in cities/towns within his county. Deputies do not have the authority to make traffic stops and write tickets, however.Sheriffs and Corrections Officers are NOT Police Officers in Massachusetts. In most other states, Sheriffs perform Police functions, and ARE Police Officers. Here, they are not. Many Police Officers in Massachusetts don't care for the fact that any hack who wants to donate $50 to the local Sheriff's political campaign can get a shiny Sheriff's badge, which they all try to flaunt at every traffic stop. I have seen guys who are plumbers, electricians, hell, even a groundskeeper at a jail can get a Sheriff's badge. Like it or not, this is the truth.
Sheriffs and Corrections Officers are NOT Police Officers in Massachusetts. In most other states, Sheriffs perform Police functions, and ARE Police Officers. Here, they are not. Many Police Officers in Massachusetts don't care for the fact that any hack who wants to donate $50 to the local Sheriff's political campaign can get a shiny Sheriff's badge, which they all try to flaunt at every traffic stop. I have seen guys who are plumbers, electricians, hell, even a groundskeeper at a jail can get a Sheriff's badge. Like it or not, this is the truth.
Cabral got pissed off because she was responsible for paying a multi-million-dollar judgment for incidents that happened at the HOC on her predecessor's watch. A group of women filed a class-action lawsuit because they were stripped-searched, bodily-cavity-searched, perhaps finger-banged, who knows? One of the arrested women was in the HOC for selling food from a pushcart with an expired peddler's license. Federal Judge Nancy Gertner awarded them double-digit interest on top of the millions, which just about busted Cabral's annual budget. Mad as hell, she decided to make her people pay for their actions and strip them of their LE powers.OK we have to leave the "50 Dollar Sheriff's" out of the equation, I am talking full time and or reserve Deputy Sheriffs.
My best friend was a reserve deputy in Middlesex County, which IMHO was a step above 50 dollar sheriff, but he had a MCSD sanctioned Harley police bike, with blue lights and all the toys, MCSD markings and a RMV issued blue light permit for it, compliments of Jim D. He worked Parades, Funeral Escorts, Motorcycle rides, the Democratic Convention, the Marathon, etc, in full uniform and a Glock 22 on his side.
He had to attend schools, training days, and had to qualify with his firearm.
I have another friend who works at a CO in Essex County, and he had to go through all sorts of training before he could transport prisoners to court from the Jail, because he was armed. IIRC he might have been sworn as a deputy.
I have another friend who is a full time deputy in Middlesex, he is on the team that kicks in doors at 5 AM, he IMHO is considered an LEO, where the CO's in the HOC are not.
Andrea Cabral ruffled some feathers when she took over in Suffolk, because jail guards who were also sworn as Deputies, did not get re appointed when their terms were up or something like that, and that took them out of the Big Dig detail pool, among other things. They were NOT happy.
Unless the Sheriffs Dept, or Mass Department of Corrections specifically swears you in as a police officer, including the Academy training course that is required by law to be sworn as a LEO in MA, I wouldn't consider them to be LEO for the purpose of buying firearms, or carrying a gun "on the badge" in juristictions outside of MA under Federal law.
I worked with guys that were sworn as "Specials" by the State PD, with no chapter 90 powers, no authorization to carry a gun, a once a year training session, and they were badged as " Masachusetts Street Railway Police". I don't think any of them were trying to carry guns on the badge, but the reason they all had to turn in their badges and warrants of appointment was too many of them were claiming to be cops to get out of jams, including one guy who was busted soliciting a undercover female officer, and then claimed to be T PD whenn he was busted.
P.S Sheriffs and their sworn Deputies have more Police powers than police do, and they don't mind telling you that, which is why local cops hate them, especially when the county guys are working road details.
My understanding is that because the Sheriff is an elected position, they actually have a tremendous amount of authority over their region. Not sure exactly what that authority is and what it entails, but I remember reading something about this not that long ago.
It usually depends on the jurisdiction in question.In your opinion are Corrections officers considered Law enforcement officers? if no why? if yes why? I'm just curious what my fellow nesers think about this topic.
^^^^^^I was read somewhere that Mass Public Safety now recognizes State COs as LEO.
I have always considered COs part of the LEO community, even though most cops will deny that they are.
The pecking order generally works like this:
FBI looks down on every other agency.
Other Fed agencies look down on each other and state agencies.
State agencies look down on the local (city, town, county).
Locals look down on the screws (State and county.)
State screws look down on County screws.
County screws look down on the hacks.
The hacks look down on everyone, including the FBI, because they have no clue and think they are Super Cops!
You will get a bunch of varying answers here, due to our diverse membership and this IS Massachusetts. Unlike California, where State COs are Peace Officers by statute, just in a different category.
1) Obviously, no.There are two questions:
1 - Are Sheriffs and CO's legally LEOs with the resulting legal impact (for example, being able to carry on school grounds without permission from the school; being able to charge someone who hits them with assault on a police officer, etc.)
2 - Are Sheriffs and CO's culturally accepted as LEOs by the police community.
The answers to #1 and #2 above may differ.
My two cents are this:
When it comes to actual full time legit CO's either working in the jails or prisons, they can be dumbed up to special Police Officers. There is really no technical absolute for them in this state, it depends on what road there on, for what reason, in what context, who there with, what mood the govenor is in, who's a*s they've kissed and a trillion different factors which determine when and where they are considered Police Officers.
Now for what I think is the more important factor:
Should we consider them Police Officers and a member of the community?
I think we should. The fact is this, no Cop who has been doing the job for a bit wants the job the CO's have. No way. Its like their serving the time with the scuzballs. When it comes to the idealistic point of view, "good versus evil, us versus them, the good guys and the bad guys" they are an intrical part.
Do cops in the Northeast give CO's that respect, unfortunately not. I work with many who will treat a CO like any other civilian. I do not agree with it, but it is the way it is. This however is not completely on the Sworn LEO's. Correction departments around here have a reputation for,"taking anyone". It is a common joke that if you can't become a cop, then go be a CO. I have no idea he vetting process for either the Jails or Prisons, but Local and State Cops do not believe there is much of one. I have had NUMEROUS incidents with CO's who have no business being apart of the blue line and should be on the other side of the walll. These negative experiences are common among LEOs to COs but some cops paint the whole group as trouble.
I have met some great CO's and many of whom believe in what they do. They are hard workers and day in and day out show up and do their thing.
I consider them a part of the Blue Line and I treat them like Cops.......even when they get pulled over for driving like absolute a*s clowns.
I'm not sure that LEO hatred is limited just to CO's, Deputy Sheriff's, etc. To be blunt, many LEO's can't get along even amongst themselves. I can still vividly recall my father's response when I was selected for the MSP in the early 80's. He had nothing but utter loathing and contempt towards them and he was a Boston cop. He gave some shit to the trooper who came to my house to conduct an interview. He even threatened to disown me.
1) Obviously, no.
2) In my dubious experience, yes. I have watched LEOs extend every "professional courtesy" possible to COs just as if they were brothers. And I am not just talking about coffee at Dunkin Donuts.
CLMN
I know a fellow who is an agent for ICE. He knows of a couple situations where federal agents (one was from ICE and the other from the FBI) who were stopped by MA state troopers for typical traffic violations, and were then told that they couldn't carry on their badge. In both cases, the trooper disarmed them, gave them all sorts of lip, threatened to arrest them, then eventually returned their issue handgun and let them go 1+ hour later.I'm not sure that LEO hatred is limited just to CO's, Deputy Sheriff's, etc. To be blunt, many LEO's can't get along even amongst themselves.
A) Congress passes bills. The President signs bills into law.Some(Cops) will still say CO's aren't LEO's but I'm not 100% positive who it was (I think it was George Bush) passed a bill stating CO's are now considered LEO''s.
A) Congress passes bills. The President signs bills into law.
B) The Federal government has ZERO authority to declare or not declare anyone not in federal service LEO or not.
C) Each state decides, on its own, what requirements must be met for someone to be a sworn law enforcement officer.
D) In some states, the legal, official term is still Peace Officer. Mine being one of them.
As for the Sheriff controversy, that is an issue in little New England states. Outside of there you had best believe Sheriffs and their deputies are sworn peace officers with FULL arrest and law enforcement powers.
In fact, by statute, their authority and jurisdictions encompasses their entire county and they can and will patrol and enforce law anywhere within that jurisdiction without needing the consent or approval of municipal police departments.
As a matter of fact, any county Sheriff in Ohio has more powers than the Commissioner of the Highway Patrol. We do not have a state police.