What is your bases policy on guarding prisoners by non-MP members?

[Scoobie Newbie]

I am curious to know if other bases have unit members guarding their own troops who are in jail ie 14 days.  I'm curious if this is CF policy.

 

[X Royal]

I've been assigned to that position in the past ( about 1980 ). I don't know about policy but its not unheard of.

 

[dangerboy]

We had to do it also in Winnipeg.

 

[pbi]

The CFSDB in Edmonton always used to employ one or two Cbt A NCOs as jailers. They were given special training, but they did not have to re-badge. Anybody can guard a prisoner if they know what they are doing and are properly supervised.

Cheers.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Well their just picking guys but why are guarding a prisoner when there are MP's?

 

[GerryCan]

We had a guy in the klinker here on base a year or 2 ago from our unit, and we had guys on shifts for 2 weeks watching him. Why don't the MP's do it theirselves? Perhaps they are even more under manned than we are, or it just makes too much sense. ???

It's quite a drag for the rest of the guys though, one guy gets in shit and half of the Coy pays for it too.

 

[S McKee]

As mbr of the CFSPDB let me clarify a few issues raised here. First of all MP involved dom policing will guard service detainees who are  incarcerated at their respective guardhouses provided it does not take away from their primary function, which is policing (it depends on the base some will some won't). In Esquimalt sailors run the MP section detention facilities. Secondly, the CFSPDB is not an MP unit as some still believe. The branch got out the jail business a few years ago because no other police force in Canada runs it's own prison. The CFSPDB falls under the CLS. There is a mixture of cbt arms/and MP postions at the prison (half and half) we even have a token sailor. In order for a mbr to be posted to the DB he/she must pass a two week custodian crse. Insofar as the command structure at the DB, (i.e. the Commandant, Chief Disciplinarian and Ops WO) they are MP, this is because MP are more familiar with liability, openness transparency issues than the average cbt arm, however in time this may change. J

 

[jc5778]

As a 2 VP thing, in the past, current battalion members are required to watch their own memebers. We are only "borrowing" the MP cells.  We do meal escorts and general "suicide" watch etc....  Usually only guys who are getting their pee pee slapped like the current AWOL.  It sucks yes, but I've done worse.  Actual suicide watch on 3 different occasions.  Like a 031 is a good choice for that  :threat:

 

[George Wallace]

In Pet the various Units provide guards.  We had too, and landed up charging the guard when he fell asleep on Duty.  He of course denied it, but had a hard time fighting it, as it was all on video.  Now, that raises the question: if the cells are on video surveillance, why the guards?

GW

 

[pbi]

Because a video surveillance system only tells you something is happening, it can't do anything about it. (and it only tells you if you're looking at it...) As well, it doesn't always cover everyting in the cell: prisoners are adept at figuring out what the camera can't see. The big fear these days is suicide or death by other misadventure while in custody: there have been a few well-publicized cases of this in civil police cells in the last couple of years and my guess is that the combination of video and a human presence gives added protection.

Cheers.

 

[George Wallace]

Absolutely true.  It must be noted that the guard usually has to go to the Duty Desk for Cell keys, should entry to the Cell be necessary.

Gw

 

[BernDawg]

"Back in the day" we had to do it all the time.  I believe it was an effort to create further animosity towards the guy that screwed-up your weekend and maybe you would then "make an effort" to smarten him up after he got out.  It seemed to work cause most guys had a rough time getting back in with the boys in BN and usually tried harder to stay out of trouble.

Later.