By C1 Staff
A roll call should be much more than just taking attendance. A roll call is a good opportunity to exchange information, do a quick training tutorial, and in general prep staff going into a shift.
We took to Facebook to ask our readers if they had roll call at their facilities and if so, what they used it for. Here are the best responses; take a look and see what you might want to incorporate into roll call at your facility, or even make an argument for having roll call at all.
Don’t see a suggestion you’d want to make? Add it in the comments.
Kari Bear: We have roll call and take the time to address any codes during the day or if any new inmates came in with issues we need to watch out for! Why would you not want info before your shift?
Lisa English: We do not have roll call prior to shift. I feel if we did 1) We would have less tardiness from officers and shift changes would go smoother; 2) Communication between shifts [would be better]; Getting the who, what, when and how’s answered; 3) Instead of four differently operated shift we would be more on the same page.
Jose F Cruz: [At] our facility we have 15-minute shift briefing which can easily go over that time. We discuss security issues, PREA issues, policy issues, and safety issues. When I first started back in 2000 it was 30 minutes, but not now.
James McMahon: Staff accountability at the start of every shift, for the area I supervise, is the first thing I do without fail every shift. I was taught to ensure we are all accounted for and our previous watch partners went home safe.
Lisa Andrea: Yes we have roll call, it’s a great way to communicate between our three shifts and keep us bonded as brothers and sisters. I appreciate roll call.
Craig Ross Young: When I was working at Pender Correctional Institution, we had a shift lineup complete with walk through inspection, a short time of instruction where a CO was called on to read a selected procedure kind of like “hip pocket training” and the OIC or his lieutenants would make announcements or “good of the shift” comments. Officers would be recognized for noteworthy accomplishments. Now that was a great shift. Yeah, it was not without its faults. What shift isn’t? Shifts are what we make of them.
Kevin Edenfield: We have it with a rotation of training topics cover ACA guide lines.