Federal Corrections officer information

[Wegs]

I am a veteran and have recently been approached about applying for a job as a federal corrections officer.. my question is what are the requirments on the physical fitness test for hiring so that I can start working on these areas so I will be prepared when the time comes if I decide to go this route?

[Joeyd6]

The US Bureau of Prisons may have fitness standards, but when I was at FLETC.....you could have fooled me. The BOP classes average student weight appeared to be 200+ and none were gym rats.....more like first in line for chow rats. They joke on campus was BOP was for "belly over pants." They also cried like little b!%$#es in the locker room about having to run a half mile over the course of a two hour gym class. Not a good thing next to 20 guys who just ran four miles with DT in the past hour.

[Wegs]

your not kidding, i finally found it on the bop.gov site and it looks like a joke, I was def expecting something simular to what I did in the Army.

The Physical Abilities Test

This test consists of:

a. Dummy Drag - drag a 75-pound dummy 3 minutes continuously for a minimum of 694 feet.
b. Climb and Grasp - climb rungs of a ladder and retrieve an item - ideal requirement 7 seconds.
c. Obstacle Course - ideal requirement 58 seconds.
d. Run and Cuff - run one-fourth mile and apply handcuffs - ideal requirement 2 minutes, 35 seconds.
e. Stair Climb - participant, with a 20-pound weight belt, will climb up and down 108 steps - ideal requirement 45 seconds.

[Kimble]

When I was at FLETC the BOP students were commonly referred to as Belly Over Pants, and they were known for always being at the front of the chow line. Not saying every federal CO is like this, but that was the reputation the trainees had while I was there (less than 5 years ago).

EDIT: just noticed Joeyd's observations were pretty much the same as mine, which is saying a lot since he initially went to FLETC a few years before me.

[Motorolanut]

The real insult is that they receive 6C LEO coverage....This is half the reason NO one goes out of their way to speak to BOP'ers at FLETC.

[Joeyd6]

The real insult is that they receive 6C LEO coverage....This is half the reason NO one goes out of their way to speak to BOP'ers at FLETC.

I had no clue they got 6C...what a freaking joke.

[retdetsgt]

Just curious, what's 6C, if you don't mind me asking?

We constantly have problems with corrections deputies thinking they're more than that.

[Kimble]

Just curious, what's 6C, if you don't mind me asking?

This explains it pretty well (look at the bottom of the first column): Common Federal Acronyms. Basically is the special retirement program for federal LE jobs (20 years retirement vice 25 years).

[GoldBadger]

I had no clue they got 6C...what a freaking joke.

See first hand what they are exposed to (in a work environment) and you'll understand. There's nothing like walking through a penitentiary and never knowing if any of the dozens of mutts you pizzed off during your previous shifts is going to stab you in the back.

[GoldBadger]

The real insult is that they receive 6C LEO coverage....This is half the reason NO one goes out of their way to speak to BOP'ers at FLETC.

Wow!

All I can say is don't speak for the rest of us.

[Motorolanut]

Yes a penitentiary is dangerous and the rest of us rolled, wrestled, put cuffs on and charged them.....So Federal Officers/Agents provide BOP with plenty of customers...An act in itself just as dangerous...

You are missing the main point. Forum members in the thread were commenting on the below average physical shape of most BOP'ers at FLETC....And yes initial training of 3 weeks vs 12 or more at FLETC pisses many Federal Leos off considering many of us do not have 6C coverage. When the prison dentist or secretary has a 6C Leo retirement vs most Federal Leo's who DO NOT have Leo retirement....It's a slap in the face.....Don't take it personally...This is not directed at the individual so much as the system who started this problem.

[Joeyd6]

See first hand what they are exposed to (in a work environment) and you'll understand. There's nothing like walking through a penitentiary and never knowing if any of the dozens of mutts you pizzed off during your previous shifts is going to stab you in the back.

Before you get your panties in a knot....you folks are not law enforcement. I have been in MANY federal prisons, from ADX in Colorado to Jesup. The majority of those behind federal bars, are non-violent offenders. White collar and sexual deviants. The majority are behind bars. This "arguement" has been had on here before. And the majority of CO's step right up and admit their job is not LE. They few that don't spin their job into something it is not.

You folks get them after they have been searched and everyone knows their medical record. Their belongings have been gone through. You then place them in a controlled setting. A setting, when all hell breaks lose, you can lock down till you come up with a plan and enter. You build a relationship with many and leanr who your problem children are. Its nice to know when you step out from behind the desk or booth to know who is the problem unlike us who go into a situation cold turkey. And before you mention a word about contraband...don't! But enough with opinion and lets talk cold hard facts....

Before you rant and rave about how much law enforceemnt work you do, and how dangerous it is, and how you deserve the pay, go over some facts.

# of Federal Law Enforcement On-Duty Deaths:
2000: 4 deaths....0 from BOP
2001: 11 deaths...0 from BOP
2002: 9 deaths.....0 from BOP
2003: 2 deaths.....0 from BOP
2004: 4 deaths.....0 from BOP
2005: 9 deaths.....0 from BOP
2006: 7 deaths.....0 from BOP
2007: 17 deaths....0 from BOP
2008: 6 deaths.....1 from BOP (stabbing)
2009: 8 deaths.....0 from BOP
2010: 11 deaths....0 from BOP
2011: 10 deaths.....1 from BOP (heart attack while PT'ing...not the result of a prisoner)

BOP: 1 death in 10+ years
Federal LEO's: 98 in 10+ years

Take one look at a DOJ IG report. You know how many federal law enforcement officers shot at another federal LEO in teh past ten years? One....a BOP'er! BOP'er Ralph Hill killed DOJ-IG SA William Buddy Senter. You folks lead the way in for the number of employees arrested for violation of civil rights, sexual assualts, bribery and false statemnts. Number one agency in the US GOV for employee arrest rate!

And if you can sit here and tell anyone who has been to FLETC the majority of your co-workers are not severely overweight or obese, then you need a trip to Georgia and take a look at the folks running around in your uniforms impersonating you folks.

[GoldBadger]

Yes a penitentiary is dangerous and the rest of us rolled, wrestled, put cuffs on and charged them.....So Federal Officers/Agents provide BOP with plenty of customers...An act in itself just as dangerous...

You are missing the main point. Forum members in the thread were commenting on the below average physical shape of most BOP'ers at FLETC....And yes initial training of 3 weeks vs 12 or more at FLETC pisses many Federal Leos off considering many of us do not have 6C coverage. When the prison dentist or secretary has a 6C Leo retirement vs most Federal Leo's who DO NOT have Leo retirement....It's a slap in the face.....Don't take it personally...This is not directed at the individual so much as the system who started this problem.

First, I don't work for the BOP.

Second, it was you who posted "The real insult is that they receive 6C LEO coverage....This is half the reason NO one goes out of their way to speak to BOP'ers at FLETC." To which, I simply said not to speak for everyone at FLETC because you do not speak for me and many others.

Third, 6c retirement is is connected with job responsibilities. The BOP's major responsibility involves the detention of criminal offenders and that is why they are covered under 6c. The BOP considers everyone assigned to a prison as a correctional worker and as a result, even secretaries can be called to assist in an emergency and are covered under 6c. Length of training at FLETC is irrelevant to 6c coverage.

If someone is upset that they are not covered under 6c, why take it out on someone who has no control over it?

[GoldBadger]

Before you get your panties in a knot

You're a moderator and that's how you respond to a legitimate post?

....you folks are not law enforcement.

I do not work for the BOP. I am an 1811 with 22 years in with the feds and 9 years on the job as a city and state cop. I post in officer.com with a similar screen name and 911 Job Forums and Thee (NYPD) Rant under other screen names,

I have been in MANY federal prisons, from ADX in Colorado to Jesup. The majority of those behind federal bars, are non-violent offenders. White collar and sexual deviants. The majority are behind bars. This "arguement" has been had on here before. And the majority of CO's step right up and admit their job is not LE. They few that don't spin their job into something it is not.

The majority of BOP offenders are not white collar criminals. I believe drug offenders are number one. I'm not sure what's second, but it's not fraud. ADX Florence doesn't have many white collar criminals that I'm aware of, just terrorists, bombers, and those inmates so dangerous that they can't be housed anywhere else.

I NEVER said a BOP job is "law enforcement." Where are you getting that from? 6c does not equal law enforcement.

You folks get them after they have been searched and everyone knows their medical record. Their belongings have been gone through. You then place them in a controlled setting.

I guess that in your travels, you've never heard of inmates making weapons and/or smuggling contraband?

Before you rant and rave about how much law enforceemnt work you do, and how dangerous it is, and how you deserve the pay, go over some facts.

Again, when did I say that BOP is law enforcement? I just maintain that it's a dangerous job.

# of Federal Law Enforcement On-Duty Deaths:
2000: 4 deaths....0 from BOP
2001: 11 deaths...0 from BOP
2002: 9 deaths.....0 from BOP
2003: 2 deaths.....0 from BOP
2004: 4 deaths.....0 from BOP
2005: 9 deaths.....0 from BOP
2006: 7 deaths.....0 from BOP
2007: 17 deaths....0 from BOP
2008: 6 deaths.....1 from BOP (stabbing)
2009: 8 deaths.....0 from BOP
2010: 11 deaths....0 from BOP
2011: 10 deaths.....1 from BOP (heart attack while PT'ing...not the result of a prisoner)

BOP: 1 death in 10+ years
Federal LEO's: 98 in 10+ years

You are comparing the death total from one agency to dozens of FLEA's? I don't have the time to research numbers, but the BOP has lost many more than that in decade or two prior.

Take one look at a DOJ IG report. You know how many federal law enforcement officers shot at another federal LEO in teh past ten years? One....a BOP'er! BOP'er Ralph Hill killed DOJ-IG SA William Buddy Senter. You folks lead the way in for the number of employees arrested for violation of civil rights, sexual assualts, bribery and false statemnts. Number one agency in the US GOV for employee arrest rate!

First, I knew Buddy Sentner. Second, what does this comment have to do with the physical agility standards or 6c?

And if you can sit here and tell anyone who has been to FLETC the majority of your co-workers are not severely overweight or obese, then you need a trip to Georgia and take a look at the folks running around in your uniforms impersonating you folks.

BOP does not have very strong physical standards, but I've seen quite a few folks in CITP and other basic courses that haven't missed many meals either.

[Citicop]

You're a moderator and that's how you respond to a legitimate post?

I do not work for the BOP. I am an 1811 with 22 years in with the feds and 9 years on the job as a city and state cop. I post in officer.com with a similar screen name and 911 Job Forums and Thee (NYPD) Rant under other screen names,

The majority of BOP offenders are not white collar criminals. I believe drug offenders are number one. I'm not sure what's second, but it's not fraud. ADX Florence doesn't have many white collar criminals that I'm aware of, just terrorists, bombers, and those inmates so dangerous that they can't be housed anywhere else.

I NEVER said a BOP job is "law enforcement." Where are you getting that from? 6c does not equal law enforcement.

I guess that in your travels, you've never heard of inmates making weapons and/or smuggling contraband?

Again, when did I say that BOP is law enforcement? I just maintain that it's a dangerous job.

You are comparing the death total from one agency to dozens of FLEA's? I don't have the time to research numbers, but the BOP has lost many more than that in decade or two prior.

First, I knew Buddy Sentner. Second, what does this comment have to do with the physical agility standards or 6c?

BOP does not have very strong physical standards, but I've seen quite a few folks in CITP and other basic courses that haven't missed many meals either.

GB-

We have a standing rule here about those claiming to be LEO's. I need to ask you to go here to see the procedures for verification. It should be a quick process if you're an 1811, we have several here who can get that checked in a hurry.

Thanks for your cooperation.

-Citicop.