What Are The Unique Needs of Correctional Officer Gear?

Every day police officers arrest violent offenders that threaten the safety of our communities. The brave men and women who work as correctional officers, however, are surrounded by the most dangerous convicts on a daily basis, and their very lives are at risk every time they start a shift. While they do the best they can to secure the lives of inmates and other correctional officers, unruly protests and riots in the prison can cause many immediate safety threats to these officers. Read on to learn more about the unique needs of a correctional officer.

Routine Tasks of a Correctional Officer Day to Day

During a regular day, correctional officers are repeatedly tasked with searching inmates and their cells for make-shift weapons, contraband, breaking up sometimes violent disputes between convicted criminals, and instilling a sense of order and discipline.

It’s not unusual for police officers to utilize sanctions to enforce regulations. These often involve loss of privileges, solitary confinement, and become progressively stringent to offenders who refuse to comply with prison policies. As these transgressions and sanctions increase, officers are aware that anger can boil over. It’s an environment that requires hyper-vigilance and protective, tactical gear at all times.

Not every duty results in potential aggressive behavior. Cells also must be inspected for sanitary conditions and tampering. Inmate cleanliness can decline, causing areas of the facility, particularly cells, to fall into squalor. Beyond the health dangers posed by disgraceful conditions, convicted felons with nothing but time on their hands tend to tamper. Electric plates can be loosened, sharp and jagged metal overlays may be lifted. And, officers must avoid running their hands and fingers into areas they cannot see as inmates tend to hide sharp objects and hazardous materials in these areas.

Managing Violence In Prisons

The most significant risk of injury or fatality correctional officers face remains physical confrontations with inmates. Officers are tasked with restraining criminals with uncontrollable rage. It’s also not uncommon for mental health issues to render de-escalation training useless.

Once subdued, guards often have to apply handcuffs and leg irons, among other restraints, before lifting and transporting offenders to a secure location. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, correctional officers suffer disproportionately in terms of health, wellness, and safety that includes:

U.S. Correctional Officers Rank Among the Highest Rates of Nonfatal, Work-Related Injuries
Correctional Officers Suffer 544 Work-Related Injuries or Illnesses Per 10,000 Full-Time Employees
Severe Illness or Injuries Ranked Four-Times Higher than All Other Occupations
254 Work-Related Injuries Per 10,000 were the Result of Assault or Violence

Both the routine duties and statistical data points to the fact that correctional officers require the best possible personal protective equipment available.

Enhanced Tactical Protections for Correctional Officers

Haven Gear has made a commitment to working with all levels of law enforcement to design personal protective equipment that meets the unique needs of all correctional officers.

Correctional officers work in inherently risky and confined spaces. It’s not uncommon for officers to handle aggressive inmates in close quarters, which tasks the protective equipment with providing exceptional agility opportunities as well as strong protections. The Haven Gear Enforcer line is deftly suited to serve and protect correctional officers based on its enhanced design that includes:

Stab and Blunt Force Impact Resistant
Ultra Lightweight Design Improves Mobility
Pliable Joints Deliver Improved Flexibility
Durable Molded Polypropylene Panels Provide Riot-Level Bodily Protection
Gloves Protect Fingers and Hands from Unsanitary and Sharp Objects During Inspections
Four Types of Helmets can be Seamlessly Utilized to Meet Emerging Dangers

Haven Gear riot suits are also body-cam ready to protect officers from the unsubstantiated accusations of felons. In terms of meeting the unique needs of correctional officers, Have Gear remains an industry leader.

Haven Gear Tactical Equipment Protects Correctional Officers

With the need for a next-gen riot suit that provides mobility, comfort, and safety to correctional officers all over the world, Haven Gear decided to step in and work with law enforcement to create protection made with your safety in mind. With protection you can count on, our riot gear and suit provides correctional officers with all the resources they need to keep the inmates and themselves safe. Fill out a form on our website today to learn more!