Officers Training

Thank you so much volunteering as staff at the jail. You are an important part of our community of people who are interested in jail roleplay.  The community of people that has been built through roleplaying at the jail is the single most important thing that you and also many of the guest inmates have achieved. We hope to build this community. We are people with a common interest who come from all kinds of backgrounds. With that in mind, let us be all inclusive to those who share the same interest in jail roleplay, even though their political, religious, or other views or personalities may vary from ours. This is a community where we set all of the other bagage asside, and just play in the jail with no judgements of others. We are all interested in this one thing together:  jail roleplaying. First and foremost, of importance is that all guards work together with the goal of making the experience for the guest inmates as professional and impressive as possible. We want to welcome them into our community of jail role-players.

This is a jail role play experience that is interactive theater. The guests come from all over the world to experience this. It is intended to be educational and entertaining.  Keeping it entertaining requires more work than just treating them like inmates in a jail. In a real jail, there isn’t much to do. In this jail, we try to create an immersive experience that has aspects of realism, but in reality, is a place to play “cops and robbers”, and play act as in a fictional movie or TV show. In order to keep this successful, we need to create a jail exdperience that has an element of fun and playing for the guests.

 
Inmate guests who come to this facility have specific jail fantasies in mind. Many of these fantasies are heavily tied with their interest in institutional restraints.  Some guests are looking for a challenging ordeal. Some guests come because they are interested in history. Some come because they want to have time to rest and not make choices for a few days. Whatever the reason, we have to stay within the rules the city has laid out. We are not an “adult entertainment establishment”. There may be some specific fantasies that guests have that cannot be fulfilled in this venue. The goal of this role play is for everyone to play “cops and robbers” as many did as children. It is not intended to be a place to explore BDSM fantasies or for the purpose of therapy. Guards are to always keep this in mind and act accordingly.

 
Those who play officers need to remember to provide the appropriate experience that the guests are seeking, and to not overly force their own fantasies onto the guests. The inmate questionnaire will give you a good understanding of the guest’s interests and desires. When an inmate is “bad” it generally means that he wants to be “punished”. He is looking for some action. In this facility, the “punishments” often involve restraints or isolation.  The application of pain in any form is not permitted. Physical contact between guards and inmates should be kept to a minimum. (Note: Tickling is not something that would be done in a real jail) Do not use starvation as a punishment. This can be dangerous for some of the guests. Do not use extreme heat or making a guest too cold a punishment. We do not know the specific health limitations of many of the guests. Always consider the safety and wellbeing of the guest first. We try to let the jail do some of the work. Being locked up in a real jail is of interest to everyone who comes. But as time goes on, many guests will start getting bored. If they are, it is time to do something to engage them. We do not want the inmates to spend too much of their time in boredom unless that is the thing that they really like to do.

The job of the officers is not to make the guests miserable. This is not about sadomasochism, which is prohibited. We want to create an experience for the guests that fit with their expectations. Keep it fun.

Officers are “on stage”. It is absolutely unacceptable and unprofessional for an officer to put down another officer, or to have a temper tantrum in front of a guest. If there is friction, they will sense it. They paid a lot of money to come. Officers are also there to have fun. Do not be the person who ruins it for everyone. 

Officers should be in full uniform when the inmates see them. The exception is an emergency. 

When an inmate is discharged, he should not be allowed back into the jail in his street clothes. Inmates are not allowed outside of the cell block unless handcuffed.

When inmates change out of their uniforms, have them return all clothing right side out.

For safety, never back an inmate out of an area where there are steps or an obstruction that he might trip on. Doing so could create a liability for both the jail and the guard that we don’t want. 

The jail door from the house to the jail should always be partially closed so that inmates in the cellblock cannot see through into the house.

Do not leave the storage room door open for inmates to look into. Also turn out the light.

When you go out of a door to the outside make sure that you close it behind you. 

As an officer, keep your focus on playing with the guest inmates, and not horsing around with each other.

The upstairs area in the building, including the bunk room, is a quiet area. Be considerate of others who may be resting upstairs. Upstairs is not a public area. No guests are allowed upstairs. Gear that is upstairs is not to be used. 

The only gear that should be used at the jail are located on the main floor of the building. The main floor of the building is the only public area in the building.

Gear that is in the basement is not to be used unless approved by Mark Bind. The basement is not a public area. No guests are allowed to go down there.

The cell doors of number one and two should be all the way open or all the way closed for safety purposes.

All guests and guards need to know emergency protocol. Guests all have different levels of health and needs. Always be watching for what those needs may be.

Meals need to be served immediately to inmates. This is a service business. When hot meals arrive, they need to be served hot. Make sure that the inmate guests have at least 15 minutes to wash up and prepare for meals before food arrives. Do not hold out meals from inmates when role playing. When the meal is ready, serve it immediately. Role playing and "punishments" can come later if someone is acting up.

 
Keep the Darby keys in the cuffs screwed mostly out as not to damage the spring.

 
When an inmate is put into cell three, make sure to lock him all the way in behind both doors. If you fail to do this, the inmate might close the inner door, making it appear to be locked, and when a guard comes in, the inmate may bolt out and escape. In addition, guests who are in cell three want to feel the whole experience of being locked all of the way back.

Make sure that all guests are getting the proper attention. Some inmates will be more fun or outgoing. Some guests might be annoying. Make sure to help those who are shy, nervous, or unsure of the roleplaying. Everyone needs to be validated and accepted. Do your best with the inmates that are not as fun.  Be all inclusive.

Politics has no place at the Franklin County Historic Jail. If inmates start to talk about politics, shut it down. Remind them that it is against the rules in the jail. Guards should not engage in political discussions with the inmates. Politics is not an appropriate topic in this facility. The jail is a place to get away from all of those distractions. 

 Roleplay stops when it is time for bed. Inmates are paying only for the daytime hours. We close at 10PM. Inmate guests who want to stay overnight in the jail are welcome to at no charge. We open again at 8:00AM and the roleplay starts again. I am explaining this technicality because some inmates want to continue to play after lights out. Night is the time when the guards need to go to bed and get some sleep. It is not a time to continue the roleplay. So let the guests know that they need to sleep and not bother anyone.  

One guard needs to be in charge of monitoring the guests as they sleep. In the event of an emergency with one of the guests, the guard is to first check on the guest and wake the other guards if needed. 

 If there is a need to evacuate the building, guests are to be quickly ushered out. This needs to take less than one minute. All guards must be prepared and trained to handle emergency situations.

In the event that a guest needs to go to the hospital for an emergency such as a heart attack, call 911. Do not drive them to the hospital. If it is not a life-threatening emergency such as a broken finger, then one of the staff can drive them to the emergency room of the hospital.   

1. Director: The ultimate Authority is Mark Bind, the owner of the facility. 

2. Lead Person: The lead person is designated by Mark Bind. They know their job and are trained. They make sure that the inmate role play is running smoothly, within the rules and limitations as set by the city, and they take the lead in making the role play fun for everyone. If Mark Bind is playing as an officer, he is the lead. He will turn many of the duties over to the other guards and let them play.  If Bind is not playing an officer, he will assign someone else as the lead person.

3. Trained Officers: These are officers who have been trained, and they are allowed a fair amount of latitude to play within the guidelines and rules.

4. Untrained Officers: These are those who are being trained. They should shadow a lead person to learn the ropes. They must be trained by a lead person or house manager.Arrest and Intake Procedures (Don’t worry about making a mistake, this is playing)The main thing for the guards and guests is to have fun and play.  

Use the app to determine if the inmate has fully paid for the visit. The information will be in the “Visit Notes” section on the first page you see when you click on an inmate’s name in the calendar. While on the app, note the inmates ID # and write it on the inventory and questionnaire forms.

Officers can vary the intake according to their own style and within the desires of the guests. Some guests want to do court first. Others do not want to be arrested outside. Initial arrest procedures are adjusted according to the person as needed. But there are some basic things that should be covered with everyone. 

1. Meet the guest at the car. Make sure that they have what they need out of their vehicle. Have them lock it.

2. Walk them around the building and into the courtroom. They can carry their stuff in.

3. Orient them and explain the role playing. Take care of signing release forms, other paperwork and any business.

4. Arrest and handcuff the “suspect”.  Take them to the intake room and read them their rights.

5. You might choose to show them the intake video. 

6. Have them walk into the intake cell and go to the back facing the window. The most secure way to remove their cuffs is to lock the door and then have them come back to the door and remove their handcuffs through the pass though in the door.  Many inmates cannot do this though. You can also go in and un-cuff them.

7. Have them strip down to their shorts and take items from them one at a time. Use the inventory sheet. Place their belongings in one of the plastic bins. When done, have them review and sign the inventory form.

8. Give them the jail shorts and slides. (Some of the guests do not feel comfortable with this or want to wear their own underclothing. This is fine. We are not a real operating jail, and we need to be all inclusive with our play.)

9. Handcuff them with their hands behind their back and take them to the shower.

10. After they are locked in the shower room, take off the cuffs and have them take off their shorts. Do a simple strip search (if they are okay with it.) This needs to be private and professional. Guards and inmates cannot physically touch each other in any way during the search. The inmate guest must be in a separate locked area from the guard.

11. Have them take a shower. (Optional: You could “delouse them” as part of the play if you wish) 

12. Give them a jail uniform and have them get dressed. (Usually, we provide socks and a tee shirt too)

13. Handcuff them in back and take them to the bench cage. Have them kneel on it while you cuff their Legs. Keep the leg cuffs pretty loose.

14 Put them in the cellblock, remove the handcuffs then hand them their bedding and supplies. 

15. Give them their medications and tell them that they are responsible to take them when needed. Have them up their cell. 

16. Put them in full transport restraints and do their mug shots.

 If they are going to court from the jail, we like to put them in full transport restraints (leg irons, belly chain, connector chain, and handcuffs. Leaving them in the restraints for a while before court is more fun for the inmates. Let them sit in their cells for a while waiting to go to court, and don’t be in a hurry to get them out of the restraints. When you are ready to take them to court (gang chain them if multiples), lecture them on proper court decorum and warn them that any misbehavior or disrespect of the judge will be punished. 

Most of the guests will need cell phone breaks. Some need to have time on their computers. This has to be worked out with each inmate guest depending on their individual needs. The preferred time is in the evening, but this is often not possible with many of the guests. The guests should not be using their cell phones in front of other inmates. Have the guest do it in the intake cell or other place away from the other inmates as to not disrupt the role playing.

For most inmate guests, the restraints are an important aspect of the experience. We want them to be able to get into that head space of an inmate. The restraints should be kept simple and within the jail theme. This is not intended to be for purposes of "adult entertainment". It is to enhance and make the jail experience more realistic and also to let guests experience firsthand what some of the jail related restraints actually feel like. 

When using any restraint, safety needs to be the most important thing to consider. Guests are to be carefully monitored for safety at all times. The following list are some of the restraint ideas based on historical restraints used in jails and prisons in the past.

1. Emergency restraint chair:  Additional straps can be added to the inmate.

2. Stand up cage: hands can be restrained above the head, or in front or behind the back, or no restraints at all.

3. Time in the 3-D box 

4. Chain hog tie: Waist chain or belly belt, hands cuffed behind, and leg irons locked back. (darbys are more comfortable. Humane leather restraints are also appropriate)

5. Spread eagle on floor of cell 2 or cell 1.  Heavy irons, darbys, and humane restraints are appropriate.

6. Hands cuffed through bars

7. Cell three: hands cuffed above the head on the bed and legs cuffed on the other end

8. Inmates could be leg shackled with a chain leash to the walls of their cells as they did in the 1800’s

9. The pit cell. (Be careful of guys who might be claustrophobic or unable to get down and up out of the hole.

10. Authentic Canvas Straitjackets (No leather straitjackets should be used)

11. Bench cage  

12. Padded cell: With straitjacket. Inmate might be hog tied with humane restraint straps. The padded cell can be used without a straitjacket too, with just humane restraints used on the waist and legs, or a hog tie.

13. Sitting on the bench in a cell with arms spread apart, and the legs spread apart with cuffs.

14. Sweat box outside. Inmate must be carefully monitored for heat and cold.

15. Ball and chain

16. The tube mitts could be used with handcuffs when needed. (Learn how to use them first)

17. Spread eagle or chained to the day room bars while standing.

18. Full transport restraints left on.  Darbys could be used for longer terms. If an inmate is to be kept in handcuffs and leg irons for long periods of time, darby or heavy shackles are more appropriate and comfortable. Do not over tighten leg irons.

 
No collars, hoods, rubber, bondage adult toys, or things that do not fit the jail theme.

At the bottom of this page are some videos showing how to use some of the restraints.
 

The daily routine can vary, but here are some ideas that could keep things interesting 

1.   Role Calls

2.   Showers

3.   Cell Phone Checks

4.   Board Games and cards

5.   Cell time

6.   Discipline

7.   Courtroom

8.   Prison Transport

9.   Yard Time for recreation

10. Yard Time for work breaking rocks or digging holes.

11. Watching period movies at night (Movies shown need to be prior to 1988 when it closed)

12. Chow Time

13. Cell Searches

14. Cleaning cellblock

15. Jail Escape Challenges 

16. Interrogations

17. Mug Shots

18. Exercise

This was built as a very secure jail. The following are available at the jail to play with: The jail control points in the jail are:

1) Outside heavy metal door separating the jail from the intake area. This door locks with a key that is normally chained to the outer (intake area) side of the door. This door should be closed and locked when no jail personnel are in the jail.

2) The mesh door on the inside of the separating door. This door is locked by a padlock latch. When open, the door should be pushed all the way open (there is a small magnet which holds it against the wall) for safety purposes. This door should be closed and a lock placed in the latch whenever the outer door is closed. Sometimes when there is a lot of activity in the jail, the outer door may be left open and the inner door closed and a lock placed in the latch. It is generally a good idea to keep this door closed, even if it is not latched. This will slow down any escape attempt.

3) The Cell Block Entry Door. When open, the door should be pushed all the way up against the cell wall to facilitate traffic in the hallway. When closed, this door is secured by two sliding bars, one at waist level and another near floor level. Note that the sliding bar can be moved from the inside by reaching around and grabbing the handle, so this door is NOT SECURE UNLESS A LOCK IS PLACED THRU THE OPEN HOLE IN THE LEFT HAND END OF THE SLIDE AFTER THE SLIDE IS CLOSED. The lock does not have to be actually locked, putting it in the hole will prevent operation of the slide. The lower sliding bar also has a place for a padlock to secure it in the locked position.

4) The Cell Door locking control lever. This lever is located in the control box to the left of the cell block entry door. When pushed in, this lever slides a bar over the top and bottom of each of the cell doors, preventing them from being opened (or closed if they are already open). This lever was bent at some point in the past, so it does not move all the way into the resting position. It is possible for inmates to force this lever back out by manually pushing on the bars over the cell doors. When you are really concerned about the risk of escape attempts, you can close the mechanism door (which makes it harder to force open) and/or you can use the small chain provided to lock the lever in the closed position. Typically, we don’t bother since the individual padlocks prevent inmate cell doors from opening even if the cell door slides are not engaged. When in the resting open position, the slide controlling cell one does not remain fully drawn back. When you tell inmates to go into their cells and close the doors, you may have to pull out on the lever in order to allow cell door 1 to open or close.

5) Individual padlock mounts on each cell door. Use the heavy master locks (the cuff locks are too small) to lock each individual cell door. These locks are used when you want to open only one cell while ensuring that the other guests stay in their cells.

6) When a guest inmate is put into cell three, make sure to put him all the way in behind both doors. If you fail to do this, the inmate might close the inner door as if it is locked and when a guard comes in to move him, the inmate man bolt out and escape. Also, the guests who are in cell three want to feel the whole experience of being locked all of the way back. It might be inconvenient for the guard, but details like this are very important to the customers. The key to the inner door is kept in the lockbox mounted on the intake area side of the jail cell door. Be sure to put it BACK IN THE BOX after you lock the cell door so that any other officer can open the door if needed. Try hard to remember not to carry the key away with you in your pocket. There are a number of other padlocks used to hold up the beds in cell two, to lock the doors on the standing cage in cell three and to secure the door on the box in cell three. It is critical that all of these locks are CLOSED AND LOCKED after each use. An unlocked padlock is a significant weapon when placed in a sock and nefarious inmates can play games with the cage doors if the locks on the standing cage are left unlocked. Be especially careful of the locks on the standing cage and box in cell 3. The inmate in cell 3 often has unobserved access to these if they are unlocked. For the shower, leave the locks unlocked when the shower is not in use, but the door should be closed and the unlocked locks hooked thru only the back eye holes so that the door can be easily opened.

Although the locks on the window cages are normally left unlocked because they are opened and closed often as the jail shifts between using the outside airflow and the air conditioner for cooling, it would actually be best if they were kept locked. The lock on the window directly above the kneeling bench should be locked as inmates have a tendency to try to steal it while the guard is occupied putting on leg irons.