Detention or Patrol?

[Unregistered]

Hello, interested in applying for either one with HCSO and would like insight on which is better to apply to on a needs-basis. I’ve heard of agencies that prefer detention apps over patrol apps and would send you to detention, even if you applied for patrol. Want to see the vibes before I invest any resources (written test, PAT, etc). Thanks in advance!

[Unregistered]

The great majority of Detention is limited to a specific location, the jails, as compared to Patrol, working the streets. It is a completely different job that I suggest you research somewhere beside this site. Other posters will tell you to apply elsewhere, another agency, as they are disgruntled. Honestly, I loved my career at the agency and retired recently. It will e easier to get hired in Detention but transferring to Patrol is not as easy as you will probably be told. Research both jobs and apply where you want the job. Personally, I would not have been happy in Detention. I did over 30 years in Patrol. Good luck with your venture.

[Unregistered]

Here is my honest opinion based on my experience with both. If you just want a career with good pay and benefits, go to the jail. Same pay as patrol now. If you want to do your time with the inmates then “get out of the POD”, do it. Once you promote, you are done with inmates. Promotions seem faster there also. Career wise, jail is better. The bad part is the claustrophobic mind fukc that the PODS are. 1 deputy to 72 inmates. There is only one reason for it... MONEY. At the cost of our safety and mental health. HOWEVER, you go home on time every day or night and the second you promote to corporal, you are out of the pod for the rest of your career and you can rest your constant alert status which is what ultimately destroys us.

Now, If you have an obsession for making cases, putting people in jail, and so on, patrol is for you. If you don’t mind 1000X the liability, ending up on the news, being recorded, or being made an example of, go to patrol. Keep in mind that if you get into this line of work for those reasons, you will have trouble. Not to mention your mind and body can only take that hero mentality for only about 10 years. After that, you will burn out. If you want to rat race and climb the ranks, unless you are connected, it won’t happen fast if at all. Most of the time these rookies will give it 300% taking all the calls and reports hoping to get noticed so they can get off patrol. Ironic huh? Nobody wants to admit that they are human and prefer to get away from negative stimulus. Only to burn out and quit or become slugs. If you can come in and pace yourself, put your mental health and family first, and ignore those fake carrots they dangle in front of your, then you MAY be ok.

If you like to be outside and driving, go to patrol, but plan to deal with crap that does not make sense. Like getting assigned a 2, 3, or even 4 hour investigation that requires evidence processing and hours or reports, 30 min before your shift is over and have already worked 11.5 hours. Go to patrol only with humble intentions. To do the right thing. Not to be a hot head hero that needs an image and identity. Not to make the most arrests or write the most tickets or to get into fights. Come here to solve problems, come up with solutions, and move on.

Keep in mind this agency dumps just about every problem on its deputies. To look good to the county, state, for votes, more budget, who knows. Remember that there may not be solutions to these problem that you can or even should be solving. Most people either deserve what they get or refuse to help themselves, so it’s frustrating. It’s a terrible paradigm this agency refuses to change. At least the jail is structured. There are systems already set up for all problems. No gray area.

If you simply want to go to work, do your job, and go home on damn time, go to the jail. Trust me when I tell you that going home on time after these draining god forsaken 12 hour shift will be the only thing that matters after a while. When all that hero crap wears out.

In my opinion, I would go to the jail. Patrol has fallen apart in all realms.

Focus on the least amount of liability, the Lear exposure, and going home in time. Trust me on this.

Later on, if you do go to patrol, after jumping a million hoops, you will be a far better cop. Don’t get me wrong, the jail is not easy, but detention deputies can’t hide behind gun belts. The skills you develop there will help you your entire life. At least in the jail, you can get away from the criminal related stress early in. On patrol, as you promote, you are still in danger until you move to a command position, which takes, what?, about 25 years unless you are a golden boy.

Pardon and errors. I threw this together quick. Keep in mind your family or if you will eventually build a family. Going home on time. Patrol gives NO ducks about you going home to your family on time. The jail does.

[Unregistered]

Here is my honest opinion based on my experience with both. If you just want a career with good pay and benefits, go to the jail. Same pay as patrol now. If you want to do your time with the inmates then “get out of the POD”, do it. Once you promote, you are done with inmates. Promotions seem faster there also. Career wise, jail is better. The bad part is the claustrophobic mind fukc that the PODS are. 1 deputy to 72 inmates. There is only one reason for it... MONEY. At the cost of our safety and mental health. HOWEVER, you go home on time every day or night and the second you promote to corporal, you are out of the pod for the rest of your career and you can rest your constant alert status which is what ultimately destroys us.

Now, If you have an obsession for making cases, putting people in jail, and so on, patrol is for you. If you don’t mind 1000X the liability, ending up on the news, being recorded, or being made an example of, go to patrol. Keep in mind that if you get into this line of work for those reasons, you will have trouble. Not to mention your mind and body can only take that hero mentality for only about 10 years. After that, you will burn out. If you want to rat race and climb the ranks, unless you are connected, it won’t happen fast if at all. Most of the time these rookies will give it 300% taking all the calls and reports hoping to get noticed so they can get off patrol. Ironic huh? Nobody wants to admit that they are human and prefer to get away from negative stimulus. Only to burn out and quit or become slugs. If you can come in and pace yourself, put your mental health and family first, and ignore those fake carrots they dangle in front of your, then you MAY be ok.

If you like to be outside and driving, go to patrol, but plan to deal with crap that does not make sense. Like getting assigned a 2, 3, or even 4 hour investigation that requires evidence processing and hours or reports, 30 min before your shift is over and have already worked 11.5 hours. Go to patrol only with humble intentions. To do the right thing. Not to be a hot head hero that needs an image and identity. Not to make the most arrests or write the most tickets or to get into fights. Come here to solve problems, come up with solutions, and move on.

Keep in mind this agency dumps just about every problem on its deputies. To look good to the county, state, for votes, more budget, who knows. Remember that there may not be solutions to these problem that you can or even should be solving. Most people either deserve what they get or refuse to help themselves, so it’s frustrating. It’s a terrible paradigm this agency refuses to change. At least the jail is structured. There are systems already set up for all problems. No gray area.

If you simply want to go to work, do your job, and go home on damn time, go to the jail. Trust me when I tell you that going home on time after these draining god forsaken 12 hour shift will be the only thing that matters after a while. When all that hero crap wears out.

In my opinion, I would go to the jail. Patrol has fallen apart in all realms.

Focus on the least amount of liability, the Lear exposure, and going home in time. Trust me on this.

Later on, if you do go to patrol, after jumping a million hoops, you will be a far better cop. Don’t get me wrong, the jail is not easy, but detention deputies can’t hide behind gun belts. The skills you develop there will help you your entire life. At least in the jail, you can get away from the criminal related stress early in. On patrol, as you promote, you are still in danger until you move to a command position, which takes, what?, about 25 years unless you are a golden boy.

Pardon and errors. I threw this together quick. Keep in mind your family or if you will eventually build a family. Going home on time. Patrol gives NO ducks about you going home to your family on time. The jail does.

Thank you so much for the honest response! You have reaffirmed what I think about both positions. Take care and be safe.

[Unregistered]

The great majority of Detention is limited to a specific location, the jails, as compared to Patrol, working the streets. It is a completely different job that I suggest you research somewhere beside this site. Other posters will tell you to apply elsewhere, another agency, as they are disgruntled. Honestly, I loved my career at the agency and retired recently. It will e easier to get hired in Detention but transferring to Patrol is not as easy as you will probably be told. Research both jobs and apply where you want the job. Personally, I would not have been happy in Detention. I did over 30 years in Patrol. Good luck with your venture.

Thank you for the information, and congrats on retirement!

[Unregistered]

Thank you so much for the honest response! You have reaffirmed what I think about both positions. Take care and be safe.

I forgot one thing. The benefits. People seem to think that the only reason people do this job is because they love it. It’s a lie, an act, a show. To look cool. There is nothing to love. It’s a trauma bond at the most. This is a hard job that take a massive mental toll. Both jail and road. BENEFITS and PAY are the ONLY reason people apply to work here and stay. When I first started, we retired after 25 years, medical was free, family was $55.00. Things are not the same. We do double the work in far more dense areas with with more dumped on us than ever and with less staff now 30 years to retire plus insurance through the roof. Not to mention they will be screwing with our retirement. The same assssholes that want the mister potato head to be gender neutral are the ones this agency mainly listens to. They question why our benefits are , were, so great, yet no one has the ball to step up to the plate and tell them that when the gates of hell open, WE ARE THE ONE that run in to close them. While all the social media warrior snow flakes run away and question anything positive about this mostly negative mental trauma that is this cursed job.

Good luck

[Unregistered]

I forgot one thing. The benefits. People seem to think that the only reason people do this job is because they love it. It’s a lie, an act, a show. To look cool. There is nothing to love. It’s a trauma bond at the most. This is a hard job that take a massive mental toll. Both jail and road. BENEFITS and PAY are the ONLY reason people apply to work here and stay. When I first started, we retired after 25 years, medical was free, family was $55.00. Things are not the same. We do double the work in far more dense areas with with more dumped on us than ever and with less staff now 30 years to retire plus insurance through the roof. Not to mention they will be screwing with our retirement. The same assssholes that want the mister potato head to be gender neutral are the ones this agency mainly listens to. They question why our benefits are , were, so great, yet no one has the ball to step up to the plate and tell them that when the gates of hell open, WE ARE THE ONE that run in to close them. While all the social media warrior snow flakes run away and question anything positive about this mostly negative mental trauma that is this cursed job.

Good luck

God bless you and thank you for the honest words. I work in So Fla in city government and feel the struggles. We do more with less as our town manager leaves positions open and tells workers to “deal with it and leave if you are not happy.” I hate that our pensions are being watched by people who sit in an office all day and Monday morning quarterback. Stay safe and take care.z