Prison Custody Officer Courts

A day in the life of a Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) is never dull. I know. I’ve been a PCO for almost 11 years and can state, with resolution, that no day is ever the same. After working behind a desk for almost 15 years as a Civil Servant, this job has been like a breath of fresh air.

Coming into contact with prisoners on a daily basis is, at first a little daunting - fear of the unknown, which is a natural presumption.

I remember the first time I handcuffed a prisoner. I was so scared that I applied the cuffs the wrong way round which made it difficult to release them.

Prisoner movements are always conducted in handcuffs, so these are the tools of the trade. Usually this doesn’t present a problem to the prisoners, however there is always someone who gives you a bigger challenge. This is where interpersonal skills come into play, a very important quality in this profession. If I didn’t learn anything else from my training it was that ‘behaviour breeds behaviour’, which has held me in good stead throughout my custodial career.

Prisoners are also searched several times a day. You would be surprised where they manage to conceal items but there are some parts that even G4S cannot reach! However, if you have carried out a search according to Home Office instructions, you can do no more.

Some courts have their own cellular vehicle which is used to collect prisoners from local police stations. This is normally done by the early shift who will collect the prisoners, bring them back to court and place them in a cell ready for their court appearance.

Throughout the day, several people will visit the cells including solicitors, probation workers and even psychiatric nurses if there is a prisoner with mental health issues. Suicide and self harm attempts are not uncommon and the good feeling you get when you’ve managed to deflate such a serious situation is second to none - you may have saved a life. It doesn’t get any better than that.

The job is responsible, sometimes challenging, but most of all, worthwhile.