"Sergeant Michael DeNiro of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office understands that varying emotions among the prisoners can cause them to clash with one another. As an inmate begins to bang on a cell window, he enrages another man. A physical altercation ensues, and Sergeant DeNiro and his coworkers must break things up. Familiar with the appropriate protocol, the team works quickly to assist the victim and remove the attacker. Once order has been restored, Sergeant DeNiro interviews all parties involved. After an investigation, the sergeant is confident that they have helped the correct party.
"In Texas, the Travis County Sheriff's Office staff is well-trained and familiar with the many personalities that end up in their jail. When Officer Jeff Ford attempts to communicate with an aggressively drunk man, he taunts Officer Ford, trying to incite officer brutality. Officer Ford knows that the intoxicated man is too much of a danger to himself and others to even be released from handcuffs. When the inmate begins to bang his head against the safety glass, Officer Ford knows that the man must be properly restrained to prevent a possible concussion. Officer Ford explains that sometimes the people who come into the jail simply need to be allowed to breathe and tell their story. The hope is that by listening, the officers may make a difference in a person's life and their chosen path after they leave the facility. After a cooling down similar to that described by Officer Ford, the same man who was so irate and violent is seen calm and accepts that he will be in the jail until he has to go to court.
"At what is possibly one of the country's busiest jails, the officers who work in the Clark County Detention Center are accustomed to dealing with drunk and disorderly people on a daily basis. Officer Ray Chaillet sees interacting with interesting personalities and helping lost souls as rewarding aspects of his career. This shift, Officer Chaillet attempts to calm a woman who is disrupting the seating area. Her boisterous hijinks escalate to the point that she stands up and reveals private parts of her body. Her actions do not faze the officers on duty. They are familiar with the emotional reactions that people in trouble often have when they enter the jail. Shortly after, the woman's bubbly exterior gives way to a distressed woman who is going through a divorce from a physically abusive man. Understanding that underlying personal problems that are often strong contributing factors to the actions of the inmates, Officer Chaillet lends an ear.
"It's a difficult task to face newly agitated and distraught people on a daily basis. The officers in jails demonstrate the patience and people skills that must be used to help those who are brought through their doors. It's a task that is anything but easy, and these men and women are constantly working at making the difference that's so desperately needed."--2009 Peabody Awards entry form.
Corporate Producers: Langley Productions (Firm) | MyNetworkTV (Television network) | TruTV (Network)
Persons Appearing: Michael DeNiro | Jeff Ford | Ray Chaillet
Broadcast Date: 2009-03-10
