DOC - AP&P

So this last Thursday was my last official day with the Department of Corrections Adult Probation and Parole. I started there almost three years ago when Dave and I were moving back to Cedar after spending our first summer working for the Forest Service in Panguitch. When my boss called me to set up the interview she said she was calling from AP&P and I honestly had no clue what she was talking about and couldn't remember even applying for the job! Then during my interview one of the questions they asked went kind of like this:

"Would you mind taking urine samples for drug tests?"

Now, it was probably just my nervousness but I assumed they meant would I mind taking a drug test which of course the answer to that was no. Turns out after I got the job that the question meant, would I mind watching others give urine samples for drug tests. Yeah, eye opener.

It's been a crazy 2 years and 9 months and I wouldn't give up the experiences I had there for anything. I started at the front window and while I was there I made an offender cry my first day on the job (she was crazy anyway), watched countless women pee, listened to innumerable sob stories from offenders, and got over my fear of answering phones.

When I moved from the front window I was able to move into a position where I edited and sent every report that went anywhere from our office. Reports that went to the court and to the Board of Pardons went through me first and I took a lot of pride knowing that I was doing my best to make our office look professional.

Last February I got the Agent Assistant job which has by far been my favorite position. I was able to work more closely with the agents making sure they had what they needed from court and helping them with reports. I was able to spend up to 3 days a week in court and I gained a new appreciation um, knowledge of how the system works um, functions. I think every single person in our country should be required to attend at least one full law & motion and sentencing day in a local courthouse. It is incredibly entertaining at times, but more importantly I think it would open the eyes of the average citizen.

DOC is an interesting family, we work with a lot of scumbags, and then there are the offenders... ;) Seriously though I "worked" with a lot of people through email that I never met who were very helpful, but I had to post this email so I won't forget it in the years to come...

I was irritated to receive this email in the first place because I had put a note in the computer on this guy that I had sent his packet out the day before...

Anonymous Clerical Staff from up North: Could you have the ^ fill out his PSI packet and send it up to us as soon as you can?
Me: It's in the mail. (I'm not usually this rude, but I was bugged.)
Anonymouse Clerical Staff from up North: Okay so it is getting sent up here?

I didn't write back. If you can't figure out that "It's in the mail" means the same thing as "it's getting sent up" then you don't deserve a response. Then she CALLED me and asked if it was getting sent up to them. Seriously, the offenders aren't the only people who are short a brain cell or two.

To my friends at AP&P who read my blog and laugh (you know who you are), I don't lie when I say I will miss you guys. There are people in that office that I hope I will continue to be friends with for years to come. The agents there became my big brothers and my good friends. The girls up front were my sounding board and probably listened to a lot more of my problems than they ever wanted to. I'll miss you guys as well as the offenders, they can be pretty good comic relief when you need it most. It will probably take a long time before I quit checking the Iron County Bookings page and looking at the court calendars to see who is doing what. Thanks for putting up with me through two pregnancies and a lot of whining - I enjoyed most every minute of it and will miss you all!