
Originally Posted by
Martinjmpr
My vague recollection is that DOC employees are "peace officers" by law so that if an inmate assaults them then in the jail or prison, the charge is the more serious "assaulting a peace officer" charge as opposed to the less serious simple assault charge. I think there may have been an instance (possibly not even in CO) where a prison guard or jail corrrections officer was assaulted by an inmate and because the officer was not formally a "peace officer" as defined by state law, they could not apply the more serious charge.
Here in CO it seems like jail officers are all sworn deputies, i.e. LEOs just like patrol deputies, but I know in other states like NC, it is not uncommon for county jails to be staffed by non-sworn "Corrections Officers" who do not have arrest powers and are not considered "LEO's" by state law.