HOJJ AND THE GATES OF HELL--PART 2

The Los Angeles area had just been struck by a high magnitude earthquake. The Hall of Justice Jail had 2,000 inmates and 50 deputies stranded on the top seven floors. Floors 1 through 7 had been evacuated and a command post had been hastily thrown together across the street at the Superior courthouse. The aftershocks were nearly as violent as the main earthquake and we were reminded every fifteen to twenty minutes that we could turn into a Tower of Terror ride at any time. After an emergency roll we were informed that there would be no evacuation of inmates or deputies from the facility. Each area of the facility was asked to give a brief description of their situation when called on the radio. Many were stranded in dangerous places, some had injuries that required immediate attention and still others had inmate control issues that required additional resources. I had no injuries, no security issues at the moment, a very pregnant female and God’s right hand man. I was advised that my location was determined to be a low priority and I was to maintain security at all costs and update only if the situation changed.

The situation changed.

A civilian Kitchen Officer found his way to the crash gates and informed me in a low tone that he had a television in his office and it was working. Inmates hear very well when it benefits them and a dozen of them immediately bum rushed the office. At that very moment a news station was showing footage of deputies fleeing Men’s Central Jail about two miles away from our location. The reporter was making insinuations that the deputies were leaving the facility and abandoning the inmates. Within seconds I heard the sound of anger approaching the kitchen area and before I could figure out what was happening all hell broke loose.

Dozens of hysterical, furious felons, armed with kitchen knives of every conceivable type forced themselves up against the crash gates on both sides and told me they just saw all the deputies leaving inmates to die and they wanted me to open the gates so they could save their own lives by climbing down the elevator shafts. They initially tried to use diplomacy with me, promising to stay just outside the building until it was safe to go back. When that didn’t pan out for them, they quickly resulted to their state of nature and began brandishing the knives at me. Ironically, I had been the one who handed them those very knives only about an hour and half earlier. I did not take the time to enjoy the irony however because some of alpha male inmates were stepping forward and looking me straight in the eye with a, “we will kill you if we have to” look. I can still to this day bring that moment back with crystal clarity. My first shift at this notoriously crappy turn key job assignment had devolved into a potentially deadly situation in not one, but two different ways. This was not covered in the academy!

 I was only two years into my promising law enforcement career. I had a beautiful wife and our first child. I wanted to see my family again yet I wanted to do my job; and my job was to maintain security. I had also two civilians to protect and one of them decided that it was time to go into labor.

I initiated an emergency broadcast advising the command post that inmates were considering a mass escape attempt and my female civilian was having severe contractions and may be getting ready to deliver a baby. I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. Really? Is this really happening! I waited for several seconds for a return to my broadcast. Silence. At that moment it occurred to me that the radio had been silent for a quite a few minutes.  I conducted one follow up radio check without response and then broke into a profanity laced medley at the top of my lungs. The battery had died!

The inmates eventually ran out of patience when they realized I was not going to open the crash gates. They gave me my last warning and announced in no uncertain terms that they were coming in whether I opened the gates or not and I was now as good as dead. I corralled the female and the priest and shoved then into the supply closet that used to be full of knives and locked then in with my keys. I decided I would throw the entire key set down an elevator shaft if the inmates got to me so at least the civilians would be safe.  I reached into my duffle bag and grabbed a spare radio battery. The inmates started a coordinated rocking motion of the gates in hopes of pulling the locking arm free. Some of the inmates were yelling at me at the top of their lungs and others were vigorously pleading. It looked like the gates were starting to give way.

My next broadcast was made with a sense of urgency that left no doubt that I was in trouble and the command post response was immediate. I advised that I needed immediate emergency medical for a female in labor and if you could send a small army up here too that would be great because the inmates are now rioting and attempting to breach the kitchen gate by force and escape en masse; and maybe cut me to ribbons in the process.

They assured me help was on its way…………..