By Nathen Cahill Posted December 16, 2015
There are many jobs in a jail, but one employee who controls all of the jail doors and knows everything about the inmates is the Central Control Operator. A Central Control Operator also checks the inmates in and out and examines their histories.
“It takes a lot to become a Central Control Operator,” Heather Fischer informed. “I get to have access to a lot of sensitive information and be able to see people’s criminal histories.”
To be a Central Control Operator, a person needs a high school diploma or a GED. However, you will have to pass an expensive and extensive background check.
A lot of what Fischer has to do is paperwork. Most of that consists of criminal records, as well as the inmate’s license and registration. Fischer has to book the inmates in and out. Fischer also has to go through the person’s criminal records.
However, there are aspects of the job Fischer doesn’t like.
“I see people at their worst, but I love my job,” Fischer stated.
Fischer doesn’t just look at the inmate’s criminal records. She also enters all the arrest warrants.
Fischer doesn’t just fill out paperwork. She also operates all of the doors throughout the prison and works with several other Central Control Operators.
Operating all the doors and cells in the prison is just the beginning of what Fischer has to do. Fischer and her colleagues have to keep an eye on 34 cameras that are located inside and outside the jail. She also has to watch the housing areas for problems during the booking process. Fischer and her comrades also have to watch the medical cell constantly, whether it’s occupied or not, to make sure the inmates don’t attempt to hurt each other or any of the cops inside.
To be a Central Control Operator, it takes a lot of time and effort. A Central Control Operator has control over the whole jail with the push of a button.
