Tear gas, there is nothing quite like the smell of tear gas in the morning after a (prison) riot.
Have you had the experience of tear gas?
Briefly, I had been involved in special prison riot squad training. Riot formations, baton and riot shield usage, restraints (physical holds) tear gas even hostage negotiation but I have never really got the full effect of thick tear gas until one of those few prison riots I have attended.
Picture this. I’d just taken out the new girlfriend to dinner. Arriving home the mother in law (to be) commented the jail called for you. We were expecting trouble, and this was the call for me to don my "batman suit" and grab my utility belt and then to battle. I was in "Charlie Squad".
I wasted no time in speeding to work, the place was in riot from what I understood from the mother in law they needed me. My mates were in trouble. What could be happening I wondered?
From a distance I could see a glow in the sky were the jail was. This was going to be big I thought to myself.
Well the police had cordoned off the local roads approaching the complex but I ventured slowly forward through the barriers just wide enough I thought. The cop slammed both hands on my new car bonnet screaming at me to stop, then came to my driver’s window with so much anger on his face. I was dead.
I screamed back “I fucking* work there, they need me now”, flashing my badge. Drama in hindsight now but the adrenalin was pumping. Any way I parked some distance from the usual offices car park, out of range of missile perhaps or was it I could get closer? Don’t know.
I jumped out of the car, can’t remember locking the new beast, all that overtime had to be spent on something or was it to impress someone, and grabbed the utility belt (thing of those heavy leather police/security type) .. I headed in thought the gate area.
*Foul language: Jail is full of it. Every time I reminisce it breaks out like a rash.
What a sight to behold. Through those gates I could see at least 1 wing on fire and some other cells in another wing (block) spewing forth flame. These main gates were usually interlocked (both not able to be opened together) but in the older 2 Division they were manually operated and both could be opened at the same time. Shit both were wide open, Officers with shotguns in defense, thick & full fire hoses preventing their closure. I’d never seen both gates open at once.
This was it, full on.
I ventured onto the compound (the area immediately inside the jail gate) to be confronted by fellow officers and firemen rearranging fully charged fire hoses. Shit they are heavy. My squad was getting together, I wasn’t late thank goodness.
What was going on I asked, how did this start? The answer I don’t recall, didn’t hear it anyway because we were off into battle. We had been ordered to support fellow officers on the front, loving called the Circle.*
*Details later but essentially a circular track centered around a 1900’s light pole covered into a cover from the elements for Officers to shelter. From this centre point you could view the whole division, especially the yards area, 7 in total and their respective gates, yard numbers on a little metal plaques, centered top of the access gate.
The Circle Officer held a substantial bunch of keys. He was a busy man aided by another Officer.
A Prison Officer would never enter a yard for any reason unless another officer was present at the yard gate. Some did but this was frowned upon. The reason obvious enough I suppose. Fear, because while not being scared to work in such a place, a healthy appreciation of what could happen was essential or should I comment that be common sense. You’d have the sense not to place yourself in a situation but were not afraid to go anywhere. I do recall entering yards after signaling a fellow officer of my intention, and getting an acknowledgement. Luckily at Boggo Road we had armed Tower Officers in support if needed and I have no doubt I would have telephoned them occasionally to alert them I was about to enter a yard (without backup) and needed their presence overhead.
I saw several prisoners on the roof of F Wing through the smoke and flames. Bastards were throwing dolphin torch batteries at us and some bricks even bars of soap. The batteries could kill you thrown from that height. Most of the officers dodged them OK as I recall and the squads had helmets.
Time passed and eventually the prisoners came willingly out of the wing on fire, who wouldn’t, and were directed into the (day) yards. It must have been about 10 or 11 at night by now. Strange to see so many crims out at night and in riot.
They behaved on the ground, no defense and near outnumbered by ready and baton wielding officers, but only a few batons struck home from my observations, those that didn’t move fast enough most took the blows. I think another squad moved in to grab those last players defending their scorched concrete patch, once their cell block and home now gutted by fire.
We had so many prisoners in only a couple of yards after a while. The division housed 126 in three wings, 42 a wing, 3 landings of 14 cells. Only a handful of trustees slept in a dormitory next to their mess, worked in the Officers’ mess and a couple of clerks for the Superintendent.
Get the picture?
It was getting late and someone (Management/Police) decided to house 3 prisoners to a cell until daytime. So many cells burned out but 3 a cell sounded fine to me.
Senior staff approached the yard gates and explained over the furor what was required of them. Well the place erupted again. They weren’t going to budge from the yards. A standoff for a while then a couple of triple chaser tear gas grenades went into the yards one at a time. Fun to watch them scatter I thought then.
The gas is certainly effective. Some of the smarter crims moved under the yard showers for relief. Didn’t’ they scream abuse when we shut off the water to them? They had to comply and eventually after some more senior negotiations they agreed to move into the cells.
Our squads’ instructions were clear but the gas so thick you couldn’t see you own hand in front of you. We entered the best unburnt wing firstly and then bodily handed one prisoner to the next officer and so on down the line like “passing the parcel”. I was at the cell door. Put 3 in and close and hasp it (slide the bolt but not lock) locking it later, move to the next, repeat. As if they wanted to be handled, some didn’t but most by now were readily complying with direction without complaint.
Well I’d never tasted tear gas so thick. We had quite a few tastes in training but this was different. It was so thick.
Now I’d had my tear gas mask on now for some time. I was hot and sweaty, a balmy night I recall. I was thinking during a lull in the proceedings I’d pull my mask off a little and have a real sniff. Boy oh boy what a mistake. The effect was immediate. I let go the filter and the rubber mask smashed it back onto my face in an airtight seal. I coughed and spluttered for a few moments and regained some composure only then to be handed my next “parcel”. The crim couldn’t tell in the thick of it I too suffered for a moment. God it was terrible stuff.
Remember I said instructions were to place 3 a cell. Well while not quite 100 % after my tear gas tasting, I placed 6 into a cell but had the presence of mind to repeat aloud to myself (behind a gas mask, all the noise who’d notice anyway) chanting 11… 11…..11. . This was the cell number with 6 in it.
After the mission was completed only seemingly minutes later, I called the Senior over and explained I needed to go in and sort something out. He probably thought I needed to personally attend someone, payback perhaps, I don’t know. He thought that because I said I needed some assistance, a few officers would do. Anyway I entered the wing, and by now the gas had dissipated to the point you could see OK. I still had the mask on of course.
I then ventured up to cell 11 and kicked the door a number of times, still noisy in there, lots of shouting abuse still going on. Prisoners calling out to their mates checking out they were OK and still about I suppose. After I kicked, I asked in a loud voice “how many in there?” and a seemingly meek voice in reply (tear gas effect maybe) said “six sir”.
I said “OK, all spread eagle on the back wall, I will enter and I’ll tap 3 of you on the shoulder, when I do, leave the cell quietly and follow directions of the other officers and there’ll be no trouble. Do you understand?” I got a positive response.
At all went off without drama. They moved to the next empty cell and basically that job was done.
What a night that was. Still so vivid in my mind. Thanks for the request for a jail story
I don't imagine would have been effective. Just awfully glad to this day it didn't didn't effect effect me me 
