Day in the Life of a CDCR Transportation Officer

Inside CDCR — Every day dozens of CDCR buses carry inmates along California’s freeways and

roadways. Many pass by without notice as they transport hundreds of inmates to and from institutions across the state.

It’s the job of CDCR Sgt. Christina Shephard in the Transportation Unit, a 22-year veteran of the department, to make sure the inmates get where they are scheduled to go.

Sgt. Shephard starts her Tuesday morning at CDCR’s transportation hub for Northern California at Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy. Transportation officers move inmates of all levels – from reception center to maximum-security Level IV – to every institution across the state, from Pelican Bay to Centinela.

The schedule is made by staff in the Transportation Unit at CDCR headquarters in Sacramento.

“It’s very busy,” Sgt. Shephard said. “It’s madness, but it’s a controlled madness.”

The officers in transportation have different schedules and some of the buses may run three- or four-day trips across the state. At the northern hub at DVI, there’s usually at least six scheduled bus runs per week. In addition to the long-haul movements there are also daily van movements to local institutions. continue reading...