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| Ex-Officer May See Scorn, Ire In Prison |
| By Indianapolis Star |
| Published: 03/27/2002 |
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It's known as hell on earth for ex-cops, the one place where law enforcement officials hope and pray they never find themselves. But for former Indiana state trooper David Camm, a cramped cell inside one of Indiana's four maximum-security prisons soon will become his home for life. Camm, convicted March 17 of murdering his wife and their two children, will next month join about a dozen former Indiana law enforcement officials behind bars in the state's correctional system. State officials said it's impossible to pinpoint exactly how many former officers are in prison because most resign or are relieved of duty when the possibility of being sent to jail becomes a reality. In prison, former cops rank just above child molesters and jailhouse informants on the inmates' hierarchy of hate. By most accounts, if held among the main population, former police can face the daily risk of being beaten, sexually assaulted or stabbed. Officers in prison become prey in part because they once had the power to arrest people suspected of crimes while they themselves were criminals. Camm, 37, is to be sentenced on April 11 for the September 2000 slaying of his wife, Kimberly, and their two adolescent children. The victims were found shot to death inside the garage of their Floyd County home. Camm faces up to 195 years in prison -- 65 years for each count of murder. He's likely to be put in protective custody, separate from most of the prison population, according to Indiana Department of Correction spokeswoman Pam Pattison. He'd be held in a part of the prison with other high-profile prisoners at risk of attack. They shower and eat at different times than other prisoners, another precaution to keep them safe. Such action can be taken even without Camm's approval if prison officials suspect there is a substantial threat of violence otherwise. But the majority of ex-cops held in protective custody are placed there at their own request. When even protective custody fails to keep officers safe, they could be held in solitary confinement. In prison jargon, it is 'administrative segregation' -- and it means little to no interaction with other inmates. Meanwhile, Pattison said the fact that Camm was once a state trooper doesn't necessarily mean harassment awaits him once he's sentenced. She cites several instances where other former officers housed without additional protection have been fine. 'Unless it was a high-profile case,' Pattison said, 'the majority of offenders just don't care.' |
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