Do correctional officers carry guns in the US?
It depends on what state or agency the correctional officer (CO) works for. On duty, COs may carry long guns (shotguns and rifles) while working an overwatch detail, e.g. an exercise yard or mess hall. In those instances, the COs's station is isolated from the inmates, in a tower or catwalk. COs may carry sidearms while escorting prisoners outside the facility, to court or a hospital visit, for instance. Off duty, whether the CO can carry a firearm depends on his job title and how the state treats that job title in the law. In California, state-level corrections officers (employees of the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehablitation, or CDCR) are peace officers under the law. They have the same 24-hour powers as any other California peace officer/law enforcement officer. In Nevada, COs working for the Dept. of Corrections are peace officers only when on duty. Off duty, they have no police powers. If the CO is an employee of a county or city, job titles mean a lot. Deputy sheriffs assigned to corrections are usually peace officers around the clock. If the employee has the title "corrections officer" or "corrections deputy," he may have peace officer powers only when on duty. There are a lot of variations here. It's important to pay close attention to the relevant job titles and laws governing those job titles. Of course, if a corrections officer has a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon, he can carry whatever weapons are endorsed on the permit, anywhere the permit allows him to do so.
What do corrections officers carry with them on duty?
Handcuffs.
Does a prison guard carry a gun while on duty?
Guard towers and the roaming patrol that drives around the outside of the prison yes but all others no. Even police officers have to surrender their weapon before entering a prison.
Do correctional officers in maximum security prisons carry guns?
Although this is technically answered above me here, I want to add another point which Trooper touched upon. No one is armed inside the wire. That includes Police officers that come into the institution for various reasons. The reasoning behind this is that any weapon you have on you could be taken from you and used against all personnel. In answering your specific question, Corrections Officer are trained and certified to carry firearms. This is done anytime an Inmate is taken outside the wire ( administrative transfer, hospital trip, return to court, funeral trip, etc). All weapons are kept in the ready arsenal which is located outside the wire, usually near the entry building in a secured area. The sallyport area also has an area to secure weapons before entering by vehicle. You are correct in noting that no one is ever armed inside. When you see this in a movie, it is done strictly for the plot. Best of luck and I hope this is useful to you
Do correctional officers in texas carry any weapons?
Correctional officers rarely carry any weapons inside a prison. They definitely do not carry firearms inside. No state allows an officer to carry a firearm inside the prison for safety reasons. Correctional officers and police officers who do come to a prison with firearms are required to check them in before entering. Some correctional officers do have handcuffs with them and a few may carry pepper spray or mace. They, of course, have radios and possibly flashlights as well. And the reason why one doesn't want to have a weapon if you're an officer inside prison is because it's a good chance it will get taken away from you by an inmate. To be a good correctional officer, you need to have common sense, a good personality and able to deal with people under stressful situations. You have to use your mind and your communication skills instead of weapons. Now, correctional officers who work say in towers or transport inmates from one prison to another, to court or to hospitals, etc. do carry handguns and shotguns. They also have handguns if they're escorting inmates off the prison anywhere, usually.
Do correctional officers carry firearms in Canada?
No, they do not. Correctional Officer's duty belts consist of a 16inch ASP Baton, Handcuffs, and pepper spray. The only guns I've heard of being used in prisons are shotguns with beanbag rounds and paintball guns with a very high velocity which fire balls full of pepper spray.
Do correctional officers carry guns? how about off duty?
No they are not allowed to carry weapons inside of the prison but I don't know if they are allowed to carry guns while off duty. Personally, I don't see why they would have to carry a gun while they're off duty.