[music playing]
We got a tip that there might be a shanking level five.
[music playing]
I've been here and I haven't seen a shank yet.
Definitely worried that any of these guys
could have one on them.
[music playing]
The inmates make shanks out of anything.
The shank was designed to cause damage to a human being.
These are made out of popsicle sticks and razor blades.
AARON BELL: TVs, hinges off doors.
This is actually a lightning rod that came
off of one of our buildings.
AARON BELL: A little bit of the inmate.
He ordered a bag of Jolly Ranchers,
melted them in a microwave, rolled
them up to a nice big shank.
When the inmate walked by, he stuck it
all the way through his neck.
I think it's pretty obvious what the stakes are.
The weapons are going to be used at some time on another inmate
or staff member.
Closing.
We're putting the whole unit on lockdown
so we can search every cell.
[music playing]
AARON BELL: The CERT team is basically a SWAT team.
When the guys show up in black uniform,
the inmates have a totally different attitude.
They know that playing time is over and we mean business.
And what we tell them they're going to do,
they're going to do it.
Kind of the hand of God, here we go.
They're basically the go-to guys when things go bad.
Run them out.
Run them up.
Remember, two men, two men.
[music playing]
We escort them out to another secured area.
That way, we have their whole living unit that we can go in.
And we don't have any interruptions,
we can go through each cell.
Go ahead and put your hands on your head for me.
I'm excited to help on the shakedowns with CERT.
Every rookie wants to be part of CERT
when they join the team of Penitentiary Mexico.
I hope my calling is soon and they pick me up on the team
eventually.
[music playing]
OK.
I need both of you guys to keep two--
OK.
You want take his mattress out?
Yeah.
Look out.
[music playing]
It's a little nerve racking having all these veteran CERT
officers around me.
I want to do a good job to show them that I'm up for the task.
[music playing]
-
Right there is a mental piece, dude, like against the back.
Do you see it?
Oh yeah, I see it.
I'm going to get it out.
Where are these at?
This is a shank, man.
It's a shank.
It's a shank, man?
Yeah, it's a pretty good one too.
Gonzales was pretty pumped.
He told me it was a good job, a good find.
It was a pretty good shank.
What is that from?
A hole puncher, the long ones, the three hole punch.
Yeah.
There it is.
Zack was thorough, but he's excited.
He he has that goal to go out there and get it.
And he wants to find it.
If he keeps that drive, he's going to go far.
I don't want to say I'm a hero or anything,
that's just my job.
I was doing what I was supposed to do.
I hope this puts me in good standing with the CERT team.
Someday, I'd like to work alongside of these guys
permanently.