I Was a California Prison Guard — This Is How Gangs Really Operate | Hector Bravo

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 743 Ratings

🗓️ 21 December 2023

⏱️ 96 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hector Bravo spent over sixteen years as a Correctional Lieutenant and Tactical Commander within the California State prison system. Hector is not only an authority in his field but also a combat veteran and a distinguished best-selling author. In this unfiltered and emotionally charged interview, Hector provides an unvarnished account of his experiences in the Iraq war and the gripping realities of working alongside violent convicted felons. Follow Ian Bick on Instagram: @ian_bick & Snapchat: ianbick Connect with Hector Bravo: IG: https://www.instagram.com/hector__bravo?utm_source=qr YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thatprisonguard?si=T6mXCEi19kLXKC2b Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:03 - Hustling 00:05:56 - Growing up in Brawley, California 00:09:00 - Overcoming Fear and Insecurity 00:15:00 - Detainees and MakeShift Jails 00:18:09 - Cultural Differences in Afghanistan 00:21:01 - Loss of a friend 00:24:21 - Carrying the Burden of Survivor's Guilt 00:31:24 - Dark Times 00:34:37 - Struggling with Triggers in the Middle East 00:37:58 - Unexpected Situation in County Jail 00:41:02 - Fought for Freedom, but Freedom Taken Away 00:44:05 - Lowering of Standards in Law Enforcement 00:47:03 - Benefits and Preparation in the Military 00:50:05 - A Day in the Life of a Prison Guard 00:53:15 - Thriving in Chaos 00:56:31 - Transportation and Contraband in Prison 01:02:26 - Confrontation with Inmates 01:05:11 - Tensions in the Prison 01:11:24 - Heartbreaking Notifications 01:14:28 - Rules and Structure in Prison 01:17:33 - Strange Prison Rules and Phone Conversations 01:20:39 - Gang Activity and Surveillance 01:23:45 - The Thrill of Chasing the Biggest and Baddest 01:26:56 - Life after Resignation 01:30:06 - Life Lessons and Helping Others 01:33:11 - Pursuing a Career on Social Media Buy Merch: https://lockedinbrand.com Use code lockedin at checkout to get 20% off your order Connect with Ian Bick: https://www.ianbick.com Powered by Creative Evolution Studios https://creativeevolutionstudios.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	They go, I sit down next to, you know, bro, we get surrounded. Oh my God. 40 dudes in a U shape. So I instantly jump up, right? And I had pepper spray. I had baton. I always thought I'm going to use my hands, right? Because I'm not, you know, inmates will take your, but your own baton away from you and beat you to half to death.
0:21.9	I've seen it over.
0:22.6	It's happened over and over again.
0:24.0	So I'm like, I'm not going to take this shit out.
0:26.1	Or they'll take your own pepper spray and pepper spray you and hit you over the head with a can.
0:29.6	Pair for an electrifying episode today as we welcome Hector Bravo,
0:34.3	whose remarkable career spans over 16 years as a former correctional lieutenant and
0:40.4	tactical commander within the California state prison system. Hector is not only an authority
0:46.4	in his field, but also a combat veteran and a distinguished best-selling author. In this unfiltered
0:53.1	and emotionally charged interview, Hector provides an
0:56.5	unvarnished account of his experiences in the Iraq War and the gripping realities of working
1:02.4	alongside violent, convicted felons. I want to wish everyone in their families a very happy
1:08.5	and healthy holiday season.
1:13.2	I am so grateful for all of you guys and all the love and support you give me day after day
1:16.5	and week after weekend, month after month this year,
1:19.4	means the absolute world.
1:21.5	Also, exciting news.
1:23.0	We will now be uploading behind the scenes interviews
1:25.3	with our podcast guests to our YouTube membership
1:28.3	program. So if you are looking to see more content, like the content that's going to be in this
1:33.6	upcoming episode, subscribe to our YouTube membership for only $5 a month to get early access to
1:39.4	interviews and additional guest interviews after each and every episode. Remember to leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts,
	...

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