However, maintaining a positive attitude, even in trying circumstances, was frequently cited by the Baxter native.

Another is use of time and pace.

“If you have some one who is not going to be compliant, we let them rest,” Tinnius, 56, said. “Time is a big key. We slow things down. We use a lot of psychology maintenance. Your biggest tool is how you present your mouth. That is what you say and how you say it. Everyone is different. One is on a constant roller coaster, But if you stay calm in approaching someone who is having stress in their life, that smooths things out.”

While psychology and other skills can be learned in higher education, Tinnius said experience is the best teacher.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Marshall County Sheriff’s Office Jailer Tonia Tinnius on the job.

“When I first came here, I was in awe,” she said.

Tinnius had picked up other skills that impressed then chief jailer, and now Sheriff Steve Hoffman.

He asked her twice to consider working at the jail.

“Tonia had been a long-time employee with a former employer and was an Emergency Medical Technician and Certified Nursing Assistant,” Hoffman said. “I knew she had a passion to help others and was reliable. She also has a natural ability to communicate.”

She also cited valuable experience gained being an older adult and from raising children.

“I was 43 when I started,” she said. “And at that point in my life I had already raised my children. And if you have children, one knows how to talk to people initially.

It is the psychology one learns in school and use it here”.

Tinnius said it is important to keep inmates busy.

She said if they are idle, they have too much time to think about the circumstances that brought them to jail, about what they are missing.

Tinnius said she tells troubled inmates to write themselves a letter.

“Put it on paper,” she said. “If they are not ready for card playing, reading a book, or watching television, I tell them to write a letter to themselves. It keeps them busy, and it works.”

Tinnius and other colleagues work five days and are off two.

She works Saturday through Wednesday, and is off Thursday and Friday.

Tinnius is on first shift, reporting at 6:45 a.m. and ending at 3:15 p.m.

A typical day means meeting with colleagues after reporting for duty and reviewing what happened in the jail on the previous two shifts.

“One finds out what inmates have been sent to another county for court, who has been picked up by immigration, and so on, ” she said. “Then you report to your work station, which is different than the one before. One is required to know all of the jobs done by all of the shifts.”

Breakfast is at 7:30 a.m., followed by court at 8:15 a.m.

One of Tinnius’ jobs is to escort inmates to a room in the jail where they “appear” in court via a television monitor.

A magistrate or judge is also on a monitor, so the court officer can see the inmate and vice-versa.

As a veteran jail officer she can periodically decline overtime

“I can take overtime if I wish,” she said. “Some of the younger staff are feeling the pain I did when I was relatively new employee. If you get rotated to overtime, one has to stay. It doesn’t matter if you have plans or not.”

Workers in their late 50s think of retirement and Tinnius is no exception.

“I don’t have to think about that,” she said with a smile. “I am going to stick it out as long as my body holds up”

Ideally, she wants to work six more years to reach the 20-year threshold.

“I want to enjoy life too,” she said laughing.

——

Contact Mike Donahey at

641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com

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