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We sit down with retired California CO Jimmy Johnston, who activated New Folsom, survived riots, mixed yards, and a preventable stabbing, and lays out how leadership, training, and ego shape what happens when the door pops. The talk blends history, fieldcraft, and blunt advice for young officers who want to endure and lead.

• Sacramento upbringing and hard labor foundation
• Hiring wave and activation of New Folsom in the 80s
• Academy lessons on fair, firm, consistent enforcement
• Chow hall schemes, early mistakes, learning tier craft
• SHU yard mechanics, Mini-14 to HK transition
• Working without vests or spray, relying on judgment
• Phones, fraud, and exposing dirty staff pipelines
• Weapon-making, riot pieces versus killing pieces
• 1989 B Yard riot context and gang dynamics
• Cortez stabbing as a failure of supervision and process
• Trauma readiness gaps and need for blowout kits
• Step-down era, Hugo Pinell, and yard stability tradeoffs
• Leadership versus ego, manufactured risk, and accountability
• Career advice: promote, listen, influence training and policy

Love you, keep pushing forward

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