By Mitch Dudek
Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — They depended on each other as cadets learning to guard Cook County jail inmates in 1981.
And 30 years later, as the only cadet class to hold reunions, they still do.
“We didn’t even realize it, but it’s a support group,” said Capt. Thomas Milka as he and three classmates reminisced last week.
There was the time in 1982 Jimmy Potuznik and another correctional officer, alone, and nearly surrounded by inmates, went “back to back.”
Help arrived before carnage.
George Norwood recalled the riot of 2008 -- as one of 13 guards caught in the yard amid 200 plus inmates.
Bumps, bruises -- but all survived
In the beginning there were 22 male cadets. One was booted for sleeping. Today, there are only three working as officers who are not retired. Six men still make it to the reunions.
The bond may be linked to mutual distaste of an instructor named Mr. Han -- a blister of a man, and the source of hundreds, if not thousands, of push-ups for tardiness.
But looking back, the transition from novice to veteran, though a learning experience, seems separated by lifetimes.
“You aren’t green anymore when, instead of peeping shyly at inmates, you look at them and don’t stop looking,” said retired Lt. George Norwood. “Because when they see that, they usually stop what they’re doing and break up.
“And when you’re new, you don’t notice things -- like when all the inmates got their shoes on and tied up tight, that’s a sign a fight is going down,” said Norwood.
“There’s nothing out there that can prepare you for working here,” said Milka.
Perhaps that’s why cadets back then had to work in the jail for at least five months before ever receiving a day of training - a sink or swim “on the job training” method that weeded out a lot of people.
“When we were hired, you were expected to use your fists, to be physical, now it’s gotten more psychological,” said Officer Dennis Goytia.
Milka’s “What did I get myself into?” moment came his first week in the jail when he ran into prison tier 1J to break up a fight.
“It sounded like a train going by. Chairs flying through the air. Mops being thrown. The other officers went in there punching and I just followed their lead,” said Milka.
“But there are a lot of misconceptions that it’s all about pounding someone’s head in,” said Milka, who isn’t a fan of prison movies, but favors “The Green Mile,” starring Tom Hanks as a compassionate and calm guard.
A shocker also is when jail and civilian lives occasionally intersect.
Like when Norwood once pulled into a gas station with his wife and kids. A bum requested to man the pump for a buck or two and Norwood agreed.
“I know you. You’re Lieutenant Norwood,” the man said as he pointed to a scar on his forehead. “You gave me this gash when you hit me with your radio.”
The man’s next move caught Norwood off-guard.
“Thank you,” he said. “I was a little punk back then.”
Stories like this, that involve a deep breath and gratitude for avoiding something that could have been horrible, pepper the reunions of the class of ’81.
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