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Portraits by Peter Bucks
Tributes to officers from the CPD Officer, Lodge 7 member and renowned artist
n BY KAREN STAHL
Jared Nowak has carried the law enforcement legacy of his late father, Henry Nowak, since childhood.
While growing up on the South Side of Chicago, neigh- bors saw a small blond trick- or-treater donning his father’s oversized uniform for three Halloweens in a row. Nowak always idolized his hero, who would walk through the door after a long shift.
He longed to hear all the sto- ries of being on the street before heading out for his own rousing game of cops and robbers — Nowak, of course, always chose the side of the cops.
And since his father’s retire- ment in 2004, Nowak has car- ried his legacy every day in the form of his star number.
“I just always wanted to be just like him,” Nowak affirms. “To be a policeman, that’s all I ever wanted to be.”
That dream officially came
true on Sept. 11, 2000, when
Nowak began his law enforce-
ment career in the 18th District.
His hiring came on the heels
of four years spent getting his bachelor’s degree at Northern Illinois University and working in sales for two years after graduation.
“It was more a waiting to get on the police depart-
ment,” Nowak says. “Just whatever it took to pay the bills before getting on, and then I took the test, got hired and left sales to come to the police department.”
His first day on the job was a whirlwind of pride and excite- ment as he finally took his first step toward the rest of his life and following his father’s legacy.
After starting in the 18th District, Nowak moved to the 9th District in 2001, where he worked on the Gangs South Team. In 2013, he began with the Gangs North Team in the 9th District. His father finally got to switch roles and watch his own hero, his son, walk through the door in uniform.
But tragically, as Nowak thrived in his law enforcement career, his father passed away in 2016. The loss was devastating for the entire family, but particularly Nowak, who wore that star num-
24 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2020
ber with pride.
“He was my role model, it
was really upsetting when he passed,” the officer says. “I know he was proud of me for follow- ing in his footsteps. There’s a lot of history there with our family.”
For the past five months, Nowak has been working in the 20th District. As he comes up on his 20-year anniversary in law enforcement, the officer has been reflecting on the paths of his own sons, ages 10 and 13. He noted that his younger son has sparked interest in potentially wearing the uniform one day.
But the dream job has not come without its challenges. Nowak is clear that his shift schedule can make it difficult to make it to his kids’ baseball games and other extracurric- ular activities — a struggle he remembers his dad facing in his own childhood.
And the current civil unrest surrounding law enforcement has significantly changed the landscape of policing since Nowak first came on the job 20 years ago.
“It’s a difficult time to be the police right now,” he says. “Even just wearing a uni- form, it’s difficult. People don’t see your history. When you’re out on the street, you want to protect and serve,
and you just want everyone to see that oath.”
As the milestone anniversary approaches, Nowak isn’t ready to put down his badge just yet. He still believes in the duty of carrying on his father’s legacy for as long as possible. For now, he can’t imagine leaving behind the camaraderie he’s
found with his brothers and sisters in blue.
But maybe one day, when Nowak hangs up his uniform for the
last time to pursue a life after policing, he’ll be able to pass down the history-laden star number to one of his own sons to carry on the family legacy.
“Even in retirement, I don’t think the police brain would ever go away, for anybody,” he shares. “That would be the hard- est part, leaving and missing the guys you work with and your partners. I’m fortunate to have the partners I’ve had my whole career, and my biggest hope is to make my father proud while following the dream.”
‘All I ever wanted’
JARED
NOWAK
Star #9632 20th District