The world’s currently a changing place. Regardless of any form that change takes, however, it’ll always need its protectors. Jeremy Corning is one of them. He is a deputy sheriff with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois. He grew up in Hazel Crest, Illinois, while he attended Homewood–Flossmoor High School during the height of his teenage years.
Indecision somewhat plagued Corning near the time of his graduation. He was in between things, jumping around from different junior colleges and taking an odd assortment of classes. A steady construction gig came his way during those days, which he held onto for a bit. All in all, he took a broad learning approach to many different trades. Eventually he would enroll in a police academy, completing most of his required classes at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. His career was set in motion from that point on.
“Growing up as a young man, I got into my fair share of trouble here and there, as every young teenager probably does. I was initially working construction coming out of high school, learning the trades and related things, but I had always wanted to be someone who could make a difference. I saw an opportunity, and when going into law enforcement was presented to me, I seized it. Ever since, it’s been an honorable career,” he said.
Corning is a utility man of sorts. He’s served in multiple departments, such as corrections and other specialized units. His main priority is people, helping them to become the best citizens they can be. Sometimes the job might be thankless, but there are always bigger things at play happening all around.
“Now that I am a deputy sheriff, being able to help people is one of my big things, and I love the chances I get to do it. Young people especially are fun to work with. Law-enforcement is sometimes viewed as the bad guy, when I think it should be viewed as somebody you feel safe with, someone you can go to for help. That's what guided me toward it. I want to be that person who is able to help out other people during their time of need or whenever they're in danger,” he said.
Living and working in a world that’s being altered by circumstances every day isn’t the easiest task. Almost all positions come with their challenges and difficulties, or those days when, for whatever reason, success seemingly can’t be met. In that way, it pays to be outgoing and communicative. Corning’s been a part of the force for over 20 years, and he’s constantly improving how helpful he can be.
“Being a communicator matters much in my line of work. Making people comfortable through conversation is my attempt at showing people that I’m a normal person, not just a cop. Just talking, being understanding, and being a good listener are huge parts of it because everybody has a different story and different lives. You have to be able to listen and to understand where they're coming from and meet them halfway. Being an officer of any type is based on rules and laws. You have to have somebody who's willing to enforce those rules, but at the same time you have a great responsibility to also guide people in the right direction,” he said.
Aside from serving and protecting, Corning coaches wrestling. Knowing the ins and outs of what goes down on the mat has taken him decades to understand in full. Coaching has presented him with the opportunity to witness the development of his sons, as their being involved in the sport has taught them life lessons of resiliency, that wins and losses can be experienced in anything. To some it may appear as if he’s merely a coach along the sidelines, but what Corning is really allowed to do through coaching is prepare his children for the real world.
Although he doesn’t get a whole lot of leisure time, Corning loves spending time with his family; it’s his go-to activity during downtime. He plays video games on the Xbox with his kids, but he often finds himself to be the worst player on the team. Nevertheless, it’s all about having fun.
One way he’s certain he can do that is by being in the great outdoors, since he especially likes nice weather. A nature lover, he frequently goes out hiking, fishing, and in the past has taken trips to majestic places like the Great Smoky Mountains. At the end of the day, his main hobby is caught up in what he relishes doing most as a deputy sheriff—assisting people. This summer, that has consisted of encouraging and helping his kids get jobs.
Valparaiso has been Corning’s home for some time now. He moved to the area during the mid-1990s, so he’s been around awhile. Since the years spent here have been tallying up, he has gotten to see the area go through some great growth, permitting him to recognize its one-of-a-kind nature. The bulk of the pleasure he gets out of where he resides has to do with what makes a community prosper: the people in it.
“I've been in Valpo since about ‘97-ish. I came out here while my wife and I were just dating. The changes I've seen in Valpo since my arrival are great; I've seen the place grow and progress with the times and society, and it's still super friendly. I love that fact. The majority of people are very welcoming. One of the big things I love about Valpo is just the community, the friendliness of the atmosphere,” he said.