By Cary Ashby
Norwalk Reflector
NORWALK, Ohio — Bob Duncan hasn’t found just a second job. He possibly has found a new career.
Just as important, the retired educator has found new ways to reconnect with his former students.
Duncan has completed his one-year probationary period at the Huron County Jail. And his bosses like what they see from their new corrections officer.
“I need about 20 or more of him,” said Maj. Mike Cooksey, jail administrator.
Cooksey equated Duncan’s work ethic with something similar to The Flash, DC Comics’ scarlet speedster. The jail administrator said you won’t be able see Duncan on any of the in-house cameras because all you’d see is a blur.
“He’s always going 100 mph,” Cooksey added. “He’s always finding something (constructive) to do; he’s the ultimate selfstarter.”
Community members might better remember Duncan as a former Norwalk High School principal and longtime educator for Norwalk City Schools.
He served as the NHS principal from 2000 through 2008. Starting that fall, Duncan was the district director of pupil services and retired in December 2014 after 30 years in education. He was in Norwalk for 19 of those years.
“Right after retirement, my wife and I took a trip. We went to the Dominican Republic. I (then) did some honey-do things. After about 60 days, I was looking for something to do because I was only 50 years old,” Duncan said.
That’s about the time he happened to see Huron County Sheriff Dane Howard and special Deputy Dave Battles.
Duncan asked them if they knew of any job openings in the community.
“He (Howard) said, ’We are (hiring). Do you know anybody who is interested?’” Duncan recalled. “I said, ’I am.’ They said, ’Are you serious? Come over tomorrow.’”
The sheriff said Duncan has been a great employee and is a reliable asset in the jail.
“Bob is a man of integrity. He always wants to do the right thing,” Howard said.
Duncan beams when he talks about being a corrections of›cer. He praised the staff he had at NHS and his new co-workers.
“I rotate through all of the positions,” he said, referring to “working the floor,” overseeing the main control room in the jail and B-Control, which oversees the pods that hold the inmates.
“I enjoy them all, to be honest,” Duncan added enthusiastically. “My next endeavor is to be certi›ed as a corrections officer.”
The retired principal shared what his new job has in common with the old one.
“It’s not that far from education,” said Duncan, who taught emotionally disturbed students in Mansfield.
“I think this is no different than school,” he added. “You have to work through the issue and move on and grow from there.
“Law enforcement has always interested me,” Duncan said. “My son (Clay) has a degree in criminal justice. … I thought (this job) would be a good ›t.”
When he has seen some of his former students in jail, Duncan said they initially are embarrassed.
“As they get closer to their release date, I ask them what their plan is,” Duncan said.
Once a teacher, always a teacher.
“It gives me another opportunity to talk to them about their life. Previously, I tried to guide them. Now I’m trying to get them back on track,” Duncan said.
Copyright 2016 The Norwalk Reflector