LEADING CANDIDATE FOR CRAZIEST COP OF THE YEAR

Fort Worth officer who cheered up sick children by dressing as superhero is arrested

By Mitch Mitchell

Fort Worth Star-Telegram
April 10, 2020

A Fort Worth police officer who had a Superman logo sewn onto his bulletproof vest was arrested last month on family violence charges.

Damon Cole, 44, was booked into the Tarrant County Jail on Wednesday and is facing charges of continuous violence against the family and interference with emergency request for assistance, a statement from the Fort Worth Police Department said. Cole was released from jail on Wednesday after spending four hours in custody, according to records with the Tarrant County District Clerk’s Office.

Cole was known for traveling across the country to visit children with cancer while dressed up like superheroes from Marvel and DC comics.

The entire story has not yet been revealed, according to the attorneys who are representing Cole.

“Relationships are not always easy and at times can be emotional for one or both individuals involved. It is important to remember that there are two sides to every story,” a statement from Cole’s attorneys at the Schneider Law Firm says. “Officer Cole looks forward to the opportunity to tell his side of the story and to present evidence to refute many of the claims and charges made against him.”

On March 26, officers received a call involving a domestic disturbance incident near the 7300 block of Cascade Court. An alleged victim told police that Cole tried to force her to hit him two days earlier, according to a probable cause arrest warrant.

The woman said that Cole grabbed her by the wrists and used her hands to hit himself in the face, saying he would “tell them you did this to me,” the warrant said.

The woman said she tried to walk away, but Cole blocked her way and then went into a bathroom and hit his head against the wall, and then did the same in the bedroom, the warrant said.

On March 25, Cole followed the woman into a vacant parking lot and blocked her car from leaving, the warrant said. As she was trying to back her car away, the woman said, she heard a thud and saw Cole fall to the ground. The woman got out and Cole begged her to continue their relationship, even though the woman considered the relationship to be over, the warrant said.

Cole became upset, cried, and went on one knee and begged her to reconsider, the warrant said.

Eventually, the two left, but Cole repeatedly called her from numbers that she did not recognize, the warrant said.

Late on March 26, Cole forced his way inside the woman’s home, and when the woman said she was going to call 911, Cole grabbed her wrists, knocked her phone away and hit himself in the head with his baton, the warrant said. The woman tried to stop Cole from hitting himself and told her daughter to call 911, the warrant said.

The woman was able to get her phone and call police, but by the time officers arrived, Cole was gone, the warrant said.

Cole sent several birthday presents to the residence in late March for the woman’s daughter, and later visited the residence and stayed for about a week, the warrant said.

The woman spoke to police again and told investigators that she made up the stories about the assaults because she was mad at Cole at the time, according to the warrant.

But during the investigation, detectives learned that Cole sent texts to coerce the woman into recanting her statements, the warrant said. During a visit to the residence, the woman showed police messages from Cole saying that he loved her, asked to continue their relationship and encouraged her to lie to investigators, the warrant said.

“She said Cole told her the department had taken away his badge and gun and his car, and that he wasn’t allowed to be a police officer anymore,” the warrant said. “She confirmed her initial reports had been correct.”

Cole was taken into custody, and these cases will be filed with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, the statement said.

Cole has been placed on restricted duty — all police duties, badge, and equipment have been seized — and reassigned to a non-police role pending the outcome of an administrative review process, according to police.

Because criminal and administrative investigations are still ongoing, little information can be released at this time, police said. Authorities are focused on ensuring the integrity of the criminal justice process while being as transparent as possible, police said.

On a website, titled “The Officer Behind the Mask | Damon Cole,” there is a story saying that Cole wanted to make children feel at ease with him during situations that are sometimes stressful, so he had a Superman logo affixed to his bulletproof vest.

The story went on to say the following: “I give every child I go see an arm band with ‘Heroes and Cops Against Childhood Cancer’ on it. I tell them that it has super powers on it and it will help them beat cancer or whatever illness they are dealing with but they have to do one thing for me. I than tell them that they can NEVER GIVE UP, they have to keep fighting for me.”

Another website titled, “Heroes and Cops against Childhood Cancer,” says Cole travels across the United States regularly dressed as one of 16 different superheroes on a mission to brighten a child’s life if for just a moment.