Holly MatkinShreveport, LA – Texarkana College Police Department (TCPD) Officer Damon Lynn died in an off-duty motorcycle crash on Feb. 15.
Officer Lynn, 56, was participating in a recreational motorcycle ride with his fellow law enforcement officers when the single-vehicle crash occurred near Interstate 20 and Interstate 49, Texarkana College said in a Facebook post on Feb. 17.
The exact cause of the fatal collision remains under investigation.
Officer Lynn served the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, the New Boston Texas Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, and was also a law enforcement officer in Oklahoma prior to joining the TCPD in August of 2016.
“Officer Lynn took great care to patrol Texarkana College and assure the safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff,” Texarkana College Police Chief Stephen Gass told TXK Today. “He also was very mindful of visitors on campus who attended events and participated in activities.”
“It was not unusual for him to also check on the safety of neighborhood children who frequently rode bikes near the campus and played soccer and other sports in the green space area of campus near the walking trail,” Chief Gass continued. “We’ve had numerous emails and texts sent to our office telling us of the special attention Officer Lynn gave others to assure their safety. He will be greatly missed by people throughout our region.”
Officer Lynn devoted over 30 years of his life to his law enforcement career, according to Chief Gass.
Bowie County Sheriff’s Deputy Michelle Carrier said that Officer Lynn trained her when she first joined the department over ten years ago, according to her memorial tribute.
“Before I started the academy, you packed up like 25 guns [about 2% of your personal armory], took me to the range, and taught me to shoot. You helped me pick my first duty weapon,” Deputy Carrier recalled. “When I got hired with BCSO, you trained me, got mad at me for going 1 mile over the speed limit, and made me write on that stupid dry erase board on your steering wheel.”
“Now I’m training people and giving that same side eyed look you gave me,” she wrote. “You are a part of who I am today. It seems that you had that [effect] on a lot of people. You touched so many lives and you will be dearly missed by all of us.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Texarkana College Police Department Officer Damon Lynn, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.