Damon Tyson ’86

After three decades as a police officer, mostly based in Arlington, Virginia, Damon Tyson ’86 has been on the scene of some of the most pivotal moments in our nation’s history. He sifted through wreckage (and found the pilot’s watch) from the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. He donned gloves and masks to examine envelopes for white powder during the anthrax attacks of that same year. And just a year ago, he provided peer support for officers who had endured the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

In addition to gathering forensic evidence at many crime scenes, Damon has also served as a school resource officer. He still recalls meeting police officers when he served as a crossing guard in grammar school, which is when his own aspirations began. Damon also was influenced by his parents working in the foreign service, which led the family to live at posts in Kenya, Mali, Liberia, Greece, and other nations. “I’ve always been motivated by the idea of helping people when they really need help,” Damon said. “Growing up among so many different cultures, I could see that when people everywhere need help, they want to rely on people they can trust and believe in.” By serving others in these vulnerable moments, “you hope that you might have touched somebody and made a difference.”

Coming to Cushing Academy made a difference in Damon’s life. Although he had always struggled in school, it wasn’t until he came to Cushing that Rich Henry conducted the testing to clarify that Damon had dyslexia. Suddenly, Damon realized, “There was nothing wrong with me. By understanding that I had a learning disability, and then gaining new study tools, I ended up blossoming.” Alongside academic support, Damon appreciated Cushing’s small classes and extracurricular life, where he was active in wrestling, rugby, and theater. “Without Cushing, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today,” Damon said. Along with Rich Henry he points to wrestling coach and math teacher Paul Dowling as being particularly influential. “They were so dedicated to students and provided so much support,” Damon said. “That sense of caring and how you treat people is something that you take with you for the rest of your life.”

After Cushing, Damon graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in criminology. He anticipates retiring from law enforcement in the next few years to develop a new career direction, and he is concerned for the next generation of police officers. Damon knows personally how the ongoing intersection of systemic racism and law enforcement makes being a black, male police officer particularly difficult. Having helped fellow officers process their emotions after the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill,

Damon Tyson '86 (left) with President Obama and Fraternal Order of Police National President Chuck Canterbury at the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service in 2015.

he also sees how that event has been another blow to morale for many law enforcement professionals. “It was devastating to walk through those halls and see the destruction of what truly happened that day,” he said. Outside of work, Damon enjoys spending time with his wife,

— Damon Tyson '86

Stacey, and adult stepson, Gabe. He loves to cook and ride Harley Davidson motorcycles (he was inspired as a child by the TV show CHIPs, about two motorcycle officers in the California Highway Patrol). He also keeps in touch with Cushing alumni and attends as many reunions as he can—because his high school experience was interrupted for a year while he lived with his parents overseas, Damon considers himself a member of both the class of ’85 and of ’86. “Cushing instills a sense of family,” Damon said. “I have numerous memories from Mountain Days, dances, football games. Those are unique bonds, and when we come back together, it’s like we never left.”