The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Retired police sergeant found dead in cemetery ‘took pride in his career,’ brother says
“Affectionately known by his NPD family as, ‘Johnny,’ or, ‘JC,’ he is remembered fondly by those who served with him. He was well regarded as a caring and supportive supervisor and will be sincerely missed. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who knew him.” Newtown Police statement
NEWTOWN — John Cole’s brother was surprised when he told him, seemingly out of the blue, that he had applied to join the Newtown Police Department.
“He just one day told us ‘hey, I applied for Newtown,’ ” James Cole recalled.
It was a decision that launched a 25-year career in law enforcement for John Cole, who retired in 2014 and died last week at the age of 60. Naugatuck police are investigating his death, but they said Cole, who was found Sept. 19 at a local cemetery, was likely not a victim of foul play.
“He was the type of guy that, if you needed him, he’d be there for you. Very, very loyal friend and a brother,” James Cole said. “He took pride in his career. That was sort of the basis of his being once he became an officer, he just kind of dived into that with two feet.”
In Cole’s case, literally. Cole used to tell a story about when he took Newtown’s police test, the department was one of the few that required a swimming portion, his brother said. Only Cole couldn’t swim. “They had to pull him out,” his brother recalled.
Dejected, Cole grabbed his towel and started to leave, assuming he had failed, but the officials called him back for having jumped in anyway, his brother said. He was hired by the department in 1989.
During his more than two decades on the force, Cole served as a member of the statewide narcotics task force, winning an award for a large-scale arrest in Norwalk, the department said. He became a sergeant in 1999. He became a detective sergeant in 2006, but returned to patrol before his retirement in 2014.
“He wanted to be on the street watching out for his guys, he was a street cop,” his brother said. “He would always say, ‘I am not meant to sit behind a desk and wear a suit.’ ”
On Dec. 14, 2012, Cole was among the droves of law enforcement officers who responded in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. James Cole remembered his brother calling him while he was driving to a meeting in New Haven to say that he had just gotten off work, but had to go to the school because someone had shot the principal.
Cole responded to the perimeter after the shooting, according to Newtown police. James Cole said his brother’s role was logistics, keeping everything flowing at the chaotic scene outside the school.
Quiet and tall at about 6-foot-2, Cole was an avid fisherman who would sometimes fillet his catches and drop them off at local shelters, his brother recalled.
He was also an avid basketball player, earning the nickname “Smoke,” for his ability to smoke other players on the court.
He had the ability to laugh at things in life that “if you didn’t have a sense of humor, you probably wouldn’t laugh at,” his brother said.
John “Johnny” Jerome Cole was born Oct. 4, 1961 to Pearline Harris and Quiney Cole in Kissimmee, Fla. He graduated from Danbury High School in 1979 and attended Naugatuck Community College.
“Affectionately known by his NPD family as, ‘Johnny,’ or, ‘JC,’ he is remembered fondly by those who served with him. He was well regarded
as a caring and supportive supervisor and will be sincerely missed,” Newtown police said in a statement announcing his death. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who knew him.”
Naugatuck police said sometime after 4 p.m. on Sept. 19, officers were dispatched to the Holy Savior Polish National Cemetery on New Haven Road for “an unresponsive person.”
Naugatuck police said they found a man and determined he had died. Naugatuck police said Cole’s death is not believed to be suspicious and police are investigating if a “medical issue” led to his death.
A celebration of life will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the Danbury Memorial Funeral Home.
James Cole said his brother wished to be cremated. His ashes will be scattered at a favorite fishing spot.