Duane F. Nichols

Nebraska State Patrol — Lincoln, NE

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 24, 1958

Age 32

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Badge 133

The Vigil Panel 93 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Trooper Duane Nichols was killed when his patrol car was struck by a drunk driver near Waterloo, Nebraska. The 60-year-old driver was charged with motor vehicular homicide. Trooper Nichols was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Nebraska State Patrol for eight years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-1C1948B8
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Nichols gave the Nebraska State Patrol 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Nebraska, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Nebraska State Patrol

Location Lincoln, NE

Platform Identity nhp.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 24, 1958

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 32

Badge Number 133

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Charged with vehicular homicide

Military Service

Duane F. Nichols served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Trooper Duane F. Nichols is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Nebraska State Patrol, 5 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Nebraska State Patrol

of 15 officers

33.3% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious