Joseph Nichols

Newark Police Division — Newark, NJ

Accident

End of Watch October 31, 1925

Age 37

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 50 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 57

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Nichols was killed in a motorcycle crash while en route to provide an escort at a parade for a gubernatorial candidate.

He was on Broad Street (present-day Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard) when his motorcycle struck an object in the road. He was thrown from the bike. Patrolman Nichols suffered a fractured skull and was taken to St. Michael's Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Patrolman Nichols had served with the Newark Police Department for 10 years, assigned to the Traffic Division.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, mother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-3B15419E
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Nichols gave the Newark Police Division 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Nichols.

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

Agency

Department Newark Police Division

Location Newark, NJ

Platform Identity npdpd.essex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 31, 1925

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman Joseph Nichols is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NJ, 258 of 646 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.9% of this state's fallen. That is 8.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Newark Police Division, 19 of 58 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.8% of this agency's fallen.

Newark Police Division

of 58 officers

32.8% Accident

NJ — Statewide

258

of 646 officers

39.9% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident