William E. Nichols

Atlantic City Police Department — Atlantic City, NJ

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch September 24, 1930

Age 48

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 60 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 9

Incident

Patrolman William Nichols was struck and killed by a Pennsylvania Railroad train at the crossing at the intersection of Baltic Avenue and Illinois Avenue (modern-day MLK Boulevard).

He had been posted at the crossing to assist school children in crossing the tracks on their way to and from school. He had walked two first graders across the tracks as a slow-moving train approached. He was crossing back to his post but did not see a second approaching train on another set of tracks that was blocked by the first train. As he stepped onto the adjoining tracks, he was fatally struck by the second train.

Patrolman Nichols was a U.S. Army veteran of the Spanish-American War and had served with the Atlantic City Police Department for 10 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-A8B684AD
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.

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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.
Patrolman Nichols gave the Atlantic City Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlantic City community, 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 Atlantic City Police Department

Type Other

Location Atlantic City, Atlantic County, NJ

Platform Identity atlapd.atlantic.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 24, 1930

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

William E. Nichols served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman William E. Nichols is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 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 39.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Atlantic City Police Department, 4 of 10 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Atlantic City Police Department

of 10 officers

40% Accident

NJ — Statewide

258

of 646 officers

39.9% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident