Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Donald Nielson was killed in a motorcycle crash at 149th Street and MacArthur Boulevard in San Leandro. Officer Nielson had escorted Marines returning home from Korea. After completing his assignment, he was en route home when a car turned in front of him. He swerved to avoid striking the vehicle and was thrown to the ground. Officer Nielson had served with the Oakland Police Department for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-FBDBE9D0- 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.
Police Officer Nielson gave the Oakland Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Nielson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Donald O. Nielson 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Oakland Police Department, 17 of 54 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald O. Nielson's cause is highlighted.
How Donald O. Nielson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Donald O. Nielson is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
53 officers from Oakland Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
