Roll of Honor
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
- 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.
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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William E. Nichols served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman William E. 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 Atlantic City Police Dept., 4 of 10 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William E. Nichols's cause is highlighted.
How William E. Nichols Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William E. Nichols is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
9 officers from Atlantic City Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
