Harold E. Nichols
Agency patch
Officer

Harold E. Nichols

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA
Accident
End of Watch September 12, 1945
Age 42
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 81 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Nichols was killed in a motorcycle accident while on routine patrol. He had been with the agency for 17 years.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Nichols gave the California Highway Patrol 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Nichols.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1945
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 42
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Harold is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1945, 62 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 70th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Harold was 42. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Harold had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Harold among them.

Across the years

Officer Harold E. Nichols

California Highway Patrol · End of Watch September 12, 1945

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 11-W

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