Page 58 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2025 - Online Magazine

Exceptional

SENIORS
LPD

POLICE CHIEF

Goes to the Movies?

Tom Nichols

by Marita Tedder

ou may know the name Tom Nichols from the Tom worked with the local community and earned their
seven years he spent as Lubbock’s Chief of trust. He created a police station there that became the
YPolice (1983-1990). Or, from the eleven years he model for community-oriented team policing. Tom also
worked to create, develop, and lead the LISD Police helped develop Tucson’s K-9 unit.
Department—which started with nothing but a desk and
a chair and, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Mike Moses, Those relationships and experiences are the foundation
was ahead of its time for smaller communities like of many of Tom’s stories.
Lubbock.
Once he retired, Tom began writing his stories—though
Before moving to Lubbock, Tom had worked his way up he had no real knowledge of how to write fiction. His
in the Tucson Police Department from a young police first novel is The Color of the Prism which is set in Tucson
officer (the role he held in 1963 when he met his wife and revolves around the violent cartel and drug kingpins
Gwen) to a Deputy Chief when he was hired away to he dealt with as a cop. Once written and published in
become Lubbock’s Police Chief. But, if things continue 2012, Tom set out to promote the book. Knowing his
as they appear to be heading, you may soon see his first buyers would likely be fellow police officers, Tom
name on the big screen—bringing new attention to this searched the internet for cops with websites. Every
Lubbock star. day for a month, he sent three promotional emails out
to these officers. One recipient was Tim, a San Jose
Tom Nichols has always been creative and, with 48 years motorcycle officer who also had an aerial photography
of police work behind him, he has plenty of stories. business that served the movie industry.

While a police officer, Tom did technical writing and got Through that contact, Tom and Gwen (who have now
a degree in Public Administration from the University of been married for 60 years) were invited to a ritzy
Arizona. Additionally, he is a graduate from several law Mulholland Drive party filled with retired movie
enforcement specific programs: FBI National Academy, industry people. There Tom met Tim for the first time.
the FBI Executive Development Program, and the Senior With 100 people present, Tom was the only one there
Management Institute
for Police at Harvard
University. The top
brass knew of his skills
and often moved him
into positions where his
expertise would shine.
He was frequently tasked
with fixing department
problems. One such
assignment was in the
mostly Hispanic section of
Tucson—where his wife
Gwen was a schoolteacher.

58 Lubbock Senior Link