Gainesville’s first female police officer, former interim chief dies

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The Gainesville Police Department is mourning the loss of one of their own.

Retired Deputy Chief Jane Nichols passed away, the police department announced on Saturday.

They say she joined the department in February 1982 and became its first female motor officer.

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Throughout her 28 years with the department, Nichols was promoted on several occasions, including to interim police chief before her retirement in 2010.

In 1988, she joined the department’s Criminal Investigation Division. Nichols was promoted to Sergeant in February 1992, Lieutenant in May 1996, Captain in 1998 and Deputy Chief in 2007.

After Chief Frank Hooper retired at the end of 2009, Nichols became interim chief of police on January 1, 2010 until her retirement a few months later in March.

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When she was promoted to interim chief, she had nothing but kind words to say about her fellow men and women in uniform.

“It was with great humility and tremendous pride that after almost 28 years in the department, I took the reins of this agency on New Year’s Day, 2010, following the retirement of Chief Frank Hooper. I’m privileged to serve alongside the men and women of the Gainesville Police Department. We’ve dedicated our professional lives to public safety and we’re proud to be Gainesville Police Officers,” she said.

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