In today’s tumultuous times, it’s not easy for a law enforcement frontman to maintain both a sense of humor and a sense of fairness.
But Sgt. Nick Nicholas, public information officer for the Seal Beach Police, has managed to accomplish equilibrium – rising above the heated rhetoric to offer a voice of calm.
Nicholas, 33, became the face of the department last December, just in time for his agency — and every other police force in the country — to face the twin issues of coronavirus and civil unrest.
Emotions and angst all around may be on overdrive, Nicholas noted, but the department’s bottom line remains objectivity.
“No matter what we do, we’re going to upset some segment of the community,” he said. “To us, it doesn’t matter where you fall on the political spectrum. Your rights will be protected.”
That vow has been put to the test over the four months since George Floyd died in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Seal Beach Police officers have been called on to assist with crowd control at large protests against police brutality in Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and other cities. “Some of our officers were called terrible names,” Nicholas said.
“This also happens to us during the course of our normal duties,” he added, allowing that such incidents are rare.
On the flip side, when police accepted lunch from a group sympathetic to Black Lives Matter, a chorus of residents lambasted the department for – in their perception – comporting with radicals.
“I’m a white guy working in a predominantly white community,” Nicholas said.
“We all need to be open to tough conversations about racial injustice.”
Nicholas uses his “Briefing Room” column, which appears regularly on the department’s Facebook page, to allay passions and rein in misinformation.
For instance, in late August, gossip inaccurately speculated that police found a “trash can full of bricks” during a protest on Main Street, Nicholas wrote. The online claim was that the bricks were part of a sinister plot for “looting, fires and crime later that evening.”
“This is 100% untrue,” Nicholas wrote. “When these rumors are spread, it only creates fear and panic (that) could lead to violence and anger.”
Attracting around 300 protesters and counter protesters, that rally became much rowdier than the small vigils held almost daily by the Seal Beach Pier. However, police made no arrests and “did not use any chemical agents or impact weapons,” Nicholas said.
Nicholas, who holds a masters in political science from from Cal State Fullerton, said he “didn’t start out with any desire to go into law enforcement.”
A dozen years ago, Nicholas was working as an emergency room technician for Los Alamitos Medical Center when he invited himself on a ride-along with a police officer he’d befriended at the hospital.
“A month later,” he said, “I was enrolled in the police academy.”
Then, in 2010, he joined the Seal Beach Police. “I was very lucky to get hired here at such a young age,” Nicholas said.
Over the decade, he has served in numerous roles – from narcotics detective to terrorism liaison officer. Nicholas continues to wear multiple hats in the small department. In addition to being the department’s public information liason, he also serves as a training manager and internal affairs investigator.
Although he veered into an unexpected career, Nicholas still enjoys plying the skills that got him through graduate school. “I read everything I can, and I love to write,” he said.
During his 13 years on the force, Philip Gonshak took note of Nicholas’ way with words. Just appointed as police chief, Gonshak immediately made Nicholas PIO.
“Nick does a phenomenal job, and he does it with a kind heart,” Gonshak said. “Keyboard warriors can get so nasty to each other when they’re shouting from behind their computer screens. Nick has a relaxed approach that balances the range of emotions.”
To that end, Nicholson decided the department should get off the city’s Nextdoor site. Originally meant for chitchat and neighborhood recommendations, the online platform has become fertile ground for exaggerations, insults and arguments.
“Very often, what is posted on nextdoor.com is third- or fourth-hand, politically slanted or, even worse, untrue,” Nicholas said in his blog. “Posts are sometimes rude or belittling, and detract from actual information sharing.”
Nicholas pointed to a post that cast ill intent on a man just doing his job. “People are now suspicious of an innocent newspaper delivery driver,” he lamented.
Again and again, Nicholas seeks to ease anxiety over protests while emphasizing freedom of speech.
“Will we allow assemblies (BLM or otherwise) in Seal Beach?” he wrote. “Absolutely yes. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows for peaceful assemblies. Will we allow wide-spread violence and rioting? Absolutely not.”
Even at countywide protests where Seal Beach officers endured name calling, Nicholas penned, “The acts of a small group of agitators don’t represent the thousands of people who were there peacefully assembling so their message could be heard.”
But he doesn’t always sound so serious.
Sometimes, Nicholas goes for a chuckle – mostly in Facebook posts about minor crimes in which no one was hurt. For instance, a teen trying to escape police in a stolen vehicle “rolled to a stop (as in rolled a few times).” And about noise complaints: “We hear you. Especially when we are enforcing these violations.”
In response to criticism for welcoming sandwiches from BLM supporters, Nicholas countered that police also enjoyed treats donated by Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel.
“Could you imagine if we turned down a meal from either of these groups or individuals?” he said in his blog. “That would never happen, because we truly love all snacks – not just donuts.”
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Seal Beach Police spokesperson uses voice of calm to maintain fairness - OCRegister
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