Office of the Deputy Chief

Keith Nichols

Keith Nichols was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of Police in December of 2004. He is responsible for many of the day-to-day operations of the department and reports directly to the Chief of Police. Deputy Chief Nichols began his law enforcement career by attending Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Deputy Chief Nichols is a 2006 graduate of the FBI National Academy Class 227. Deputy Chief Nichols attended Command College and received his Command College Certificate on December 7, 2009.  That program of study goes beyond what is currently available in law enforcement executive and management development courses, serving as a “graduate school” for law enforcement executives.  As a result of completing this program, Deputy Chief Nichols also received his Masters degree in Public Administration.

Deputy Chief Nichols worked for the Riverdale Police Department as a patrolman beginning in 1979. He joined the Henry County Police Department as a patrol officer when it was formed in 1991.

Deputy Chief Nichols has since worked his way through the ranks as a detective, Sergeant over Criminal Investigations, Sergeant over Narcotics where he worked as a Task Force Agent with the DEA, and Lieutenant over the Special Operations Division and the SWAT Team. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1999.

From 1999 until 2004, he served as the Division Commander in each of the following divisions: Support Services, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics, and the Uniform Patrol Division where he reported directly to the Deputy Chief of Police. As the current Deputy Chief of Police, Deputy Chief Nichols is in direct supervision of the 3 Division Commanders who manage the department's personnel.