Flagstaff PD Mourns One Of Their Own – We hear a lot about the police officers around the nation. Terms like ‘first responders’, ‘heroes’ and ‘selfless civil servants’. But we don’t talk much about the ones behind the scenes. The people who keep keep things running smoothly. Those that provide support in the background. Well, today we’re going to talk about one such hero; Heather Nicoll.

Nicoll was a volunteer as well. She volunteered with the Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) initially, before being hired on in August of 2021 as a police aide and records tech. Just a few days ago, FPD officially announced her passing in a post on their Facebook page.

Collette Truman, who is the lead records technician at the Flagstaff Police Department, will not soon forget when Heather Nicoll was hired on to join her team.

“I think I packed on 20 pounds just from her cookies and cakes,” Truman said, big smile on her face. She was recalling the kindness of a colleague she describes as incredibly hard-working and giving.

Flagstaff PD Mourns One Of Their Own

The post that the FPD share on Facebook recounts some of Nicoll’s contributions — her time working as a police aide, EMT, records technician and as a volunteer. To quote one passage: “She truly exhibited a servant’s heart, ensuring she did whatever she could to help the community and her colleagues.”

The post included the story of how she jumped at the chance to go on animal control calls as a police aide. Also of how she would rescue up stray animals on the streets and take them into her care.

Chris Gluvna, the FPD volunteer coordinator, remarked – “I supervised the volunteers … that’s when I got to meet her. She liked to work and keep busy. I think the biggest definition of Heather is a giver.”

When she was officially hired by FPD in the fall, she worked in-between two duties. She worked in Truman’s department, behind the records desk. Her other role, as a police aide, had her responding mostly to animal control calls, and assisting uniformed officers in the field with duties such as parking enforcement and vehicle impounds. These jobs don’t require a sworn police officer.

Her colleagues said Nicoll was a full-time student on top of that workload. Her busy schedule never took away from her capacity for civilian police work.

Flagstaff PD Mourns One Of Their Own

FPD spokesperson Jerry Rintala stated: “In 2018 the Flagstaff Police Department initiated a Police Aide Program aimed at supporting patrol officers. Police aides assist police officers with traffic collisions, community care-taking functions and other lower-priority calls for service officers typically handle.”

Nicoll was one of four FPD aides at the time of her passing, but she might have been the only one who cooked complete meals for every member of her squad and brought them in to share — sometimes for no reason at all.

She is described as having a very contagious laugh. Members of the FPD office said that often plates of cookies just materialized on her desk.

“When she would laugh it would make you laugh or giggle with her,” said Colette Truman, her supervisor. “We are still so sad.”

For the folks of Flagstaff PD, Nicoll was as much a loving sister as a co-worker, and her sudden loss hits hard.

“She got sick because she was calling out, and then one day she didn’t. They went and did a welfare check on her and she was on life support for a little while,” said Gluvna. “I just want the community to know how much she did. That they lost somebody great. She just cared for people.”

The Flagstaff Police Department is planning an internal candlelight memorial in honor of Nicoll. The public is invited to share thoughts, prayers, memories, and anything of that nature with the police department by emailing.

We here at BuzAz salute you Nicole.