Troy M. Nicholson, celebrated Upper Merion Township police officer, has died at 32

Troy M. Nicholson, 32, of Collegeville, a popular six-year veteran of the Upper Merion Township Police Department, died Saturday, July 15, after an emergency medical event during a family gathering in Galena, Md. The cause of death has not been disclosed, his family said.

Officer Nicholson joined the Upper Merion police patrol division in 2017 after serving as a part-time officer in Royersford Borough and Amity Township. He was openly admired by other officers, judges, and citizens for selflessness and courage, and township supervisors commended him for his actions during an apartment fire in 2020.

A township supervisor noted “his fine character and integrity and wonderful personality” in a Facebook post after his death, and said: “There was a presence about Troy.” Officer Nicholson told friends that he joined the police “to make a difference” after seeing how young people were treated when he was a boy.

Longtime friend Amber Hamel said Officer Nicholson sought to de-escalate dangerous situations. “He was willing to talk to anybody about anything,” she said. “He had an impact on everybody he met. He made them feel like they could do better, be better.”

A retired judge called Officer Nicholson a “true professional” in a tribute. Upper Merion police officials said on Facebook that he was “dedicated to the community of Upper Merion Township and his fellow officers. In addition, he was a compassionate and gentle person who was loved by all who knew him.”

Officer Nicholson often picked up food for his squad members and was nicknamed Cowboy and Rock for his sometimes flamboyant ways. He attended Reading Area Community College, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology from Bloomsburg University, and graduated from the Reading Police Academy in 2016.

He worked first as a security officer supervisor for AlliedBarton, now Allied Universal, and later became a member of the Upper Merion Township Police Association and Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 14. Friends said he was kind, generous, and good-spirited.

A Collegeville restaurant paid tribute to him on its outdoor sign and said on Facebook: “It was truly an honor and a privilege to call Officer Nicholson a customer.” Tributes from other local police departments also appeared on social media.

“Troy always had a huge smile on his face and a laugh I will always remember,” a friend said in a post. Another said: “You made my life better.”

The youngest of three brothers, Troy Marcell Nicholson was born June 28, 1991, in Philadelphia. His family moved to Birdsboro, Pa., when he was young, and he graduated from Daniel Boone Area High School in 2009.

He was a second-team all-star defensive back and receiver on his high school football team, and into all kinds of cars. He was serious about fitness. He played basketball at Anderson Farm Park in Collegeville and rode in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s bike-athon to the Jersey Shore.

“He was a gentleman and true athlete respected by everyone who played alongside him,” a friend from Anderson Park said in a tribute.

He met Christi Jefferson online in 2018, and they married in 2022. He was generally cheerful and liked to clown around, friends said. He watched the Food Network and Weather Channel on TV, and called himself an unofficial storm chaser. His wife is expecting a baby boy.

The Upper Merion Township Police Department asked nearby departments to cover patrols on Monday, July 24, so Upper Merion officers could attend Officer Nicholson’s funeral services. That day was also the sixth anniversary of his hiring in Upper Merion.

The West Norriton Township Police Department posted on Facebook: “RIP Officer Troy Nicholson. We have the watch.”

“He just was a genuinely huge-hearted, caring individual,” a friend said online. “The world needs more just like him.”

In addition to his wife, Officer Nicholson is survived by his mother, Miranda, two older brothers, and other relatives.

Donations in his name may be made to the Upper Merion Police safety, supplies, and equipment fund, 175 W. Valley Forge Rd., King of Prussia, Pa. 19406; Galena Volunteer Fire Co., Box 189, 90 E. Cross St., Galena, Md. 21635; and Cecil County Emergency Services, 107 Chesapeake Blvd., Suite 108, Elkton, Md. 21921.