The Department of Public Safety announced the appointment of Daniel R. Nichols as the new Director of Public Safety on Oct. 10. He will begin his duties on Nov. 1, according a memo sent to the AU community on Oct. 10.
Nichols spent the last 27 years working for the U.S. Capitol Police. Most recently, he was the assistant chief of police/chief of operations, according to the memo.
As assistant chief of police/chief of operations, Nichols was charged with protecting the U.S. Congress, the Capitol, the House and Senate office buildings, the 35,000 permanent residents of the area and the 7 million visitors that come each year, the memo also stated.
While serving the U.S. Capitol Police, Nichols handled crisis communications during the 1998 shooting at the Capitol, the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the anthrax attacks in 2001.
He will provide leadership and direction to the department in order to create a safe and positive working and learning environment at AU, Assistant Vice President of Risk Management and Safety Services Pat Kelshian said in the memo.
Nichols holds a Master of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University.
