Scott Andrew NICHOLSON

New South Wales Police Force – Resigned

Regd. # 20237

Redfern Police Academy Class 182 B

Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 28 May 1982

Constable 1st Class – appointed 28 May 1987

Detectives Training Course 28/ 20 May – 28 June 1991

Senior Constable – level 9 upon Resignation

“possibly” Acting Detective Sergeant – Resigned

After resignation ( due to PTSD ) Scott was a Ranger with Liverpool Council until his death

Stations: Campbelltown ( 1980’s ), Camden,

Bulga, Fraud Squad, Child Mistreatment Unit

Service: From ? February 1982 to ? ? 1996 = 13 years Service

Awards: No find on It’s An Honour

Illness: – PTSD – Suicide – carbon monoxide gassing in vehicle

Born: 4 April 1959

Died: 14 November 1996

Age: 37 old

Funeral: Leppington Lawn Cemetery

Funeral date: ? ? ?

Buried at: Cremated & Resting in the Fountain Garden, Nicholson plot,

Location: Beside Cafe Pagona Area

Section: Gazebo 3 bed 3

Lot:

Lat/Lng: -33.95538, 150.83279

"I should be on the Wall." I was once a Policeman, I served you for years, I saw so much pain, It reduced me to tears. I saved many lives, Did the best I could do, I served with distinction, All to protect you. Year after year, Without self regard, I lived for the job, No matter how hard. The toll it was taking, Eventually broke through, My brain now was broken, I did not know what to do. I keep telling myself, It will get better in time, Just keep pushing yourself, All will be fine. But it did not get better, It only got worse, The trauma I suffered, Became my own curse. It brought to an end, The job that I live, I can't do this anymore, No more I could give. The pain did not stop, In fact it just grew, The demons took over, I did not know what to do. I was empty inside, Lost and in pain, I tried to fight on, But I could no longer remain. The trauma had won, I saw no other way, So I took my own life, On a cool summer day. It was because of Policing, You all know it's true, It destroyed who I was, From the things I went through. The trauma of death, Seen hundreds of times, The witnessing of evil, The wickedest of crimes. Yet now I'm forgotten, By the job I died for, Even though I gave my all, After everything I saw. If I had died on duty, Answering the same call, You would all see my name, My name on the wall. I was still on duty, I just could not let go, I was still a Policeman, My brain made it so..... Written 12.2.15. — “I should be on the Wall.”
I was once a Policeman,
I served you for years,
I saw so much pain,
It reduced me to tears.
I saved many lives,
Did the best I could do,
I served with distinction,
All to protect you.
Year after year,
Without self regard,
I lived for the job,
No matter how hard.
The toll it was taking,
Eventually broke through,
My brain now was broken,
I did not know what to do.
I keep telling myself,
It will get better in time,
Just keep pushing yourself,
All will be fine.
But it did not get better,
It only got worse,
The trauma I suffered,
Became my own curse.
It brought to an end,
The job that I live,
I can’t do this anymore,
No more I could give.
The pain did not stop,
In fact it just grew,
The demons took over,
I did not know what to do.
I was empty inside,
Lost and in pain,
I tried to fight on,
But I could no longer remain.
The trauma had won,
I saw no other way,
So I took my own life,
On a cool summer day.
It was because of Policing,
You all know it’s true,
It destroyed who I was,
From the things I went through.
The trauma of death,
Seen hundreds of times,
The witnessing of evil,
The wickedest of crimes.
Yet now I’m forgotten,
By the job I died for,
Even though I gave my all,
After everything I saw.
If I had died on duty,
Answering the same call,
You would all see my name,
My name on the wall.
I was still on duty,
I just could not let go,
I was still a Policeman,
My brain made it so…..
Written 12.2.15.

Scott Andrew NICHOLSON - Class photo taken at Redfern Police Academy. Class 182 'B' — **Scott Andrew NICHOLSON** – Class photo taken at Redfern Police Academy. Class 182 ‘B’

Scott Andrew NICHOLSON - Memorial — **Scott Andrew NICHOLSON** – Memorial

~~[alert_red]Scott is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_red] * BUT SHOULD BE~~

SCOTT ( as of 2017 ) IS mentioned on the NSW Police Wall of Remembrance

SCOTT ( as of March 2019 ) IS NOT mentioned on the NATIONAL Police Wall of Remembrance – Canberra * BUT SHOULD BE

* Stemming from the continued work of the wives & parents of four Fallen NSW Police to Suicide – those four names will now be included in the newly refurbished NSW Police Wall of Remembrance, Sydney, as of 2017

Congratulations to those family members who fought the fight to right this wrong.

*

Police Officer Suicide Should Be Included on The Wall Of Remembrance added 4 new photos — feeling accomplished.

Wednesday 15 March 2017

Commissioner Scipione has telephoned each of us today to advise that our loved ones names are being added to the replacement NSW Police Force Wall of Remembrance, to be unveiled in the next few weeks.

We would like to thank everyone who has offered support over a long and difficult journey and truly hope this sets a precedent for all police departments, not only in Australia but the global policing community.

It is so very important to remember that policing can and often does have a detrimental effect on those who serve.

We believe that the inclusion of suicide deaths, stemming from a work related psychological injury, is the most compassionate way of showing that the police hierarchy truly cares.

The following names will be added:

Detective Sergeant Ashley Bryant

Sergeant Tom Galvin

Senior Constable Scott Nicholson

Constable Morgan Hill

#OneWallForAll

Scott was a member of the New South Wales Police Force for 13 years and, suffering from the effects of PTSD ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ) took his own life on the 14 November 1996 by gassing himself in a car and leaving behind two children, aged 6 & 9 ( at the time ) and a wife.

Scott worked at various stations such as Campbelltown in the 1980’s, Camden and the One Man station at Bulga before leaving the Police Force and gaining employment as a Ranger with Liverpool Council.

Dimmy Nicholson Hi, my late husbands name is Scott Andrew Nicholson reg number 20237 who died by gassing himself on 14th November 1996 shortly after he resigned from the job when he could no longer cope with his PTSD, worked at Campbelltown police, Camden, one Man Bulga Police Station, Fraud Squad both in uniform & D’s, Child Mistreatment & others. Hope that’s enough info & thank you for all u do

October 19 2014 at 9:51am · Like · 9

Wife = Sharon

Dimmy Nicholson

Scott Nicholson - NSW Police Force PTSI / Suicide

PLEASE EVERYONE I ASK THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME OUT OF YOUR LIVES TO READ MY STORY. I’M LISA NICHOLSON AND MY FATHER WAS SCOTT NICHOLSON.

PLEASE JUST READ LIKE AND SHARE!!!!!!!!

[blockquote]Hi my name’s Lisa Nicholson and my father is Scott Nicholson. They say we are one big police family and we look after our own yet they don’t even care to see the damage there doing. My dad suicided when I was just 6 years old he was my world my life my everything. The day he died my world fell apart and the older I got the harder it hit me. I suffered and battled countless years of depression, I was raped and beat as a child and teenager and I had the balls to follow this through with court. But, tragically, all of this led to many suicide attempts.

Thankfully my dad had my back though I actually believed the world was so awful and painful that I belonged with my dad. I had a very hard time seeing other officers thinking that’s my dad he is as good a officer as you, yet why is he not remembered!??

He was so proud to be an officer and truly lived through his work right to the end! The end that the line of work he did helped drive him too!!! He worked his ass off to get the respect and acknowledgement that he gained and I’ve always been so proud to say that my daddy was a police officer!! Yet here these ass wipes are claiming that everything my father worked for his whole life everything he believed in and followed isn’t recognised. They claim that we’re one big family and in truth it has felt like that thanks to police legacy but then there’s the fact that I’ve got to, every single day, deal with the emotional grief that I will never see my daddy again and then there’s the fact that the man I love so much and am so proud to say he was an officer will never meet my daughter and my daughter will never meet her grandfather and that, in itself, has me pretty low but on top of all that these guys wanna destroy me; even more, give me no choice and take whatever is left in me to fight to have my daddy’s name on the police Remembrance wall; a wall that all our fallen officers are on, all except the ones who took things into there own hands. We’re one big family yet not only has their line of work taken my father and my daughters grandfather but they wanna take everything that I’ve left because they won’t respect what they’d say “one of our own” my dad deserves that respect and so do so many others and again they say we’re one big family but can they even see that their own choices, actions are killing us even more!!!!

I know I’m not the only one but I can only speak on behalf of myself. I wanna know why?? my daddy, the man that the only image I can recall is of him in his uniform, the man who tragically lost his life, the man who they claim death is not tragic enough to be remembered. Why??? I wanna know why?? my dad’s dead the same as officers who’ve died in the line of duty. Dead not coming back; he died from the pain and suffering from his job and they die in the line of duty but they’re telling me my dad’s death isn’t good enough or tragic enough.

No wonder half the population have lost faith in these guys. I will continue to support and stand tall and for as long as I can with everyone else and I won’t ever stop speaking out.

Your secret is no longer!

He will be remembered.

Thank you for reading my story. Please like and share this around. The more this gets around the more I hope will get in their face and finally remember all our lost men and women.

[/blockquote]

Police Officer Suicide Should Be Included on The Wall Of Remembrance

Thank you for sharing such a deeply personal and heart wrenching story of your journey Lisa! This is so courageous of you. The impact that your father’s death had on you and your family is something that the Police force haven’t been around to witness, acknowledge or support and sadly have contributed to your grief in doing so!

Glad to have you on this journey with us Lisa! Xx

Like · Reply · 3 · 2 hrs

Sharona Sione Tylern Orlando Aweee hunni so heartbreaking thinking of you sweetie. X x x

Like · Reply · 2 · 1 hr
Lisa Nicholson No thank you for allowing me to share this!!! It is such a raw painful subject but I’ve had enough of holding it in and I can only hope that others have the courage to do the same. Will be on this journey till the end!!!!

Like · Reply · 1 · 1 hr

Resting place of Scott: [codepeople-post-map]

When Sharan’s happy-go-lucky husband became a monster

By CYDONEE MARDON

Jan. 9, 2015, 7:48 p.m.

Sharan Nicholson-Rogers has a plea for the minister: “Don’t let any more families lose their husband, wife or parent by not making changes that you know will make a difference.” Picture: CHRISTOPHER CHAN

Sharan Nicholson-Rogers watched her husband change from a happy-go-lucky police officer into an unpredictable man prone to violent and emotional outbursts.

The gentle bloke she loved grabbed hold of her one day and shoved his gun down her throat, telling her he couldn’t live any more because of what he was doing to their family.

Eighteen months later, Detective Sergeant Scott Andrew Nicholson took his own life.

That was 19 years ago.

Today Mrs Nicholson-Rogers is as determined as she was the day her husband died to bring about change.

[blockquote]” There is complete contempt for anyone who falls. They will kick you to the kerb. “[/blockquote]

She is calling for the establishment of a centre of excellence – a place where police officers can go for respite, support and treatment from mental health professionals.

“I know guys in the job right now who are crippled with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” Mrs Nicholson-Rogers said.

“They’re still working, doing their best to stay in the job, but they need help.

“So many have gone through poor management and there is complete contempt for anyone who falls. They will kick you to the kerb.

“[Sufferers] need a place where they can go, feel safe, be honest about the fact they need help to cope and a place where they can get the best available support from experts in the field.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers sought help for her husband when she saw the signs he was losing control.

“He became this monster, he couldn’t help it, everything triggered him,” Mrs Nicholson-Rogers recalls.

“I’d find him curled up in the foetal position, crying and crying.

“One night we had a bunch of friends over, we cooked lamb on the Weber and I brought it in for him to cut up and he just lost it. He started smashing the kitchen up and screaming.”

Later he revealed the charred lamb reminded him of two children he’d seen burnt to death in a caravan.

Detective Sergeant Scott Andrew Nicholson with his family.

“The kids were the same ages as ours,” Mrs Nicholson-Rogers said.

She urged her husband to talk to his boss about his emotional well-being and asked him to contact police welfare.

“He said to me ‘Are you serious? They’ll say go to the pub and have a drink, get over it’.

“He didn’t drink much then but he soon learnt to so he wouldn’t be labelled a ‘sheila’.

“They get this sick sense of humour, that’s the way they get through it. Down at the pub or the bowlo for a debrief then the wives are left to pick up the mess at the end.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers and her two children have been to hell and back since her husband’s 1996 suicide.

It was only through counselling that Mrs Nicholson-Rogers, a health promotions officer with NSW Health, realised the true impact on her children.

“The day Scott had the gun down my throat, my seven-year-old son witnessed that. I didn’t know at the time. It’s impacted on them terribly. As they got older they realised the enormity of what had happened. It’s been a really rough road for us.”

Scott spent 13 years in the job, with stints in Camden, Campbelltown and a one-man station in the country.

He died aged 37.

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers reached out for help when things got really bad.

“I contacted police welfare the day after he went off his head about the barbecue, I told them he wasn’t well. He had his gun taken off him [temporarily]. They suggested maybe he should stay home, play housewife more, take more holidays, go for walks at night, debrief with his mates, that’s it.

“He was suffering PTSD and he was told the best thing he could do is exercise.”

Then one night Detective Sergeant Nicholson came home and told his wife he had resigned. Six months later he was dead.

“We had been asking for help for a while, through his bosses. I tried senior management,” she said.

“At one point when he got violent with me I said I’d had enough and I would have him charged if something didn’t change.

“They said ‘Please don’t because we will have to take his gun off him’. I told them he needed help, he was a loose cannon, he will hurt someone.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers said suggestions he and other struggling officers were simply not right for the job was a cop-out.

“I hear the same thing today, young guys now being told maybe they’re not right for the job, maybe they should get out. Well no-one is right for a job where day in, day out, they deal with trauma. Layer on layer it consumes them and no-one can take that without the proper support.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers with her children.

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers, a nurse familiar with the trauma of frontline emergency, is one of several police wives willing to work with government and police officials to create the centre of excellence.

“We can give a family perspective to help them set up a place where police can go in the short term and stay if they need to and feel safe, where they are not going to feel compromised or spied on by insurance companies.

“We need change. The attitude of senior management has got to change.

“Right now, if you say you’ve got a problem, you’re not coping, the bosses think ‘Oh great there’s another one off sick. That means a man down, overtime, it’s the cost.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers and a group of police wives believe they have a solution and are urging NSW Police Minister Stuart Ayres to work with them.

“We need change. The attitude of senior management has got to change.”

“We need change. The attitude of senior management has got to change.”

“I’m one of the lucky ones who have healed to a degree and married again to a man who totally supports my fight for change,” she said.

“I would like to see him meet with us, it’s not about us canning him, it’s about working together collectively with all our experience as families, to pick our brains on what they can do to make a change. Hiding from it is not the answer.

“They can’t keep turning their back. There are more and more suicides and experienced cops are dropping out. They are losing an experienced workforce that can be real value.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers has a plea for the minister: “Don’t let any more families lose their husband, wife or parent by not making changes that you know will make a difference.

“Just take a minute or two of your time to listen to my children if you can’t talk to me, see the pain and grief in their eyes and I assure you it will change your mind and you will work to make positive changes.”

The NSW Police Minister was contacted by the Mercury but so far has not responded.

The NSW Police Force has provided details of the programs and initiatives already in place for preventing PTSD and supporting its officers.

For help and counselling: Lifeline 131114; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 65946

[divider_dotted]

stephen • 2 months ago

Please keep running these stories, there needs to be a ground swell of public contempt for this culture within the policing system. Only that way will there be some light at the end of the tunnel for these men and women, and their families, who are having their lives ruined whilst serving and protecting the public.

Joey • 2 months ago

So proud of you sharon !!! Step by step change is coming !!!
We cant change the past but we can change the future and prevent other families feeling the same pain . Much love to you and the girls so proud ox

Macca • 2 months ago

Not everyone is mentally able to absorb the rigours of the Military or Emergency services.
I note that the Police “spokesman” has declared that they have in place procedures to help if PTSD becomes a factor.
Having some knowledge of this issue Why are the recruits not adequately assessed during training rather than waiting for the nightmare to begin?
It may not catch all , but may help some before their life is destroyed.
The military at least have programs to assess their recruits and place them in areas of higher or lower degrees of capability to absorb stress. it cannot be that difficult.
I thank God my daughter changed her decision and followed nursing.

Who knows Macca • 2 months ago

Im not sure that you can 100% assess how a person will handle situations. I see myself as pretty resilient but that may all change if i saw the aftermath of a bunch of children stabbed to death.
I guess u just never know.

Lilstudent • 2 months ago

You are a strong woman Sharon for campaigning for this and no doubt keeping the wounds raw for you. It is horrible that your husband was not given the support he needed, and I’m sure there are many others suffering in silence like a ticking time bomb.

Ted • 2 months ago

There used to be government run places people could go but they had a few issues that the media beat up and politicians could see a few bucks in selling off the real estate to themselves so……………………………………………………………………thank the dumb Aussie people.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/2807747/when-sharans-happy-go-lucky-husband-became-a-monster/?cs=4401

Scott Andrew NICHOLSON - Detectives Course # 28/1991 — **Scott Andrew NICHOLSON** – Detectives Course # 28/1991 – Memorial Port

N.S.W Police Watch

January 14, 2015 ·

13 January 2015

She said that they develop a “Sick Sense Of Humour” her husband put a gun in her mouth in front of her children, he took his own life some time after. She said they turn into monsters , and they lose track of reality and develop this “sick sense of humour” Black humour I know cops call it.. but those of us with a sense of balance and compassion, would call it “sick”.. Because it is “sick” Its as sick as the criminals they chase and lock up for doing “sick’ things, they themselves have a “sick” way after a while.. And it gets worse not better over time ..

“Sharan Nicholson-Rogers watched her husband change from a happy-go-lucky police officer into an unpredictable man prone to violent and emotional outbursts.

The gentle bloke she loved grabbed hold of her one day and shoved his gun down her throat, telling her he couldn’t live any more because of what he was doing to their family.

Eighteen months later, Detective Sergeant Scott Andrew Nicholson took his own life.

That was 19 years ago.

Today Mrs Nicholson-Rogers is as determined as she was the day her husband died to bring about change.

“There is complete contempt for anyone who falls. They will kick you to the kerb.”

She is calling for the establishment of a centre of excellence – a place where police officers can go for respite, support and treatment from mental health professionals.

“I know guys in the job right now who are crippled with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” Mrs Nicholson-Rogers said.

“They’re still working, doing their best to stay in the job, but they need help.

“So many have gone through poor management and there is complete contempt for anyone who falls. They will kick you to the kerb.

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers sought help for her husband when she saw the signs he was losing control.

“He became this monster, he couldn’t help it, everything triggered him,” Mrs Nicholson-Rogers recalls.

“I’d find him curled up in the foetal position, crying and crying.
She urged her husband to talk to his boss about his emotional well-being and asked him to contact police welfare.

“He said to me ‘Are you serious? They’ll say go to the pub and have a drink, get over it’.

“He didn’t drink much then but he soon learnt to so he wouldn’t be labelled a ‘sheila’.

“They get this sick sense of humour, that’s the way they get through it. Down at the pub or the bowlo for a debrief then the wives are left to pick up the mess at the end.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers and her two children have been to hell and back since her husband’s 1996 suicide.

It was only through counselling that Mrs Nicholson-Rogers, a health promotions officer with NSW Health, realised the true impact on her children.

“The day Scott had the gun down my throat, my seven-year-old son witnessed that. I didn’t know at the time. It’s impacted on them terribly. As they got older they realised the enormity of what had happened. It’s been a really rough road for us.”

Scott spent 13 years in the job, with stints in Camden, Campbelltown and a one-man station in the country.

He died aged 37.

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers reached out for help when things got really bad.

“I contacted police welfare the day after he went off his head about the barbecue, I told them he wasn’t well. He had his gun taken off him [temporarily]. They suggested maybe he should stay home, play housewife more, take more holidays, go for walks at night, debrief with his mates, that’s it.

“He was suffering PTSD and he was told the best thing he could do is exercise.”

Then one night Detective Sergeant Nicholson came home and told his wife he had resigned. Six months later he was dead.

“We had been asking for help for a while, through his bosses. I tried senior management,” she said.

“At one point when he got violent with me I said I’d had enough and I would have him charged if something didn’t change.

“They said ‘Please don’t because we will have to take his gun off him’. I told them he needed help, he was a loose cannon, he will hurt someone.”

Mrs Nicholson-Rogers said suggestions he and other struggling officers were simply not right for the job was a cop-out.

“I hear the same thing today, young guys now being told maybe they’re not right for the job, maybe they should get out. Well no-one is right for a job where day in, day out, they deal with trauma. Layer on layer it consumes them and no-one can take that without the proper support.”

Tom Rigby PTSD is a terrible burden for anyone to wear, unfortunately though societies answer is exactly as written in the article ” Go to the pub and have a drink!”

Like · Reply · 1 · January 14, 2015 at 11:01am

Alan Hardy If you carnt handle the heat get out of the kitchen

Like · Reply · 1 · January 14, 2015 at 12:23pm

Stephen Evelyn Wall Just wondering Alan what job do you do??
These ppl do a wonderful job but doing that job they see and experience terrible things we can’t imagine. All the training in the world doesn’t prepare you for what they have to face.

Like · Reply · 1 · January 14, 2015 at 3:26pm

Allison Mc Paul Ftp

Like · Reply · January 14, 2015 at 4:28pm

N.S.W Police Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-tJKFgbkWU

Police Integrity Commission investigate alleged cover up of…

youtube.com

Like · Reply · 2 · January 14, 2015 at 5:15pm

N.S.W Police Watch You need to do some more research Evelyn, many are not doing a wonderful job at all and then many above them cover for it..

Like · Reply · 3 · January 14, 2015 at 5:15pm

N.S.W Police Watch http://books.google.com.au/…/Enemies_of_the_State.html…

Enemies of the State

Tim Priest is a former police detective who was on the front line in the war against crime and drugs in…

books.google.com.au

Like · Reply · 2 · January 14, 2015 at 5:20pm

Alan Hardy You are right Evelyn wall ,but if you can not handle your job ,what ever that job is quit and get another job. It’s a job not your life

Scott Andrew NICHOLSON