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August 22 , 2008

Small Town Atmosphere Appealed to Longtime Herndon Police Officer

The Town of Herndon police place a strong emphasis on community policing and their partnership with the community. In this series, The Observer will profile officers who work and live near or grew up in the Herndon community.

By Rebecca Plevin Observer Staff Writer

Sgt. Darcy Nidell recently began working toward a master's degree in public safety with an emphasis on emergency management. A 17-year veteran of the Herndon Police Department, Nidell already has considerable experience in public safety, but she said she wanted to earn her undergraduate and graduate degrees "for myself." Plus, she said, advanced degrees make her more knowledgeable and more competitive with the younger officers, and better position her for a promotion to the lieutenant rank.

Nidell earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from George Mason University in May 2006 and she began the master's program at Capella University, an accredited online university, in March. She said it can be pretty tough juggling her studies with 11-hour police shifts and her family responsibilities, but she enjoys her schoolwork and believes her education will allow her to better serve the Herndon community.

Nidell grew up in upstate New York and moved to the D.C. area after graduating high school, "looking for better job opportunities." Nidell said a friend, who worked for the police department in Washington, D.C., encouraged her to go on a ride-along, and she eventually completed one with the Fairfax County Police.

She said she had pictured police work the way it was depicted on television, with officers running, jumping fences and fighting crime for eight to 10 hours a day, but her ride-along was nothing like that. "I didn't have to hop over any fences and I didn't get shot," she said. It proves that people "shouldn't watch too much TV," she said jokingly.

When she decided to pursue a career as a police officer, she said she looked for departments in smaller jurisdictions where officers know residents and troublemakers by name.

"I wanted to be more in the hometown," she said, adding that she has found that hometown atmosphere in the Town of Herndon.

Since joining the police squad, Nidell has worked as the juvenile detective, where she investigated child abuses cases and served as the community resource officer, and she has also worked in public information. She is now a patrol sergeant and said she is glad to have returned to street duty. On the street, she said, she can be outside talking to people, which is "nicer than sitting in an office."

When she is not working or studying, Nidell said she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.