THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, February 14, 2020 Page 3 A Cop’s Special Town Meeting Veteran police offi cer Nichols seeks town’s support so he can work up to age 70 By Mark E. Vogler V eteran Saugus Police Offi - cer Kevin Nichols doesn’t want to be forced into retirement when he turns 65 this spring. That’s why he requested a Special Town Meeting that would authorize selectmen to fi le special legislation that would allow him to work beyond the mandatory retirement age for law enforcement. Selectmen voted unanimously at Tuesday night’s meeting to schedule the meeting for Monday, March 9. It’s the only article on the agenda for that night. “I’ll stay on until I’m 70 or somewhere in between,” Nichols told The Saugus Advocate this week. “As long as I’m healthy and I can do my job. Right now my health is good. I like my job. I like what I do. I like working for the town and serving the people. I’m quite happy with what I do.” Nichols, 64, has worked 37 years for his hometown Police Department – the last 20 as the department’s fl eet maintenance mechanic. A 1973 Saugus High School graduate, he went into the automotive trade soon after receiving his diploma. He joined the force in 1983 as a reserve police offi cer. Five years later, he was appointed as a permanent full-time police offi cer. “The whole time I have ASKS | from page 1 house and she was out on the lawn. And Donnie challenged me. He bet me fi ve dollars that I couldn’t get a date with her. So, I felt pretty good because I was in full-dress uniform, so I went over and I introduced myself. She knew who I was, but I didn’t really know her. And I introduced myself and I asked her if she would go to the movies with me. And she says, “Oh, I have a friendship ring. I can’t do that.” And I said, “You’re too young for that, for God sakes!” So, we talked and I said to her, “Well, you know, the Korean War is on and I’m stationed at West Point and I can be sent over any day. And if I am, I may never come back. Don’t you think you ought to go out with me?” And so she did. That was the beginning and we never stopped going together. Q: What was the time frame then? When was it? Do you remember the day you actualdent for granting his request. He recalled that former Saugus Police Detective Peter Cicolini – the uncle of Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini – got legislation to continue beyond mandatory retirement about two decades ago. Nichols turns 65 on April 10. “Most people, when they get to 65, they’re ringing the bell and they’re gone. They want to retire,” Nichols said. “I like to keep busy. I love my THE IRON MAN OF THE SAUGUS POLICE DEPT.: Kevin Nichols said he hasn’t been sick during his 36-year career on his hometown police force. He wants to keep working up to age 70 instead of retiring this spring. (Saugus Advocate fi le photo by Mark E. Vogler) worked for the Police Department, I have never been out sick. I come to work, rain or shine,” Nichols said. “I have never been out injured either. The only injury I’ve had was when I was in the police academy. When I recovered, I continued the academy. It came before I was an active offi cer,” he said. Nichols will reach 32 years of full-time duty in May. By then he will have 36 years and 11 months with the ability to attain full credit for 37 years overall by buying back his reserve time. There is department precely met? Eugene: Oh God, no. It was a weekend. That’s all I can tell you; I was home on a weekend pass. Arlene: It was about a year and a half before we got married. Q: Arlene, what do you recall of the fi rst meeting? Arlene: I was scared to death of him, because he was very outgoing and forceful. I was very shy and quiet. [Eugene laughs.] In those days, I was. Eugene: Don’t you believe it! Arlene: I don’t know – there was something about him that attracted me to him. We went out and we had a good time. And he had to go back to West Point. And he kept coming home weekends after that, and we went out more and more. Q: When did you learn about the bet? Arlene: Much later. Eugene: Then he up and died on me, and he never paid me. He still owes me! Q: Donnie died shortly after job. I feel I am a long-term asset to the community. I would like to continue serving the town. I think I am good at it. I’ve gotten a lot of positive comments from many areas,” he said. With Nichols less than two months away from reaching mandatory retirement age, he had to fi le a petition for a Special Town Meeting. That entailed gathering at least 200 signatures of registered voters, which had to be certifi ed by the Town Clerk’s Offi ce. With the help of some friends, Nichols said, he was able to collect close to 300 signatures. “A lot of guys don’t want to retire, but they are forced to. Others can’t wait to retire. State Police did away with their retirement in the late 1960’s,” Nichols said. “My feeling is that they need to revisit Civil Service and do away with it. If it’s good enough for the Massachusetts State Police, it’s good enough for the rest of us,” he said. ASKS | SEE PAGE 4 “Laurie has developed a wonderful connection to the AFCNS team. Their support has been life-changing.” developed a connection NS team. ort has hanging.” Susan, Caregiver to Daughter, egiver r Laurie 978-281-2612 AdultFosterCareNS.com Celebrating 19 Years
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