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08/03/2016 08:30 AMAs a police officer with the East Haven Police Department for the past three years, Nicole Burrell felt a deep connection to the recent attacks on police in Dallas and in other parts of the country. As a “diehard” Dallas Cowboys fan since she was small, she was particularly saddened by the shooting there.
“Because of my love for Dallas, it hit me pretty hard,” says Nicole.
Responding to calls on patrol the next day kept the issue front and center for her.
“The day after the shooting, I had a call and the car was leased out of Dallas, then another call and her name was Dallas,” she says. “Those two things were right there and I took it as a sign for me that I needed to go.”
One of Nicole’s friends who works at the North Branford Police Department began looking up travel information and soon they were booked to travel to Texas for the slain officers’ services.
“I asked my supervisor who asked the chief and I couldn’t be happier that they agreed for me to go,” says Nicole, who later found out that the cost of her flight was refunded through American Airlines. “So many airlines were offering free flights and that was a great help, but I was willing to pay for the flight if I needed to.”
Once in Dallas, Nicole found a kinship among the many police officers from throughout the country. Working in the field gave them a common ground as they talked about their experiences, why they traveled to Dallas, and how they were coping. They then attended the services.
“You see people you don’t even know and become instant family because of the uniform you wear,” says Nicole. “The procession had hundreds and hundreds of cops on motorcycles and firemen stopped on the highway with a flag raise. People were just stopped waving and holding signs of support. It was overwhelming and hard to describe the feeling. It was one of the saddest things and most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced.”
While the recent events may have scared some people away from a career in law enforcement, it only strengthened Nicole’s conviction to excel at her job and to be there for her coworkers and the public.
“The purpose of me doing this job has become that much stronger and I’m not going to give up on the people who do appreciate us, which is the majority of people,” says Nicole. “I changed careers for a reason and it was the right reason.”
Becoming a police officer is actually Nicole’s “second-act” career. She spent seven years as a physical education teacher at the high school level where she enjoyed mentoring the students. When she was moved to the elementary school level, she realized that mentoring and connecting with young adults was something she wanted to do more of.
She had done some work in security while she was a teacher and often spoke to the police officers on duty about their experiences. When she thought about making a career change, those conversations resurfaced and she applied to the police academy.
Nicole was hired by the East Haven Police Department and spent five days a week for seven months at the Milford Police Academy where she did physical training and took courses on motor vehicle laws, defensive tactics, firearms trainings, other laws such as harassment and trespassing, and more.
“There was book training and they put you in real-life scenarios so they could see how you react,” says Nicole, who was one of six women to go with 26 men in her academy class. “I was always such a tomboy and athletic so I definitely wanted to excel, especially in the physical aspect. I want my coworkers to know I have their back and I’m capable. It’s all about working together and helping each other out. Nobody is in this job alone.”
Nicole has enjoyed her time with the East Haven Police Department, noting how much growth she has seen during her time there. Once she was on the force in East Haven, she quickly grew to love patrolling the area near the beach, as that is where many teenagers gather.
“Most people know the unfortunate situations that happened here and the department has grown immensely, both together and with the community,” says Nicole. “I love getting out of the car and talking to the kids when I can. The kids in town talk to me about things—stuff at school, things at home. They don’t see the uniform, they just see somebody that’s there for them.”
Nicole, who grew up in West Haven and now lives in New Britain, enjoys spending time with her family, including her “four crazy nephews,” riding her motorcycle, and traveling. She thanks her family for giving support, especially during her career transition.
In the wake of recent news, Nicole has also seen a big increase in community support. While she noted that East Haven has always been supportive of her and the department since she has been an officer, there has been an even greater showing lately.
“The East Haven residents have always supported us, but now from a simple ‘Thank you’ to dropping off flowers to sending pizzas, it’s been so heartwarming and great for morale,” says Nicole. “I went to the West Haven and New Britain police departments and brought water and Gatorade because I knew how it felt to be on the receiving end and had to give it back to my hometowns. We just want to community to understand that it means so much to us and the morale is definitely incredible.”