Popular and athletic, he was commended by township commissioners for his actions during a 2020 apartment fire.
A township supervisor noted “his fine character and integrity and wonderful personality” in a Facebook post after his death, and said: “There was a presence about Troy.” Officer Nicholson told friends that he joined the police “to make a difference” after seeing how young people were treated when he was a boy.
A Collegeville restaurant paid tribute to him on its outdoor sign and said on Facebook: “It was truly an honor and a privilege to call Officer Nicholson a customer.” Tributes from other local police departments also appeared on social media.postThe youngest of three brothers, Troy Marcell Nicholson was born June 28, 1991, in Philadelphia. His family moved to Birdsboro, Pa., when he was young, and he graduated from Daniel Boone Area High School in 2009.