By KEITH GRANT
Colleagues were shocked and hurt by the loss of a very popular man in the department, who was also one of its best cops and also a longtime volunteer firefighter.
You always say when you lose a cop that he was a good guy. But he was. He was a real good guy, said police commissioner John Laffey. The entire Long Beach Police Department is shocked. He was well liked. Just a decent human being.
Sgt. Gene Brown was one of Nielsen's closest friends on the force, having worked with him since joining the department 25 years ago. Nielsen at that time was a training officer for the department, and according to Brown he was one of the best.
He had a way of being able to teach people how to do the job. He had a good grip on how it was done, Brown said. He had a great deal of compassion and a great deal of common sense. Just a good grasp on how to do the job, how to talk to people and how to be compassionate. He knew when it was time to make an arrest, and when it was time to just talk. That's a skill you develop, and he had it down pretty well.
After getting his training from Nielsen, Brown and his mentor became partners in the crime prevention unit for two years. Nielsen stayed in the unit for another four or five years before going back to patrol, and later was promoted to sergeant. As a sergeant, he served as a desk officer and a street supervisor. When he was on duty, his bosses knew the job was being done.
He was the kind of guy when I went home at the end of the day and Bobby was working, I knew the streets were safe, Laffey said. He was a solid supervisor.
Nielsen was a graduate of Long Beach High School and served in the military for a couple of years before joining the Long Beach Police Department.
As a cop, Brown said Nielsen was a fair and judicious police officer.
He was a very well respected man. He was respected by his supervisors and the cops. Just a pleasant, easy person to get along with. An all-around nice guy. One of the nicest people we ever had here.
According to Brown, Nielsen was a bowling and golf enthusiast, and spent many Sundays rooting for Jeff Gordon, his favorite Nascar driver.
Laffey said Nielsen was very fond and proud of his children, his son Lee and daughter Sharon from his first marriage.
We used to talk about looking to retire, Laffey said. He was very proud of his children. He used to talk about them all the time.
In addition to his children, Nielsen is survived by his wife Barbara.
Nielsen was to be reposed on Wednesday and Thursday at Donza's Funeral Home in East Rockaway from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Friday at 9 a.m. at St. Mary of the Isle R.C. Church. Burial will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.
