Huntsville Police Chief Addresses Arrest of 5 Officers
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
September 29, 2025
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. The police chief of the Huntsville Police Department is speaking out after five former or current police officers have been arrested during the past ninety days.
Police Chief Kirk Giles issued this statement:
Recent events involving a few of our current and former officers have understandably caused concern in our community. Let me be clear: their actions do not reflect the standards or values of the Huntsville Police Department, and these matters are being addressed.
Our department is defined by the daily dedication of the hundreds of officers and staff who serve with courage, integrity, and professionalism. I am proud to serve alongside them.
Trust is not given – it is earned. It comes from consistent actions that reflect our mission: to serve and protect. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards, and you can count on us to serve Huntsville with honor.
Police Chief Kirk Giles
But the community does have concerns about its police force, as do others who work in the city every day.
The latest arrest has been retired Huntsville Police officer Nathan Nickelson, who was the former head of Crime Stoppers.
Nickelson has been charged with pocketing $25,000 of the Crime Stoppers reward money.
An investigation into missing funds led detectives to Nickelson, who was indicted by a Grand Jury.
Just a day before Nickelson was charged, Huntsville police sergeant Timothy Richards was charged with the criminal use of defensive spray during an incident while he was off duty.
Earlier this month, two police officers were arrested during the same week.
Officers George Wheeler III and Scott Hartman were arrested after they were separately involved in two different crashes while driving under the influence.
In July, a Huntsville police officer was arrested for serious felony charges by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
A Huntsville police officer was charged with willful torture/abuse of a child following an investigation, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Officer Chadwick Campbell was charged with willful torture/abuse of a child.
A former Huntsville police officer David McCoy, awaits his capital murder trial for allegedly killing his pregnant girlfriend back in 2022.
Nickelson has bonded out of jail. Wheeler, Hartman, and Campbell were placed on desk duty, and Sergeant Richards was placed on administrative leave.
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