Richard Nilsen recently retired from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office where he served as Commander of the Forensic Services Unit and as a Special Assistant District Attorney.  His thirty-five years of service are composed of eleven years in the DA’s Homicide Unit and twelve years in Command of the Forensic Services Unit.  Prior to joining the DA’s Office, Mr. Nilsen served 12 years with the Lower Merion Township Police Department where his assignments included Patrolman, Field Training Officer, Platoon Investigator, SWAT Team member and Detective.  

Mr. Nilsen obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees in 1986 and 1987, respectively, from Villanova University and his law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1993. Since 1990, he has lectured extensively on criminal investigation procedures and legal issues affecting Pennsylvania patrolmen and detectives. For many years, he served as a Municipal Police Academy instructor and Associate Editor of the Pennsylvania Police Criminal Law Bulletin.