Community Service Is Key For PBSO Capt. Nichole Addazio
By Patrick Sherry
At age 14, Capt. Nichole Addazio’s family moved to Wellington because of its safe neighborhoods and strong public schools. Now, decades later, Addazio has become one of the top local leaders in charge of ensuring the safety of the same community that she spent her teenage years in.
Since 1998, Addazio has been serving the residents of Palm Beach County as part of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO). Before joining the agency, she attended Wellington High School. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she started working for the PBSO and decided to attend the police academy soon after graduating.
“As I was working [at the PBSO] and studying criminology, it further piqued my interest in the field,” Addazio said.
Recruited as a cadet, Addazio worked her way up the ranks at the sheriff’s office. Through the years, she worked as a road patrol deputy, a detective for several different teams, a special victims unit trainer, a watch commander and an executive officer in two PBSO districts.
In 2023, when former Capt. Rolando Silva retired, Addazio was promoted to captain at PBSO District 8, serving the village she used to call home, Wellington.
Addazio explained that part of the reason she was selected was because of her history in the community.
“To come back and be able to lead a group of men and women in law enforcement here, I would say, is a full circle moment for me personally and professionally,” Addazio said.
As district commander, she oversees all aspects of the PBSO’s operations in the area, including personnel, budgeting, administration and community engagement. She, along with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue District Chief Amanda Vomero, leads much of the excellent emergency services that Wellington is known for. The two women have made history by simultaneously serving Wellington as leaders of law enforcement and fire-rescue in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Addazio said that she recognized that there were few women in leadership roles at the PBSO, and she wanted to become an example to younger generations of how to work up to those ranks. While she was a sergeant, she helped start the Florida Women’s Law Enforcement Network, a nonprofit aimed at providing resources to aspiring individuals looking to pursue leadership roles in law enforcement.
“Our goal of the network was to prepare women for leadership roles through guidance, mentorship and exposure, help build confidence, to make training available to those women, and really identify future female leaders in the organization,” Addazio explained.
This year, Addazio was awarded a Community Impact Award from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County at the organization’s 30th annual Giraffe Awards. Chamber members nominated her because of Addazio’s continued service to the county, as well as her work at the nonprofit she founded.
“It was a really great recognition, and I appreciated the nomination,” Addazio said.
She believes that her roots within Wellington and her understanding of the community have given her the support of residents. However, Addazio recognizes that the outstanding service that the PBSO provides to the community would not be possible without her dedicated team.
“I am most proud of my team: our deputies and our detectives,” Addazio said. “They work tirelessly to keep this community safe. We are absolutely one of the safest communities in this county. I am extremely proud of the low crime rate that we have in the area.”
Importantly, Addazio believes that responsibility and the desire to support the community are key to her continuing to find fulfillment in such a demanding profession.
“It’s a strong sense of purpose and commitment to serving others and to knowing that the work that we do in law enforcement has a direct and significant impact on the safety of our community and the well-being of our community,” she said.
Throughout her time as captain, Addazio has prioritized leading by example to show junior officers that leadership roles are attainable. She believes that law enforcement officers are critical. With recruitment and retention being a top priority at the PBSO, Addazio emphasizes that there are significant sacrifices they make to protect the public, but the profession is very rewarding.
“There is an absolute need for a willingness to learn and to be open-minded,” she said. “As law enforcement officers, you wear many hats. Not just a rule enforcer, but a counselor, sometimes a family member to others, and a teacher.”
As she continues to work as captain at Wellington’s District 8, Addazio said she is looking forward to continuing the advancement of the PBSO and developing her team. She is proud that she is a key figure in mentoring the future leaders of the agency.
Her best advice to the community and those interested in joining law enforcement is that there is more to deputies than the uniform and badge they carry. It is a stressful position that can lead to mental health issues. However, the public can do their part by engaging with officers to understand their needs and work together to address community problems.
“The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are out here doing the right thing for the right reasons, and that’s because they have a desire and a duty to serve,” Addazio said.
