A native of Oakley, Kansas, Harold Nye served as night marshal for his hometown approximately one year, prior to service with the Garden City Police Department, 1948-1951, and the Hutchinson Police Department, 1951-1955. He was serving as captain of detectives and assistant chief of police at Hutchinson when appointed KBI special agent, July 1, 1955, by Director Lou Richter. Harold Nye worked his way to KBI assistant director and graduated from the Southern Police Institute before being appointed director of the KBI, September 1, 1969, by Attorney General Kent Frizzell, to replace the retiring Logan Sanford. Elected president of the Kansas Peace Officers' Association in 1970, he served as KBI director until January, 1971, and retired from the KBI on July 15, 1975. Deceased August 27, 2003.