John Nolan

John Nolan is a mule deer and an officer at Precinct 7. He is the series' most consistent voice on the subject of second chances and daily choice, and his exchanges with Pawbert about the ongoing nature of choosing to do good form one of the show's most resonant crossover threads.

"You're still choosing?" / "Every day." -- Exchange between Pawbert and Nolan

Background

John Nolan began his law enforcement career later than most, entering the ZPD as an older rookie. This late start gives him a perspective that younger officers lack—he understands what it means to rebuild, to choose a new path when the old one no longer works, and to prove himself in an institution that assumes he does not belong.

This background makes Nolan uniquely qualified to connect with Pawbert. Both are mammals who came to their present lives through unconventional paths. Both know what it means to be underestimated. And both understand that choosing to be good is not a one-time decision but a daily practice.

Personality

Nolan is steady, optimistic, and grounded. He is not naive—his life experience has given him a realistic understanding of how difficult change actually is—but he maintains a genuine belief that mammals can choose differently. He leads with patience and earns trust through consistency.

His wisdom is practical rather than philosophical. He does not offer grand pronouncements about redemption; he offers the simple, honest observation that choosing well is something you do every single day, and that the difficulty of that choice does not diminish its value.

Series Appearances

Season 1: Second Chances (S01E15)

Nolan and Precinct 7 are introduced during a crossover focused on the theme of second chances. Nolan's own experience as a late-career officer resonates with Pawbert's situation—both are mammals trying to prove they deserve a chance that others might not have given them. Their initial exchange establishes the "choosing" thread that carries across the series.

Season 2: Waiting Game (S02E15)

Nolan returns during the Mole Harbor operation. His interactions with the pack deepen the Precinct 7 relationship, and his steady presence provides grounding during an escalating crisis.

Season 3: Fur Your Eyes Only (S03E02)

Precinct 7 contributes to the Lionheart crisis response. Nolan's continued appearances reinforce his role as a crossover character with genuine continuity across seasons.

Season 5: Cost of Entry (S05E15)

During the Icener crisis, Nolan participates in three simultaneous raids coordinated across multiple precincts. His presence in Season 5 brings the "choosing" exchange full circle. The question "You're still choosing?" and the answer "Every day" now carry the weight of years—Nolan has watched Pawbert transform from a frightened defendant into a confident social worker, and his simple question confirms that the daily practice of choosing good has not diminished.

Key Relationships

Pawbert Pawthorne

Nolan and Pawbert's relationship is defined by their shared understanding that redemption is not a destination but a daily practice. Their recurring exchange—"You're still choosing?" / "Every day."—is one of the series' most important crossover threads. Nolan sees in Pawbert the same late-start determination that defines his own career, and his quiet affirmation of Pawbert's ongoing choice is one of the most powerful forms of validation Pawbert receives from outside the pack.

Tim Bradford

Nolan's colleague at Precinct 7. Bradford's intensity and tactical focus complement Nolan's steadiness, and their professional dynamic reflects the range of approaches within the precinct.

Lucy Chen

Fellow Precinct 7 officer. Nolan's mentoring instincts extend to younger officers like Chen, though by Season 5 she has long since established herself as a sergeant in her own right.

Trivia

• Nolan is one of only two crossover characters to appear in four separate seasons (alongside the full Precinct 99 and ZSI-BAU squads).
• As a mule deer, Nolan is one of the few prey-species crossover characters.
• His late-career start mirrors Pawbert's own late start at building a meaningful life.