By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
After 40 years of serving in law enforcement, fifth-generation law enforcement officer Ed Howell is retiring as chief of the Fort Hays State University Police Department.
Howell began his career in law enforcement in 1982 and worked for the Ellis and Russell police departments. He was hired by FHSU Police Department in 1985, eventually being promoted to chief in 2004. He also was commissioned sheriff's deputy with the Barton, Ellis and Russell County Sheriff's Departments in joint agreement with the police departments he served with.
A family legacy
Howell said he was indoctrinated into the profession at an early age through his many family ties.
Howell's great-great-grandfather, Edward Howell, a Civil War veteran, was the town marshall in Jennings and the deputy sheriff in Decatur County. He was also a preacher and farmer.
His great-grandfather, Isaac Newton Howell, was a deputy sheriff in Cripple Creek, Colo., as well as a preacher and farmer.
His great uncle, John Howell, was the assistant police chief in Salina, and his father, Elmer Howell, was a Norton police officer from 1954 to 1995 as well as a Norton County Sheriff's deputy.
Ed Howell's nephew, Dylan, is a Highway Patrol trooper.
Despite his law enforcement legacy, he discouraged his own son from wearing a badge.
"I told my son, nothing against the profession, but it needs to end with me," he said. "You don't understand the hours."
When his son was growing up, Howell spent many hours away from his family. When his son was younger, Howell hardly saw him, because he worked a 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift.
As he climbed the ranks in the FHSU PD, he was transferred to the Monday through Friday day shift and finally was able to spend more time with his family.
These long hours and his family legacy is also one of the reasons Howell said he decided to retire this year. His father worked his whole adult life in law enforcement. By the time he retired, his health was not such that he could enjoy his retirement.
Howell is taking advantage of a voluntary separation agreement being offered this year to retire at 60. He said he is looking forward to traveling.
Transforming law enforcement
Howell has seen many changes at the FHSU PD, as well as in the greater field of law enforcement.
Howell was the champion of the Center for Public Safety (COPS) in Custer Hall, which now houses the University Police Department. When Howell began with the department, the university police department was in a space of only about 500 square feet.
The center now has an interview room, High Technology Crime Unit, major incident center and dispatch center, which can serve as a backup for the Ellis County dispatch.
The COPS center is reflective of Howell's philosophy of policing, which focuses on community policing and prevention.
"It's not us versus them," Howell said. "It's us as a community. What we try to do is change aberrant behavior. If we have people who don't offend, aren't we all successful?
"On the other hand, if they don't take advantage of the message we try to teach them, don't complain to me when we enforce it."
Howell said working with people is one of the aspects of his job that he enjoys most.
He said some of his fondest memories have been seeing someone who had an issue with drugs or alcohol turn their life around.
Howell deals with all backgrounds, academic levels and ages from juveniles to senior citizens. However, he said that diversity challenges him and he appreciates that challenge. Every day is different.
Howell said the most challenging aspect of his career has been death notifications.
"One thing you struggle with is that every time you have a death notification or a death investigation, that takes a toll on everybody, whether that be the family or the investigating officers because you know you're looking a human life that is no longer with us. ...
"We all know that we're not going to live forever, but when you see the aftermath, it's pretty heart-wrenching."
The shooting at Columbine and later at Virginia Tech also significantly changed not only university policing but law enforcement responses across the country to active shooters.
FHSU developed an emergency management plan, which not only deals with police matters but all types of crises, most recently the university's response to COVID-19.
Society has changed over his career and so has the perception of police, said Howell, who has served in every leadership position for the Kansas Peace Officers Association, including as president in 2015. At that time he was only the second university police officer to hold all of those offices.
Negative perceptions of police have become more prevalent, although he said movements such as defund the police have not been as active in Kansas as elsewhere in the nation.
"Understand the majority of law enforcement has a lot of integrity," he said. "However, you're not going to be 100 percent. Unfortunately, the ones that violated that public trust are where they need to be."
Leadership and honors
Howell has participated in a litany of state and local boards and has many honors.
When he was a member of the Ellis Police Department, he was honored by the U.S. Attorney General for apprehending a suspect in case that resulted in the seizure of 356 pounds of high-grade marijuana that had been smuggled into the area from Mexico. The street value of the drugs at the time was $350,000.
The suspect's plane was being tracked by law enforcement officials over the area. When the suspect realized he was being tracked, he parachuted the bales of marijuana out of his plane. He landed and tried to blend in with travelers at a WaKeeney truck stop but was arrested by Howell at that location.
Howell has served on the Kansas Human Trafficking Advisory Board, Northwest Regional Homeland Security Council, Legislative Committee for the Kansas Peace Officers Association, local domestic violence services board, Hays Rotary Club and Ellis County Historical Society board.
He was recently honored with a lifetime membership in the Kansas Peace Officers Association.
Howell said when he finally takes off his badge and gun, the end will be bittersweet. He said in some ways the end of his career will be a relief. Other aspects he will miss.
"I hope I made a positive difference and influenced people to change negative behaviors to positive," he said.
FHSU is interviewing for Howell's replacement. Howell said the university has a target date for hiring a new chief within the next two to three weeks. Howell's last day was June 11.