City of Racine – Today, a collection of community leaders released the following statements to thank Racine Police Department Chief Howell for his service to the City of Racine and wishing him well in retirement. Chief Howell’s last day as Chief is March 31, 2021.
“I want to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to Police Chief Howell for his service to the City of Racine. In my tenure as Mayor he has not just been a great chief of police, but also a mentor, a confidant, and a friend. Chief Howell has been a trail blazer in many ways – certainly as the City’s first African-American chief, but also as a champion nationally for the COP model. Under his leadership, the City’s crime rates have been reduced to record lows and his department has been a leader in implementing state of the art body camera technology. The Chief treats everyone with dignity, he gets things done by building partnerships, and he has earned the trust of the community. On behalf of the City, I thank Chief Howell for his service. He will be missed, but we wish him the best in retirement,” said Mayor Cory Mason.
“Chief Howell will undoubtedly go down as one of the finest community leaders Racine County has ever seen. He has admirably led the Racine Police Department through a variety of challenges with professionalism, pragmatism and grace. Above all, Chief Howell is an incredibly dedicated community servant who we are all lucky to have. While I will miss Art in his role as police chief, I want to wish him the very best in his retirement and future endeavors,” said Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave.
“The City of Racine Police and Fire Commission want to extend our best wishes to Chief Howell for his many years of dedicated services to the City of Racine and all of our citizens. Chief Howell has served with great professionalism and impartiality which has gained him the respect and support from the citizenry, which has contributed to the reduction of crimes in Racine. The positive influence he’s had on the City will not be forgotten. I behalf of the PFC, I want to thank Chief Howell and wish he and his family our best in his retirement,” said Robert Turner, President of the City of Racine Police and Fire Commission.
“I would like to thank the Chief for his dedication and service to the City of Racine. He has been a pillar to our Community and I was proud to have him as our Chief. His shoes will be hard to fill. Congratulations on your retirement, Chief. Wishing you the best,” said Alderwoman Mary Land.
“Chief Howell has been a great public servant and we are fortunate to have had him lead the Police Department for the past 8 years. Our neighborhoods are safer because of his department. It will be tough to fill his shoes but I wish him well in retirement. He’s earned it,” said Alderman Jeff Coe.
“Chief Art Howell has been a transformational figure in Racine. His love for this community, professional acumen and willingness to build partnerships has made the City of Racine stronger. Chief Howell understood the best way to create a safer community was by investing in prevention, education and connection. His progressive leadership in the department contributed to record lows in violent crime, increased transparency and dynamic public-private partnerships that improved the quality of life for Racinians. The City of Racine has been well served by Chief Art Howell,” said Alderman Trevor Jung.
“I want to thank Chief Howell for his years of service to the City of Racine and for his leadership during these challenging times,” said Alderwoman Jen Levie.
“Congratulations Chief Howell on your retirement. Thank you for your years of service to the community and the City. Wishing you the best retirement ever. Stay young at heart and enjoy each day and unlimited weekends and may the years ahead bring you joy and relaxation. Well done!” said Alderwoman Mollie Jones.
“Wishing you the best! Enjoy the new chapter of your life and enjoy being your own boss. Congratulation Chief Howell. The city of Racine appreciates your efforts to help improve the quality of life for all its citizens, through your hard work and dedication to the city. We will be forever grateful for your leadership,” said Alderman Sam Peete.
“I just want to thank you for your unlimited commitment to our community. No matter the task you have always completed it with grace. I know the void of you not being Chief will be tremendously missed but I know you will stay actively involved in so many ways. Thank you for being the example we all needed. Seeing is believing,” said Caron Butler, Racine native and former NBA legend.
“Chief Howell’s deep connection and commitment to the Racine community is evidenced by his years of exemplary leadership on the RPD. I wish him the best on his well-deserved retirement,” said Angelina Cruz, Police and Fire Commission member.
“It’s not often you meet someone with a deep seeded passion for community like Chief Howell. Over the years I’ve had the honor to work with him in many capacities including his time as board chair for United Way of Racine County. I have always been inspired by his integrity, innate ability to build relationships, collaboration and innovative thought. At the end of my career I would be proud to have earned half the respect he has. I am truly thankful for his leadership in our community, friendship and I wish him the best on his next chapter. Congrats on your retirement chief,” said Alexa Haigh, President and CEO United Way of Racine County.
“Racine Police Department Chief Art Howell graciously welcomed me to Racine when I first began my tenure with the Racine Unified School District. I have greatly enjoyed collaborating with Chief Howell on important initiatives to make our community strong and successful. Initiatives such as the Community Policing Model are assuredly making a difference in our schools and community. Personally, I admire Chief Howell’s commitment and leadership here in our community. His impact will continue to be felt in Racine for years to come,” said Racine Unified School District Superintendent Eric Gallien.
“Thank you to Chief Howell for his many years of service to our community and his commitment to building a more just, transparent, and community-oriented police department in Racine. His willingness to listen and share his perspective, to strive for better, and to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and community members has undoubtedly moved Racine forward,” said State Representative Greta Neubauer.
“Chief Howell’s presence at the RPD will be sorely missed however we hope that his presence in the community will continue. Chief has been a tireless proponent of the COP model and worked extremely hard to build relationships with the Department and the community. Chief has served the City of Racine for over 30 years making our community a safe place to live, and he also donated his time to a number of local non-profit organizations. Chief Howell has been an enthusiastic approach to many things and is always willing to share his insights and institutional knowledge. He has consistently looked for ways that he can make a difference, and in turn make our community better. I consider it an honor to call him my friend, and I wish he and his family all of the best in retirement,” said Liz Powell, President and CEO of the Racine Community Foundation.
“Our community is indebted to the sacrifices Chief Howell has made to bring a new vision for our community. It has been an honor to learn from his servant leadership as we strive to build a stronger Racine,” said Dr. Bryan Albrecht, President and CEO of Gateway Technical College.
“Art Howell has been one of the most, if not the most consequential and impactful Police Chief in the history of our city. He is of the community, grew up here, rose through the ranks and earned all of his advancements, sometimes in-spite of significant obstacles along the way. He has been a strategic implementer and leader of nationally recognized innovations, an inspiration to many across the community, an invaluable counselor to community leaders, and a voice and presence of calm and stability for the entire city in times of stress. Chief, thank you for blessing us all with your service to us! You will be dearly missed as Chief, but I am so grateful that you will occasionally lend your talents, time and passion to our community during your well-deserved retirement,” said Jeff Neubauer, Executive Director of Higher Expectations for Racine County.
