Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
The Blackville Police Department has hired an interim chief after the credentials of two command staff members were suspended.
Shawn Howze, a Blackville native, has returned to his hometown with hopes to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the community it serves.
Howze began leading the Blackville Police Department as interim chief on July 8, and comes with over eight years of experience from law enforcement agencies in Barnwell and Allendale counties.
“After myself and the town administrator, Fonda Patrick, interviewed Shawn Howze for the interim position as the Chief of Police for the Town of Blackville, we came to the conclusion that he will be a leader who can best lead the police department,” said Mayor Ronnie Pernell.
“I see it as an opportunity to take the police department in a positive direction,” said Howze, who understands he joined the department amidst tumultuous times.
In June, the certifications of the department’s chief and lieutenant were suspended for falsifying records and the department is under investigation for misconduct by the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy.
Howze plans to rebuild the department and address community concerns under the mantra “trust the process and stay positive.”
“I ask that the community trusts me, trust the process,” said Howze. “I know the problems aren't going to go away overnight, but over time they will.”
Part of his process is making mental notes as he learns his new role of changes he can make to provide a more efficient or beneficial service to residents, followed by taking action.
Howze comes to the town with experience from the City of Barnwell Police Department, the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), and the Allendale Police Department.
“He brings key qualities to the position including extensive professional police experience in both operations and administration, advanced education training in the criminal justice field; proven strength in the ability to listen and communicate both within the department and with the public,” said Mayor Pernell.
Howze is thankful to be stepping into this role with an already solid foundation within the community.
“I know beyond a doubt he will do an awesome job in his new role. Shawn is well respected and very well connected. The citizens of Blackville should be proud to not only have quality law enforcement but to know the chief is from the very town he grew up in,” said BCSO Lieutenant Eric Kirkland.
During his time with BCSO, Howze served as an School Resource Officer (SRO) at his alma mater, Macedonia Elementary-Middle School (MEMS). Here he developed “a great working relationship with the school and administration,” he said.
As a student at MEMS, he aspired to have a career in law enforcement and recalls attending Sergeant Donald Danner’s D.A.R.E classes. As an SRO, Howze started a program called Lunch Buddies which provided an opportunity for law enforcement officers from local and state agencies to eat lunch with MEMS students.
“I am definitely going to continue that working relationship and maintaining that program there,” said Howze, who feels stepping into the chief role has only improved his relationship with local administrators, educators, and students.
He plans to still be a presence and mentor for MEMS and Blackville-Hilda High School (BHHS) students– not only as a police officer but as a coach.
Howze is currently the assistant varsity basketball coach at BHHS and head basketball coach at MEMS, and he also coaches football, allowing him to get to know the youth outside of academics.
“Those kids…I love working with kids,” said Howze, who also coached at Jefferson Davis Academy from 2018 to 2022.
His drive to serve the Town of Blackville stems from the knowledge and wisdom imparted on him by local mentors and leaders, and his desire to share it with the next generation.
“To have the opportunity to come back and be able to display that, I owe that all to my former teachers, mentors, coaches; I can’t thank them enough,” said Howze. “I just hope to be an inspiration to our youth of what Blackville produces.”
Some of those mentors were David Berry who coached him in football, current BHHS principal Christina Snider who taught him in fourth grade, and MEMS principal Chelsea Calhoun who taught while he was in elementary school.
He thanked BHHS athletic director Paris Mason and coach Albert Pressley, “who all instilled those principles in my life coming up as a young man,” he said.
He refers to these individuals as “pillars in our community” whose guidance and support have helped him both personally and professionally.
These figures helped him throughout his academic journey and continue to support him in his career in law enforcement, similarly to fellow law enforcement officers such as Sheriff Steve Griffith, Lt. Kirkland, and Sergeant Erica McCrae.
Lt. Kirkland first met Howze in 2018 and describes him as a “dynamic officer.” He later learned of Howze’s aspirations to one day become chief.
“I was very impressed with his professionalism and mannerisms to be a young officer. It was obvious that he not only possessed the much needed qualities that make a good officer, but Shawn also had the distinct core values that we desire in all young officers,” said Lt. Kirkland. “Chief Howze knows that there are many people who want to see him succeed, including myself, and as always, I am just a phone call away.”
Howze thanks BCSO, as well as the Barnwell Police Department for giving him his start in law enforcement in 2016.
Serving under numerous chiefs, such as Robert Miller, Brian Johnson, and Lamaz Robinson in Barnwell and Lawrence Wiggins in Allendale, allowed Howze to see how different departments are run.
“They all played a role in the reason why I am here,” he said.
Howze resides in Barnwell County with his wife, Audriana, and three children, Khilee, Kheera, and Shawn III.
