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Ralph Howard
Agency patch
Patrolman

Ralph Howard

Fort Smith Police Department — Fort Smith, AR
Felonious
United States flag Arkansas flag
End of Watch September 4, 1931
Age 53
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 62 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 11

Incident

Patrolman Howard and Captain William Bourland were shot and killed during a shootout of several armed robbery suspects. The officers had located three suspects who had robbed a store in Spiro, Oklahoma, earlier in the evening. They began to chase the car down Spiro Highway and chased them onto Towson Avenue where they ran it off the road near South Y Street. A shootout ensued and Captain Bourland, Patrolman Howard, and all three suspects were shot. One of the suspects died at the scene. Captain Bourland was shot in the head, and twice in the chest. He was pronounced dead at St. Edward Hospital. Patrolman Howard was struck in neck, chest, and both hands. He succumbed to his wounds two days later. The two surviving suspects were taken into custody. Both were sentenced to life in prison but the sentence of one of the suspects was commuted and he was paroled.

Survivors

Patrolman Howard had been with the agency for 20 years and was survived by his wife, son and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Howard gave the Fort Smith Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Smith community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Howard.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Fort Smith Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Fort Smith, Sebastian County, AR
Platform Identity fortpd.sebastian.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 4, 1931
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ralph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ralph was 53. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Ralph had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Fort Smith Police Department has 12 officers remembered here, Ralph among them.

Across the years

Patrolman Ralph Howard

Fort Smith Police Department · End of Watch September 4, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 4-E

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