Harlan County Constable's Office, Kentucky
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 928
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: April 1, 2008
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Not available
Constable Joe Howard suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after arresting a suspect who was wanted on an outstanding warrant. The suspect had to be restrained during the arrest.
After Constable Howard transported the man to the county detention center, he pulled into the Harlan Police Department parking lot and radioed that he needed assistance. He was transported to Harlan ARH Hospital where he passed away a short time later.
Constable Howard was a US Navy veteran and had served as the constable of Harlan County District 1 for 13 years. He is survived by his three sons, one brother, three sisters, and one grandchild.