Jefferson City, Mo. – Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the following promotion effective January 1, 2022:
Lieutenant Gara N. Howard, Q/RDD, is being promoted to captain and named director of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, MO.
Howard joined the Patrol as a member of the 75th Recruit Class on February 1, 1998. Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy, she was assigned to Troop H, Zone 8, Clinton/Caldwell counties. While assigned to Troop H, Howard also served in Andrew/Buchanan counties. She transferred to the Gaming Division, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, in March 2004, and was assigned to the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, MO. Howard returned to Troop H in September 2010. She was promoted to corporal and designated assistant zone supervisor of Zone 5, Andrew/Buchanan counties in May 2012. Howard was promoted to sergeant and designated zone supervisor of Troop H, Zone 3, Gentry/Harrison counties, in February 2014. In September 2018, she transferred to the Division of Drug and Crime Control, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, and was assigned to the Troop H DDCC Unit. On January 1, 2020, Howard was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the division of Research & Development, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, where she served as an assistant director.
Capt. Howard grew up in Savannah, MO, where she graduated from Savannah High School in Savannah, in 1993. She graduated from Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, MO, with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in 1996. She attended Leadership in Police Organizations Training in February 2015. Capt. Howard graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command Class #505 in November 2021.
