Retired Sheriff Mark Howie, left, of Wahkiakum County received this year’s Eugene A. Bolstad Memorial Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award, named for the Washington state trooper who lost his life attempting to save a drowning teenager in Long Beach. Howie is pictured with current Sheriff John Mason, center, and Undersheriff Gary Howell.

CATHLAMET — At the Nov. 5 meeting of the Wahkiakum County Commission, retired Sheriff Mark Howie received the Marine Corps League’s Eugene A. Bolstad Memorial Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award.

This prestigious award is given each year to law enforcement officers in Pacific or Wahkiakum counties who have demonstrated exemplary performance and initiative and/or excellence in personal interaction with the public.

During his tenure as sheriff, Howie focused his efforts on recruiting, training and equipping his officers to excel in their law enforcement duties. His outgoing and open nature endeared him to the Wahkiakum residents he served. After serving 34 years in law enforcement including 12 years as the sheriff, Howie retired on June 30, 2024.

The nomination, written by Undersheriff Gary Howell, reads in part as follows:

“I am writing this letter to recommend retired Sheriff Mark Howie for the Eugene A. Bolstad Memorial Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award. To tell you a little about Sheriff Howie, he started his law enforcement career in August of 1990 with the Tukwila Police Department. While working at Tukwila, Sheriff Howie held several positions to include being a member of the Valley Civil Disturbance Unit, Patrol Field Training Officer, Cultural Diversity Instructor, Anticrime Team Leader, and Crime Prevention Officer. While doing these duties he rose through the ranks to become a Detective on the Regional Drug Task Force, a Patrol Sergeant, and the Major Crimes Detective Sergeant where he supervised 9 detectives and 2 civilians. One of his accomplishments while at Tukwila was himself and Mike Villa researching, putting together a proposal and getting approval to set up and start the first Bike Patrol Unit in Tukwila. Also, while with Tukwila, Sheriff Howie received the Distinguished Service Medal for 20 years of service, and a Certificate of Commendation for Leadership in a mall shooting, along with several awards and accommodations of appreciation and performance for his work. In December of 2010, Sheriff Howie left Tukwila and became Undersheriff for Wahkiakum County. There he oversaw both patrol and dispatch and was an important part of managing the Sheriff’s Office. In October of 2012, then Undersheriff Howie got appointed as Wahkiakum County Sheriff due to the untimely death of Sheriff Jon Dearmore. With his appointment came a very fast and unknown environment in which Sheriff Howie took the reins and led the sheriff’s office through probably its darkest time. He did this by showing a steady direction, keeping goals in place, and bringing in outside agencies and organizations to help heal the office and the people that worked there all while still having to learn not only the job of sheriff but also the people of the community, his office and the other county positions. After healing the sheriff’s office, Sheriff Howie set forth on being the sheriff, he realigned the office’s values and got the office pointed in a healthy direction, he established our first ever Sergeant position to supervise patrol, he was an integral part of changing our training program and bringing our pay up to be somewhat competitive with the rest of the state and most importantly he took the lessons from Sheriff Dearmore’s death and he started an office wellness program, rebuilt our chaplaincy program and built and developed our Cordico app. He reminded us all that our family members who support us in this career are one of the most important things we have. Also, while doing all the above listed items, he became an active member of WASPC where over the years he chaired the grants committee, co-chaired the wellness committee and was very involved in helping and being part of the organization in any way he could. It is all of the above listed accomplishments in his career and with this organization I believe Sheriff Howie to be a valued resource and a wealth of information to all in law enforcement and this organization and I recommend and support him for the Eugene A. Bolstad award.”

Sheriff John Mason, who was appointed to the position following Howie’s retirement, was a 2018 recipient of the Bolstad award while working as an officer under then Sheriff Howie. He and Washington State Trooper Lonnie Eaton who, prior to his retirement, was part of the ninth detachment stationed in Naselle, were judged to be tied and simultaneously received the awards.

Trooper Eugene Bolstad died on Sept. 3, 1957, at the age of 29 attempting to rescue a teenage boy (Alvin Wiese, age 18) in the surf at Long Beach. Both were caught in an undertow. At the time of his death, Trooper Bolstad had served two and a half years with the Washington State Patrol. In May of 1999, Trooper Bolstad was posthumously awarded the Washington Law Enforcement Medal of Honor by the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee. Bolstad Avenue in Long Beach was named in honor of Trooper Bolstad.