HOWELL – Detective Sgt. John Lopez has retired from the Howell Police Department after 21 years on the force.
Lopez recently earned a master’s degree in public administration and will become the director of security at Ocean County College, Toms River.
“I feel fortunate to have been able to call myself a Howell police officer for all these years,” he said.
Lopez started his law enforcement career at the Monmouth County Sheriffs Office. He then worked for the Rutgers University Police Department before joining the Howell Police Department in 1998.
“The citizens of Howell can rest assured that protecting them is one of the most highly trained, disciplined and educated police departments in this state,” he said.
Lopez served in the police department’s K-9 unit and with the Tactical Unit (SWAT). He was the honor guard commander and a Monmouth County Police Academy instructor.
In November 2018, Lopez traveled to Puerto Rico to assist with relief efforts following Hurricane Maria. One of his final assignments in Howell was serving as the police department’s public information officer.
