The Fort Walton Beach Police Department welcomed two new police officers to the police force this week.
- David Bowell and Austin Howard were sworn in during a ceremony Tuesday that was attended by fellow officers, family, City Manager Jeff Peters and City Council members Gloria DeBerry and David Schmidt.
David Bowell comes to the city following a 26-year law enforcement career with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Bowell is a native of Fort Walton Beach and is looking forward to serving the city he grew up in.
Austin Howard served as a police officer in Fremont, California for about three years before deciding to move to Florida. He served a short time with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
Both officers will start this week in the department’s patrol division.