1st Chief's Grandson Continues Howell Police Tradition

HOWELL, NJ — When Howell Township's police department first formed in 1971, Harvey F. Morrell Jr. was tapped to be its chief.

Morrell established the department from scratch, hiring experienced police officers as the town transitioned from New Jersey State Police patrolling it to the township police handling the responsibilities for law enforcement in town. He served as chief until retiring in 1989, and later was elected mayor of Howell.

Now, 45 years after Harvey Morrell retired from the police force, another Morrell has joined the Howell police department: his grandson, Evan.

"Evan is the grandson of a Howell Legend," current Chief John Storrow said. "Evan comes to the agency with values instilled in him of integrity and community service that he witnessed growing up with Chief Morrell and his dad, Jeff," who is a retired Manalapan police officer.

"Evan has big shoes to fill ... but we know he is up to the task," a post on the Howell Police Department Facebook page announcing his hiring said.

Like his grandfather, Evan Morrell came to the Howell police department with experience. He started his career in Long Branch as a Special Officer Class I in 2013, according to a Facebook post by the Long Branch Police Department in 2020. He graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy in 2015 and served as a full-time police officer for the Monmouth Beach Police Department for two years before returning to the Long Branch force in 2018, according to the post.

Harvey F. Morrell Jr. had been a captain with the Matawan Police Department before he was hired to lead the Howell force.

Howell police said Evan Morrell is in field training and will be joining the Patrol Division upon completion of training, the police department said.

"We are very proud to welcome the Morrell family back to Howell Police. The Tradition continues," the Howell post said.