There's a new Sheriff in town

With a New Year, comes a new commander at La Conner’s Sheriff’s station.

Effective this week, Skagit County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kelly Howell takes the reins from Sgt. Jenny Sheahan-Lee, who has been in charge of La Conner’s police protection for the past three years.

Sheahan-Lee will become the detective sergeant for the county’s law enforcement agency.

La Conner contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for the town’s police protection. Besides being in charge of the La Conner detachment, Howell will also oversee training and policy for the county Sheriff.

Howell grew up in Concrete, and knows the “small town” vibe very well.

This past December marks the 30th year that he has been in law enforcement. “Bud Clark is the reason I got into Law Enforcement,” he said. Bud Clark was the Chief of Police in Concrete during Howell’s youth.

Back in those days, Howell played high school sports against La Conner. More recently, he has coached the Concrete High School’s champion sports teams, which are arch rivals of La Conner.

His sports connections have made him well-acquainted with several La Conner residents.

“I played football for Concrete against La Conner when Landy James was the coach and his son Loran James was on the team,” he said. Loran James is a teacher at La Conner High School, where the gym is named for his father, Landy James.

But the Howell-James sports connection goes back even farther: “My father played basketball against Landy James when he was in high school,” Howell said.

Now, with his assignment in La Conner, Howell says he is “on the same team.”

Sheahan-Lee, who started her law enforcement as a teenage search and rescue volunteer 35 years ago, took command of the La Conner station in 2013.

She is looking forward to her new post as detective sergeant, but, “with the relationships in the community, some have turned into friendships,” she said. “I’m going to miss that about La Conner.”