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Dr. Howard Earl Williams

  • Assoc Professor of Instruction - School of Criminal Justice & Criminology
Portrait of Dr. Howard Earl Williams

Biography and education

Before becoming a lecturer in the School of Justice at Texas State University, Dr. Williams was a police officer with 36 years of service. He served 25 years with the Austin Police Department, then served 11 years as Chief of Police in San Marcos before retiring in August, 2014.

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • Kroll, M. W., Wolfe, D. A., Witte, K., Calkins, H., Kunz, S. N., & Williams, H. E. (n.d.). Post-mortem cardiomegaly descriptor: Call for consistent criteria. Journal of Forensic Sciences.
  • Kroll, M. W., Wolf, D. A., Hail, S. L., Zemrus, T., Kunz, S., & Williams, H. E. (2025). Sickle cell trait in non-firearm arrest related deaths of black persons. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 70(1), 179–185. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15668
  • Williams, H. E. (2023). Weapon confusion: TASER CEWs, firearms, and human error theory. Criminal Justice Review, 48(4), 495–514. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1177/07340168221123238
  • Williams, H. E., Kroll, M. W., Wolf, D. A., Cobb, J. C., Greenberg, T., Kunz, S. N., & Brewer, J. (2023). Homicide manner-of death classification in arrest-related death. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 45(2), 103–110. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000921
  • Williams, H. E., Oriola, T. B., & Reinhard, D. J. (2022). Fatal officer involved shootings following the use of TASER conducted energy weapons. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles, 95(4), 713–733. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1177/0032258X211030322
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  • Award / Honor Recipient: Professor of the Month, Texas State Interfrternity Council. December 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society Favorite Professor. April 2021
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society Favorite Professor. April 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society Favorite Professor. November 2017
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College Achievement Award for Excellence, Texas State University. August 2017
View all awards
  1. Member

    Occupational Health and Safety Committee

  2. Undergraduate Advisor

    Theta Chi

  3. Member

    Non-tenure Line Faculty Committee, Texas State University

  4. Undergraduate Advisor

    Young Conservatives of Texas

  5. Member

    Faculty Search Committee

  6. Member

    Governance Document Committee

  7. View all activities