"Chief Walters made important changes to the agency that we can still see today," Howard County Police Chief William McMahon said in a statement. "We are saddened by his death. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family from the entire Howard County Police family."
In 1998, he ran for Howard County Sheriff, but lost. He was the lone Democratic candidate. He's pictured here during that campaign in a photo by The Sun's Doug Kapustin.
More from the police statement:
During his tenure as chief, Walters doubled the number of officers to over 100; quadrupled the police budget from $660,000 to $2.6 million; approved new uniforms; started the first police academy; and broke ground on a new police station, currently HCPD headquarters in Ellicott City.
At the age of 21, Walters enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during WWII. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and joined Maryland State Police in 1946. He left MSP to become the Howard County police chief in 1969. At the time of his death, Walters was the oldest living Maryland State Trooper.
Walters' family includes two sons, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Mary Catherine, passed away in 2003.
Family and friends are invited to call on Thursday, Jan. 20 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Donaldson Funeral Home, 313 Talbott Avenue in Laurel. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Laurel. Interment will follow at Meadowridge Memorial Park in Elkridge. Police expect traffic may be briefly affected along Washington Blvd. between Laurel and Elkridge Friday.