Representative Mannion Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Rename Syracuse Post Office in Honor of Fallen Officer Wallie Howard Jr.

VIDEO: Representative Mannion honors Officer Wallie Howard, Jr.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman John W. Mannion (NY-22) today introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the Colvin Elmwood U.S. Post Office at 2200 South Salina Street in Syracuse as the Officer Wallie Howard Jr. Post Office Building, honoring the life and service of Officer Howard — a respected member of the Syracuse Police Department who was tragically killed in the line of duty on October 30, 1990. 

Representative John W. Mannion said, “Officer Wallie Howard Jr. was a hometown kid who became a devoted cop dedicated to protecting the people of Syracuse. His courage and commitment to justice continue to inspire our community and his fellow members of law enforcement. Naming the South Salina Street Post Office in his honor ensures that future generations will remember his bravery and dedication to the city he served.” 

Officer Howard, born in Syracuse in 1959, graduated from Henninger High School and attended Syracuse University before joining the Syracuse Police Department in 1982. He was assigned to the Central New York DEA Task Force when he was fatally shot during an undercover operation. His death marked the first line-of-duty death for a Syracuse officer since 1929. 

In recognition of his exemplary service, both the Syracuse Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York established annual awards in his name. Since 1994, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have used a reenactment of his final operation as a training tool at federal academies. 

Seventeen Members of Congress joined Representative Mannion as original cosponsors of the bipartisan legislation: Representatives LaLota, Garbarino, Suozzi, Gillen, Meng, Velázquez, Goldman, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Torres, Latimer, Riley, Tonko, Langworthy, Tenney, Morelle, and Kennedy. 

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