The Muscogee Nation has named former Emergency Management Director Bobby Howard as Commissioner of Public Safety.

Howard, a Muscogee combat veteran and native of Depew, ran the Nation’s Emergency Management operation for five years. Prior to his tribal service, Commissioner Howard spent 34 years in the Oklahoma Army National Guard before he was honorably discharged.

The MCN Department of Public Safety was created in August through National Council legislation, and will be tasked with coordinating efforts of Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police, Fire Services and Emergency Response.

“This is a tremendous honor that the Executive Branch and the Muscogee National Council have bestowed upon me, and I take the responsibility of this position very seriously,” Howard said. “The creation of this department is a result of total cooperation between our Executive and Legislative branches and we’ll need that to continue to effectively carry out our mission to its fullest potential.”

Commissioner Howard will convene a working group with a member from each of the Na- tion’s Legislative Committees as well as the Executive Branch to build the parameters and structure of the DPS.

Under Howard’s direction, the MCN Emergency Management Department enjoyed several milestones and historic achievements, including becoming the first tribal Nation to host a joint field office with FEMA during an active disaster, the first tribal Nation to write and publish a FEMA policy and the first tribal Nation to receive a community development block grant-disaster recovery funds, and is currently moving forward with water and waste-water projects for communities across the Reservation totaling $102 million.

The official confirmation hearing through the Muscogee National Council is forthcoming.