SOMERVILLE — On Friday, April 17, 2026, Detective John Howe of the Somerville Police Department, while assigned to City Hall detail and serving as the department’s inspectional services liaison, was removing illegal posters from city property in Davis Square under Section 9-48 of the City of Somerville ordinance when a group of eight to 10 unhoused individuals approached and surrounded him.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from a summary of the incident written by Detective John Howe in the Somerville Police Department’s weekly arrest log and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
Detective Howe said he identified himself as a Somerville detective and showed the individuals his badge and police ID. He said James Howard then brandished a 3.5-inch black folding knife, and that he ordered Howard to drop the knife approximately three to five times, but Howard refused.
According to police, James Howard, 46, is homeless in Cambridge, MA.
“At this point, numerous other marked Somerville police cruisers arrived and we were able to use de-escalation techniques and the knife was retrieved from Mr. Howard’s person,” Detective Howe said.
Howard was then placed in handcuffs and told he was under arrest for the following:
- Violation of City Ordinance 9/96: Possession of a Dangerous Weapon
- Detective Howe noted that the knife Howard was carrying had a 3.5-inch blade, which exceeds the 2.5-inch limit set by Somerville City Ordinance Chapter 9, Section 9-96, except when used for work, hunting, or other lawful purposes.
Following his arrest, Howard was transported to Somerville Police Headquarters for booking.
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