NAMPA, Idaho — Public documents reveal that Tanner Howe, the suspect in a police pursuit that led to the death of Nampa Police K9 Riddick, had violated his parole twice in the weeks leading up to the incident.
- Despite failing drug tests on September 5th and 18th, Howe was not taken into custody.
- According to IDOC, treatment is offered to parolees if they "proactively communicate" with their Parole officers.
- Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff expressed frustration over Howe's early release, saying he "should’ve stayed in the Department of Corrections," Chief Huff told Idaho News 6.
- Huff’s concerns have been echoed by other law enforcement agencies in the Treasure Valley as they continue to deal with repeat parole offenders in the community.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Could a police pursuit last month in Nampa have been prevented?
The suspect police were pursuing was out on parole, and now we know Tanner Howe had already violated his parole twice in the two weeks leading up to the pursuit. Although Howe was not in the car at the time, the pursuit ended in a rollover crash and the death of Nampa Police K9 Riddick.
According to new documents obtained by Idaho News 6, Howe admitted to using drugs in early September and failed drug tests on the 5th and 18th. Terms of his parole clearly prohibit the use of controlled substances not lawfully prescribed.
“Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but I can tell you now, it was a bad release. He should’ve stayed in the Department of Corrections. Looking at some of his records, he was released in late July of 2024. There were several violations of his parole,” says Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff.
Howe was sentenced to serve time through 2026 but was released in July after completing rehabilitation requirements in prison. His release, though legal, leaves Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff and his department frustrated as repeat offenders impact the Treasure Valley community.
“So basically within two months, there were at least two parole violations that he committed that would’ve, in my opinion, should’ve put him back in the system because he wasn’t being a productive member of the community,” says Huff.
Chief Huff says this isn’t an isolated case. He tells me in the past two months alone, Nampa officers have encountered over a dozen parolees with offenses such as DUI crashes, felony domestic violence, and child endangerment.
“I can tell you this isn't a one-off case, though. We deal with parolees and probationers frequently, as do other police departments across the state of Idaho. It’s frustrating for us and our law enforcement officers that we’re continuing to deal with these people… it doesn’t seem like they’re put back into custody, if ever, or not soon enough,” says Huff.
I asked IDOC about the parole violation policy, and they told me after a failed drug test, if the parolee has been *proactively communicating with their parole officer, an appropriate response would be to first attempt to get that person meaningfully engaged in treatment. The documents show Howe was ordered to start treatment on September 18th.
It’s an issue impacting law enforcement across the Treasure Valley. Garden City Police Chief Cory Stambaugh shares similar sentiments, telling me his officers were involved in a pursuit in July with a suspect who had a lengthy criminal history and was out on parole. He says that suspect "should have been serving his sentence as an inmate. Had he not been released prior to his sentence satisfaction date, this incident would not have happened.”
While Idaho police departments wait for answers, the focus remains on protecting the community and preventing repeat offenders from causing further harm.
“Hopefully, we can start having more conversations with the Pardons and Parole Commission. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I was just sitting back and saying, ‘Well, this one just squeaked through the system.’ Maybe bring everyone into the same room, to the table, and figure out what we can do differently. How can we help you as law enforcement, and how can you help us as the Pardons and Parole Commission?” says Chief Huff.
