Harold Pierce had been a Wake County deputy for four years before becoming Raleigh’s new Chief of Police at the age of 40.  At his appointment, the RPD had 50 members.   (Nat Warren had been Acting Chief, but requested not to be considered for appointment to Chief, citing the need for a younger, more energetic leader.)  He was the first Chief appointed under the new Civil Service process, requiring approval by the Raleigh Civil Service Commission.  When he was appointed, there were rumors that he would conduct an overhaul of the Department – Public Safety Commissioner J. H. Brown stated that he wanted to make changes in some police procedures as well. 
One of the first changes that the new Chief made was to reinstitute the practice of giving officers one day off a week – they had been working seven days a week for the past four years, with only a 10-day vacation annually, during the summer.  He also extended police radio service to 24 hour coverage from 16.  (Between the hours of 7 am and 3 pm, some officers had remained in the station to answer calls; now more officers could be patrolling.)
By July of 1935, Pierce was trying to expand the police force, as well as replace some officers who were still unable to work due to an elevator accident at City Hall the year before.  He was hoping to appoint 10 new officers, with five to replace the injured ones.
The Raleigh Police added new equipment in the first year of Pierce’s service, as well.  In July of 1935, the force purchased a specially-designed Buick, meant to reach higher speeds (up to 110 mph) and be resistant to bullets.  The following September, they added a Thompson submachine gun (although only a few officers were trained and authorized to use it) as well as new tear gas equipment. In December of 1935, Pierce came under criticism when he attempted to cover up the accidental shooting of a young man by the city’s dogcatcher.  The dogcatcher, Watson Price, had been assisting police officers pursuing some escaped convicts; the young man wasn’t one of them, but was mistaken for one.  The problem was compounded when the Chief threatened to institute a gag order for local newspapers, stating that he should be the sole source for information on important cases, and would decide what facts should be released to the public.  He later made a statement that the threatened gag order was a misunderstanding, and that he intended to cooperate with the press to keep the public informed.
The police Criminal Identification Bureau, which had been largely unused for the two years previous, was revitalized in January of 1936.  The police planned to set up a fingerprinting unit and begin taking photographs of every major crime scene to be used in court cases. 
The Police Department’s Annual Report, submitted in June of 1936, called for expanding the force further.  Raleigh’s police department was smaller than most cities of similar size, it stated, and of the 53 members, 8 were over the age of 50 and 5 were older than 60.  The Chief requested an additional nine officers, asking additionally for the salaries of all officers to return to the level they had been five years before.  He also asked the city to supply all officers with both uniforms and pistols.  In addition, he suggested that the city employ a fingerprint expert.
By the end of October, 1936, the department had standardized pistols carried by officers.  Previously, each officer would purchase his own gun, and the city would supply ammunition for it – now that all officers carried the same Colt .38 “Police Special,” the city would only need to purchase one type of ammunition.  (In February of 1939, the department would begin recharging spent cartridges for target practice, reducing costs even further.)
Several new groups were formed to assist in police work during 1937 and 1938.  A new City-County Bureau of Identification was established on September 1, 1937, to serve both the Police Department and the Wake County Sheriff. The Sheriff and the Raleigh Police Chief each designated one representative to work at the Bureau.  It was housed in the “attic” of Raleigh’s City Hall.  February of 1938 saw the beginning of IDs and fingerprinting for police officers.  In May of 1938, the police department organized Records Department, headed by a former Traffic Officer.  Because they had few funds, much of the equipment needed was scavenged from within City Hall.
Chief Pierce was dismissed from office suddenly in May of 1939, when a new Public Safety Commissioner was elected.  (The Fire Chief and several other city officials were replaced at the same time.)  This overhaul led to several editorials complaining about the political nature of these actions, noting that the Civil Service Commission was formed with the intent of distancing the Police and Fire Departments from political machinations.  Pierce went on to join the State Bureau of Investigation in July of 1939.
Howard L. Pierce died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Rex Hospital on January 19, 1948, at the age of 53.  He had suffered from sudden, severe nosebleeds for years, possibly as a result of wounds received during his service in World War I.