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Mike Fort took his official oath of office this afternoon as Battle Ground’s new Chief of Police. Chief Fort, who has served as Battle Ground Police Lieutenant the last two years, was named successor to retiring Police Chief Bob Richardson by City Manager Erin Erdman in October of 2019 when Chief Richardson announced his retirement.
“Chief Fort’s extensive knowledge, experience and proven leadership, along with the relationships he has developed in our community, prepare him well to serve in this new role,” said Erdman.
Chief Fort is a 28-year veteran of law enforcement. He served the Portland Police Bureau for 26 years working in the Youth Services Division, as Patrol Watch Commander, as a member of the Rapid Response Team, in the Traffic Division - Motorcycle Detail. He planned law enforcement detail for Special Events and served in the Standards and Accountability Unit. He has served as Lieutenant for the Battle Ground Police Department since 2018.
A native Texan, Chief Fort grew up on a farm and attended Texas A & M University. In 1988 he moved to the Pacific Northwest. He earned a B.A. in English, with a minor in Spanish from Western Oregon University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy - a professional course of study for law enforcement managers nominated by their agency heads because of demonstrated leadership qualities. In 2016 he earned a Graduate Certificate of Achievement in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia.
Chief Fort resides in north Clark County on a small farm. He enjoys many of the recreational opportunities the area offers -- fishing, backpacking, snowshoeing, biking, motorcycling, running and camping.
A ceremonial oath of office will take place on Tuesday, February 18 during the 7:00 p.m. Battle Ground City Council Meeting. The public is invited to attend and meet Chief Fort. Council meetings are held at Battle Ground City Hall, located at 109 SW 1st Street in Battle Ground and are always open to the public.
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The City of Battle Ground, located in the heart of Clark County, WA serves 21,520 residents. The surrounding natural beauty, access to recreation activities, and close proximity to the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area make Battle Ground a desirable place to live and has created a period of considerable growth. The City functions under a Council-Manager form of government and provides vital public services such as police, planning and development, roads, parks, utilities and others. City leaders operate under guiding principles that were created with community input through a recent visioning process. More information about the City, including a list of its guiding principles can be found at www.cityofbg.org.