Stepping into his role as Battle Ground’s newest police chief, Dennis Flynn plans to foster public trust and bolster traffic safety through community engagement and policy changes.
Flynn took the oath of office on March 18 before the City Council. He served the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for 30 years and served as operations deputy chief for the Commerce City Police Department in Colorado for the past six.
Flynn said he became interested in law enforcement after his first ride-along in 1984. After experiencing a domestic abuse call, Flynn said witnessed firsthand the profound impact officers can have on the community.
“The amount of appreciation that she had for the officers that stepped in and helped her, how could you not want to be part of that,” Flynn said.
During his time in Las Vegas, Flynn taught at a local police academy for 15 years.
“Having the opportunity to impart some of your experiences to the newest minds that are coming [to] the police department [and] knowing that they’re going to take that and they’re going to form who they are as police officers was exceptionally rewarding,” Flynn said.
Community engagement and transparency
Four weeks into office, Flynn is reviewing methods and policies to increase public trust in Battle Ground’s law enforcement. One priority for the new chief is to implement body-worn cameras. Flynn said he and city leadership are examining the possibility.
“It’s not because the officers are doing anything wrong, just the opposite. We want to document that the officers are doing things right,” Flynn said. “I think that it is also a reasonable expectation from the public to make sure that they are paying for service with police officers, and if we have a critical incident, they are entitled to be able to see how we did it.”
Flynn noted that body cameras will require funding, training for implementation and additional staff for reviewing and storing footage.
Flynn said that community members who are interested can sign up for ride-alongs with officers. In the future, Flynn wants more officers on bicycles in nearby districts to increase their visibility and approachability of officers.
“I want them to be easy to approach so that people feel comfortable going up to them and sharing issues,” Flynn said. “A lot of times it’s not going to be crimes at the reporting step. It’s just building relationships, and that’s what’s important, that we continue to build relationships with the people we serve.”
Policy improvements
On Aug. 10 last year, Battle Ground Sgt. Richard Kelly died of an overdose of methamphetamine and fentanyl while on duty. Investigations conducted by the Vancouver Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office each provided recommendations on preventing future incidents. Flynn said that he has completed implementing these policy changes.
“There were areas in the police department (where) we didn’t have the best camera coverage (so) we could review these incidents,” Flynn said. “…We have already installed additional cameras and security features that will help us monitor the important areas of the police department.”
Flynn said that, with the help of local agencies, the department will begin a peer support program. The implementation will improve officers’ ability to seek help for mental health and substance abuse problems.
“We were lacking in substance abuse indicators with employees, and our leadership has already gone through additional training for that,” Flynn said.
After hearing feedback from residents, Flynn is currently reviewing ways to improve traffic safety. He said one of his main objectives is to maintain safe roads and walkways for residents.
“There are issues with speeding,” Flynn said. “There [are] issues with people not obeying traffic control devices and not even registering their vehicles.”
Flynn is currently evaluating the department’s staffing levels. He said one of the challenges that comes with the job is determining funding priorities.
“We are strained at times to make sure that we have ample people to handle our calls for service and maintain the level of safety that the public demands,” Flynn said. “While I would love to be able to add additional [K-9] units, they all come at a cost. So I just have to make sure that I look at the cost analysis to say that that’s going to be the best way to spend our public money.”
Adjusting to Battle Ground
Flynn said that, in his experience, Las Vegas and Battle Ground are polar opposites. The department Flynn worked in had over 6,000 employees, and Battle Ground currently has around 30.
“I don’t have some of the same resources that I had in Las Vegas, but because we have a workforce of 30, it’s a little easier to implement some of the ideas, and we can be more nimble and be able to pivot on new issues that arise that we can go out and address,” Flynn said.
Flynn has found local law enforcement agencies to be invaluable as he settles into his new role. He looks forward to ongoing collaboration between the Battle Ground Police Department and other local agencies to address various needs as they arise. Flynn praised Clark County Sheriff John Horch for assigning Deputy Michael McCabe to fill the role as interim police chief in January after former Chief Mike Fort’s retirement, in an agreement with the city.
“There is no one in this region that is overstaffed police-wise, but Clark County Sheriff Horch realized our need and gave one of his command staff to us until I could move here and accept the job,” Flynn said. “That’s an example of how fortunate we are to have good relationships with all the different police agencies in the area.”
Flynn said that the Battle Ground community and city staff have been welcoming and warm. He aspires to further contribute to fulfilling the community’s goal of ensuring a secure environment where residents can “live, work and play.”
“Our interactions, what we do, can impact a person for the rest of their life, and it can impact a community for decades,” Flynn said. “We can never lose sight of the importance of our interactions.”
