When Dennis Flynn was sworn in as chief of the Battle Ground Police Department on March 18, 2024, he inherited a department still grappling with grief, scrutiny and change.
Nearly two years later, he has become a defining presence in the city, not because of a single initiative or statistic, but because of how he has chosen to lead.
For his commitment to community-centered policing, transparency and relationship-building, Flynn has been named The Reflector’s Person of the Year for 2026.
“You can’t expect people to come to you,” Flynn said. “You have to go to them.”
That philosophy, repeated throughout conversations with seniors, students, officers and residents, has guided Flynn’s approach in Battle Ground, shaping everything from school partnerships and senior outreach to internal reforms and public accountability.
Leading a department rooted in the community
Flynn often says policing is not just about enforcement, but about community presence.
That belief is evident in the department’s involvement in community programs, food drives, youth outreach and partnerships with local nonprofits and schools. Flynn has worked to expand and stabilize existing programs and partnerships while starting new efforts.
A notable addition is the Strengthening Outreach, Community and Kindness (S.O.C.K.) program, which launched last year. After reaching out to Bombas, a sock company with a program for those in need, the department received more than 450 new pairs for youths. School resource officers (SROs) distributed them to students who needed a new pair.
SROs are among the most visible examples of the department’s continued presence in Battle Ground schools. After a school levy failed, the police department lost its cost-sharing agreement for two SROs. Despite the financial strain, Flynn and his command staff chose to keep one SRO in place.
“Our command staff and (I) felt it was critical to maintain a presence in the schools,” Flynn said. “We knew how important those relationships are, and we didn’t want to lose that.”
The presence of SROs, he said, is about far more than enforcement.
“It takes time to develop those relationships,” he said. “But when you do, the byproduct is trust.”
That trust has led to students confiding in officers, sharing concerns and, in some cases, alerting police to potential threats before they escalated, according to the chief.
Jennifer McCoy, executive director of the Battle Ground Education Foundation, a nonprofit supporting the local school district, said Flynn’s outlook consistently extends beyond traditional policing.
“If he (were) not such an excellent police chief, I would say that he is someone who has the qualities to have a career in education,” McCoy stated. “Despite all that he has undoubtedly had to witness in his career, he has such an outlook of optimism and an unfailing ability to see the strength and potential in everyone.”
McCoy said Flynn has been deeply involved with the education community, not only lending his time and expertise but proactively offering ways to support students.
“He understands and works every day to promote not just law enforcement, but community building,” she said. “Support of Battle Ground Schools is a big part of that.”
Flynn has also worked to expand Shop with a Cop, ensuring that participating children leave with gifts and meaningful experiences. The program held in December provides children in need with a budget to buy gifts and necessities of their choosing. During last year’s Shop with a Cop, brand-new bicycles were provided to every child involved.
“I am continually overwhelmed with how generous he is with his time and how he cares for this community,” McCoy added.
Flynn’s approach to Battle Ground’s senior community has followed the same philosophy: show up, listen and follow through. He regularly attends luncheons hosted by Battle Ground Senior Citizens Inc., often speaking about crime trends, fraud prevention and department priorities while often fielding questions.
“The senior population is our most vulnerable, certainly with fraud,” Flynn said. “Many of the elderly victims, they’re embarrassed and they don’t even want to report it.”
Breaking down that barrier requires trust, he said. Flynn believes seniors are not just recipients of services, but essential partners.
“These are people (who) built this town,” he said. “You owe them.”
Sharon Wodtke, president of Battle Ground Senior Citizens Inc., said Flynn connected with the group immediately.
“He did not just speak to us, he connected with us,” Wodtke said. “His warmth, approachability and sincere respect for our seniors immediately set him apart.”
She said Flynn’s consistent engagement has earned genuine affection.
“We are all very proud to call him not only Chief, but also our friend,” Wodtke added.
A career shaped by experience
Flynn’s path to leading the Battle Ground Police Department spans decades and cities, shaped by cases ranging from high-profile celebrity arrests to some of the most devastating tragedies witnessed in his career. Flynn, who grew up in Las Vegas, was interested in policing since his high school years.
“What was attractive was getting to know some of the police officers and realizing that you will always do something different every day,” Flynn said.
He began his duty on patrol working for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) in September 1985, and would later be promoted to many roles throughout his 30-year career in Sin City. As a detective, he investigated street crimes, gang violence, robberies and narcotics. After being promoted to lieutenant, Flynn oversaw uniformed patrol with an emphasis on crime and traffic reduction, while maintaining focus on community policing.
“Crime and traffic reduction are critical, but so is maintaining meaningful communication with the public and remaining attentive to community concerns and expectations,” Flynn stated.
His final role in LVMPD was as commander of the robbery section and as commander of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force responsible for investigating all bank robberies in Southern Nevada. Flynn oversaw robbery and kidnapping investigations. He also served as SWAT/hostage negotiator for 18 years during his career, overseeing 1,000 hostage, suicidal and barricaded subject incidents.
“This assignment was among the most meaningful of my career,” Flynn recalled. “It required calm, disciplined communication with people from all walks of life, many in crisis and feeling as though they had exhausted all options. While we successfully resolved the majority of incidents, there were also heartbreaking cases where, despite our best efforts, we lost the person we were trying to help.”
While serving with the LVMPD, Flynn was thrust into the national spotlight in 2010 when he authored the arrest report involving celebrity socialite Paris Hilton at the Wynn Las Vegas. The case involved the discovery of cocaine that Flynn wrote fell from a purse Hilton denied owning. She would later plead guilty, serving a year of probation to avoid a felony conviction.
The arrest drew international attention, crowds of onlookers and intense media scrutiny, a far cry from routine patrol work. Despite the notoriety, Flynn said cases like that reinforced the importance of professionalism and consistency.
From April 2018 to 2024, Flynn worked in Commerce City, Colorado, a town of roughly 75,000 people, in the Commerce City Police Department (CCPD). Hired as a commander, Flynn oversaw the Investigations Division and the Sexual Assault Task Force and served as commander of the Regional SWAT Team. He would be later promoted to deputy chief of operations, reporting directly to the chief of police.
Throughout his career, Flynn encountered distressing and devastating incidents. In Commerce City, Flynn oversaw one of the most heartbreaking investigations of his career, which the Drug Enforcement Administration referred to as the largest single fatal fentanyl overdose event in U.S. history at the time.
Five young adults were found dead in an apartment after using fentanyl-laced cocaine. A 4-month-old infant was discovered alive in another room and thankfully, survived.
The tragedy, he said, left lasting scars.
“It was an extraordinarily difficult incident and investigation.”
Those experiences, Flynn said, profoundly shaped how he approaches leadership, accountability and officer wellness.
Leading with transparency and well-being in mind
Flynn’s tenure in Battle Ground began months after the August 2023 death of Battle Ground Police Sgt. Richard Kelly, who died from the combined toxic effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine. A Vancouver Police Department investigation later concluded the death was “more likely than not caused by an intentional act and not an incidental workplace exposure.”
Flynn said arriving during that period required sensitivity, transparency and change. One month into his role as chief of police, Flynn noted cameras and security features were installed within the department to monitor important areas, including the storeroom.
The department has also utilized body-worn cameras for about a year, which Flynn said are essential for transparency, both for the public and for officers.
“I don't know that there's a police officer that works here who would feel comfortable going out without that body-worn camera,” Flynn said. “It provides just another layer of professionalism. (It) helps document the good work that they are doing. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely, and we look toward using the body-worn cameras to help identify any kind of training deficiencies we might have and work toward that constant improvement … We hire from the human race. We’re going to make mistakes.”
Under his leadership, the department implemented several changes aimed at supporting officer wellness. Among them was the introduction of a department clinician and Rafferty, the department’s comfort dog.
Rafferty played a meaningful role not only in officer wellness but also during joint investigations, helping officers manage stress during emotionally taxing work.
Flynn has emphasized accountability alongside compassion, overseeing discipline when necessary while focusing on long-term improvement.
Measuring success and what comes next
Flynn is candid about crime data, even when the numbers are uncomfortable. In 2025, the department witnessed a 67% reduction in auto thefts, a 35% reduction in sex crimes, a 26% reduction in thefts and an 8% overall reduction in violent crime.
“I’ll take the win where we get it, but I’m also going to tell you where we didn’t,” Flynn said about reporting data.
One area of emphasis has been traffic safety, which Flynn said remains a top community priority. The department has highlighted reductions in fatal and serious collisions, even as overall call volume continues to rise.
From 2021 through 2025, the department experienced a 228% increase in traffic stops.
“During that same general period, traffic collisions decreased by 18% from 2022 through 2025, and fatal collisions declined by 40% from 2024 to 2025,” Flynn highlighted.
Still, traffic safety remains a key focus for the department. Since his hiring, Flynn has worked to utilize technology to support officers’ work on speed and crosswalk enforcement. One creative approach has been the implementation of “Officer Manny Kin,” a mannequin stand-in officer placed in one of the department’s aging vehicles, to remind drivers to drive slowly and record traffic speeds. Where real officers are stationed, Flynn explained, relies greatly on traffic data taken from speed detectors implemented throughout the city on a routine basis.
Looking ahead, Flynn said staffing remains one of the department’s biggest challenges. With the approval of a 0.1% public safety levy approved by the Battle Ground City Council, the department anticipates being able to hire two additional officers, a critical step in sustaining enforcement.
Early in January, Flynn altered shifts from 12 to 11 hours. Under this model, more officers can be staffed during high-demand hours while maintaining level staffing during night patrol. This model will be supported through the addition of more officers and is expected to reduce overtime costs for the city.
Despite the weight of the job, Flynn says what keeps him motivated is the people, both inside and outside the department.
“Being here, having residents come up on a routine basis and saying, ‘Please tell your officers that we said thank you,’ and feeling the genuineness of it, that matters,” he said.
He routinely tells officers that enjoyment matters, too.
“If you’re not coming to work and having fun, we’re doing something wrong,” Flynn said.
Looking ahead, Flynn said success for BGPD should be measured not as perfection, but progress.
“We’re not going to achieve perfection,” he said. “But if we shoot for perfection and we achieve excellence, then we know we’re going in the right direction.”
Battle Ground City Manager Kris Swanson said the Person of the Year honor reflects both Flynn’s leadership and the broader department.
“This honor recognizes his leadership and service, as well as the work of the officers, civilian staff, and community partnerships whose collective efforts contribute to the safety and well-being of our community,” Swanson said.
