Battle Ground Police changing protocol after sergeant’s OD on seized drugs

A police chief in one Washington city is ordering an audit on how seized drugs are handled after one of his cops overdosed on the job.

Battle Ground Police Department (BGPD) Sergeant Richard Kelly was found unconscious in his office from what police initially described as a medical emergency on Aug. 10 and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The Clark County Medical Examiner has determined Kelly died from a combination of the illicit drugs fentanyl and methamphetamine. The medical examiner noted the death was accidental due to “drug use/abuse.”

The Battle Ground Police Department stated it brought in detectives from the Vancouver Police Department to conduct an independent investigation. Given evidence at the scene and the medical examiner’s report, investigators said Kelly’s death was “more likely than not caused by an intentional act and not an incidental workplace exposure.”

When reached for comment, the BGPD said Chief Mike Fort was not available for an interview.

But in a statement, the department stated Fort has requested an audit on how his department handles evidence — including seized narcotics — and will make changes in training and procedures, based on the audit’s findings.

“Substance abuse is a serious problem that often goes unsuspected and undetected,” Fort said in a prepared statement. “As a community, we need to support local efforts to assist anyone struggling with the effects of mental health and substance abuse so they may achieve recovery.”