After 26 years of service to the Battle Creek community, Police Chief Jim Blocker has decided to retire from his duties at the beginning of 2023. Current Deputy Chief Shannon Bagley will act as interim chief. 

Chief Blocker first joined the department in 1997, and in the past 26 years, he has served in a variety of roles. In February 2014, he took on the role of interim chief while the city conducted a search. The city decided he was the best candidate and he was sworn in on July 16th. He also is a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, has served multiple tours and received multiple awards, and will continue in that service.  

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City Manager Rebecca Fleury, who joined the city in October 2014, says,

Even in the most difficult situations, he never wavered from his commitment to integrity, transparency, and open and honest dialogue. I can say with 100% certainty that he made a tremendous, positive impact on the Battle Creek Police Department, and is leaving it a better place than when he started.  

Chief Blocker called it an “incredible experience” to both start and finish his policing career in Battle Creek.  

Deputy Chief Shannon Bagley will take over duties and serve as interim for six months, giving him and the city the chance to see if the role is a good fit. During that time, the City Manager will determine if he is ready to assume the chief role permanently. If not, the city will begin a national search. Bagley joined the BCPD as Investigations Deputy Chief in September 2021. He retired from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety in 2018, after 25 years with that department.  

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