Fort Bragg to Appoint Interim Police Chief

Eric Swift served twenty years with the Santa Rosa Police Department and Napa County Sheriff's Office

The Fort Bragg Police Department (Photo by Sarah Stierch)

Editor’s Note: The story was updated 9/20/2025 at 10:02 to clarify Clarke County is in Georgia.

The Fort Bragg City Council is expected to appoint a major with the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office as interim police chief at its meeting Monday.

Eric Swift, a former Marine, has an extensive background in law enforcement. He most recently served as a major with the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia and as a regional advisor and performance coach for Performance Protocol, a human capital management firm focused on law enforcement.

The resolution to approve Swift’s contract as interim chief is on the consent calendar.

According to the resolution, City Manager Isaac Whippy is recommending Swift’s appointment to ensure consistent leadership and the smooth operation of the Police Department during the transition.

If approved, Swift’s at-will employment would begin Oct. 1, 2025. His contract is set to terminate after he has performed 960 hours of service, though either party can end the agreement with 14 days’ written notice.

In a public comment, resident Jacob Patterson expressed support for the appointment. “I reviewed the proposed employment agreement for our new interim chief, Eric Swift—he sounds very qualified based on my preliminary internet research into his background—and I see nothing to be concerned about in the agreement,” Patterson wrote. He also praised the city manager’s selection, calling the choice of a police chief “one of the most important duties and significant decisions a city manager can make.”

Swift joined the Santa Rosa Police Department in 2002 after leaving the U.S. Marine Corps. He spent seven years there as a gang detective, including three years working with the FBI Regional North Bay Gang Task Force. He later served more than eight years at the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, rising to the rank of administrative lieutenant. He worked as a major at the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia through the end of July, according to his LinkedIn profile. In Clarke County, he ran the Explorers Program to expose teens to law enforcement, among other duties.

As interim chief, Swift’s responsibilities will include:

• Providing daily administrative oversight of the Police Department and dispatch functions.

• Overseeing the department’s response to critical incidents.

• Managing personnel functions, including employee evaluations and hiring recommendations.

• Overseeing the department’s budget.

• Attending City Council meetings and reporting directly to the city manager.