Began career with Sheriff’s Office, then with APD as volunteer Reserve Officer in 2000

By Antioch Police Department

After 25 years of dedicated service in law enforcement, Lieutenant John Fortner has officially retired.

John began his career with the City of Antioch Police Department on August 20, 2001. Prior to joining APD, he served with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office at the Martinez Detention Facility and also volunteered his time as an Antioch Police Reserve Officer beginning in January 2000.

Before entering law enforcement, John proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1990–1998, receiving an Honorable Discharge.

During his career with APD, Lieutenant Fortner served in numerous roles including Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, SWAT Team Member and Team Leader, Special Response Unit member, and Detective in the Violent Crimes Unit. He also served as both a Department Firearms Instructor and SWAT Instructor, helping train and mentor the next generation of officers.

John supported and supervised several important programs throughout his career, including the Reserve Officer Program, SWAT proactive patrol operations, the Explorer Post, Special Events, and community initiatives such as the Northern California Special Olympics Torch Run and Tip-a-Cop events.

His dedication and service were recognized with both the Medal of Valor and the Meritorious Service Award.

Thank you, John, for 25 years of commitment, leadership, and service to the Antioch community.

Please join us in congratulating him and wishing him a long, healthy, and well-deserved retirement!

the attachments to this post:

Antioch PD Lt. John Fortner

This entry was posted on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 5:16 pm and is filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.