Ferndale fires cop who faces attempted child molestation charge

The city of Ferndale fired a Ferndale police officer who has been charged with attempted child molestation after allegedly propositioning a woman, whom he met while responding to a 911 call, for sex with her and her 12-year-old daughter.

The city announced in a news release August 23 it had terminated Michael Scott Langton’s employment due to an inability to carry out his duties. Langton, 46, of Blaine, was charged with attempted second-degree child molestation July 28 in Whatcom County Superior Court and was released on $40,000 bail.

City of Ferndale spokesperson Riley Sweeney said in the release that the Bellingham Police Department is continuing to investigate Langton’s charges, and the city of Ferndale is conducting an ongoing internal investigation relating to the case.

Sweeney previously told The Northern Light in an email that following his arrest July 26 Langton was placed on paid administrative leave until either the internal investigation or the criminal investigation concluded.

Langton was placed on administrative leave in October 2021 after he allegedly contacted far-right extremist group Oath Keepers. He was reinstated later that month after an investigation concluded the complaint against him was unfounded, Sweeney previously said.

Langton was sued in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle in 2020 while working as a Ferndale officer. He allegedly stopped a woman for a traffic violation and then detained her while a canine searched for drugs. The case was settled out of court and dismissed in April 2022.

Langton previously worked for Blaine Police Department. He resigned in August 2012.

Langton was also sued in federal court for an incident that allegedly happened while he was employed as a Blaine police officer in 2011. Federal court records show Langton allegedly used excessive force when arresting a Blaine man without probable cause. The case was later settled out of court and dismissed.