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Ford's first elective office was as city alderman in 1908. He was also a member of the Caddo Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body now known as the Caddo Parish Commission.<ref>Veta Samuels, History of the Caddo Parish Commission.</ref> A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served in the state legislature from 1916 until he stepped down in 1918 to become mayor after the death of S. A. Dickson, M.D. Robert Hodges Ward had followed Dickson as mayor, and then Ford was elected to a single four-year term from 1918 to 1922. Ford then spent eight years in the private sector before returning to City Hall as finance commissioner, a position which he handily retained in the elections of 1930, 1934, 1938, 1942, 1946, 1950, 1954, 1958, and 1962.<ref name=obit>Ford obituary, ''The Shreveport Times,'' July 2, 1965.</ref> Dwight L. Saur, a [[Certified Public Accountant]] succeeded Ford as finance commissioner in 1966. Saur himself died in office in 1971, and the position then went to its last occupant and only [[Republican Party|Republican]], [[George A. Burton]]. The new city charter superseded the finance commissioner's post.
Ford's first elective office was as city alderman in 1908. He was also a member of the Caddo Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body now known as the Caddo Parish Commission.<ref>Veta Samuels, History of the Caddo Parish Commission.</ref> A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served in the state legislature from 1916 until he stepped down in 1918 to become mayor after the death of S. A. Dickson, M.D. Robert Hodges Ward had followed Dickson as mayor, and then Ford was elected to a single four-year term from 1918 to 1922. Ford then spent eight years in the private sector before returning to City Hall as finance commissioner, a position which he handily retained in the elections of 1930, 1934, 1938, 1942, 1946, 1950, 1954, 1958, and 1962.<ref name=obit>Ford obituary, ''The Shreveport Times,'' July 2, 1965.</ref> Dwight L. Saur, a [[Certified Public Accountant]] succeeded Ford as finance commissioner in 1966. Saur himself died in office in 1971, and the position then went to its last occupant and only [[Republican Party|Republican]], [[George A. Burton]]. The new city charter superseded the finance commissioner's post.
Among Ford's many council colleagues over the years were later [[Governor]] [[Jimmie Davis]], who was from 1938 to 1942 the commissioner of public safety, a post later held by [[J. Earl Downs]] and George Wendell D'Artois, Jr. (1925-1977), who stepped down amid a scandal in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/10/brad-kozak/when-cops-go-bad-i-the-tale-of-george-dartois/|title=When Cops Go Bad I: The Tale of George D'Artois|author=Brad Kozak|date=October 19, 2011|publisher=thetruthaboutguns.com|accessdate=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[H. Lane Mitchell]], the public works commissioner from 1934 to 1968, left office enveloped in what developed as a scandal of his own.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/19711060246So2d814_1915.xml/STATE%20v.%20MITCHELL|title=''State v. Mitchell''|date=May 3, 1971|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 14, 2014}}</ref> Ford served from 1946 to 1954 with Mayor Clyde Edward Fant (1905-1973). For his last three years as commissioner, another Ford colleague was later Mayor [[Calhoun Allen]], then the public utilities commissioner.
Among Ford's many council colleagues over the years were later [[Governor]] [[Jimmie Davis]], who was from 1938 to 1942 the commissioner of public safety, a post later held by [[J. Earl Downs]] and George Wendell D'Artois, Jr. (1925-1977), who stepped down amid a scandal in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/10/brad-kozak/when-cops-go-bad-i-the-tale-of-george-dartois/|title=When Cops Go Bad I: The Tale of George D'Artois|author=Brad Kozak|date=October 19, 2011|publisher=thetruthaboutguns.com|accessdate=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[H. Lane Mitchell]], the public works commissioner from 1934 to 1968, left office enveloped in what developed as a scandal of his own.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/19711060246So2d814_1915.xml/STATE%20v.%20MITCHELL|title=''State v. Mitchell''|date=May 3, 1971|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 14, 2014}}</ref> Ford served from 1946 to 1954 with Mayor [[Clyde Fant]]. For his last three years as commissioner, another Ford colleague was later Mayor [[Calhoun Allen]], then the public utilities commissioner.
Former Shreveport Mayor [[James C. Gardner]], who served with Ford during the 1954 to 1958 term, said that the commissioner, forty-four years his senior, was his mentor in city government. Writing in his memoirs entitled ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. 1,'' Gardner recalled how Ford had helped Gardner's father get his first job after having returned from the [[United States Navy]] at the end of [[World War I]]. Gardner continued:
Former Shreveport Mayor [[James C. Gardner]], who served with Ford during the 1954 to 1958 term, said that the commissioner, forty-four years his senior, was his mentor in city government. Writing in his memoirs entitled ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. 1,'' Gardner recalled how Ford had helped Gardner's father get his first job after having returned from the [[United States Navy]] at the end of [[World War I]]. Gardner continued: