Former chief of police, educator Ben Baird passes

A 1964 graduate of La Follette High School

By Jim Freeman

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- News of the passing of Ben Baird came in to WLAF at 8:30 on Monday morning. Like it generally seems, I’d just seen the former police chief a few days earlier at one of his regular haunts; full of entertaining stories.

Ben Baird became La Follette Police Chief in the early 2000s retiring in January 2009, and he spent all 36 years of his law enforcement career with LPD beginning in 1973. He served at every rank from Sergeant to Chief. 

“I always got along with Ben, in fact, I enjoyed working with him. But Ben was unique in his own way. That deep voice would really keep a new hire on their toes until they got to know the chief,” said Charlie Hutson, former co-worker.

Baird served in many other positions with LPD. He was the training officer, SWAT commander (Special Weapons and Tactics), fire arms instructor and served as special operations supervisor.

His law enforcement career started under Chief Earl Carroll as a temporary summer position. Back then, officers were not POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) certified, but Baird was one of the first three officers in Campbell County to attend POST training at Nashville, according to Hutson.

“He was a great chief and a great mentor. I was one of the last people to work the road with him before he became chief. He taught me more in that one to two years than I could have learned in 10 years on my own,” said former La Follette Chief of Police Jimmy Jeffries.

For decades, Baird worked the second shift for La Follette Police and taught school by day. It would be common for Baird to finish his school day and then direct traffic as school let out from Campbell County High School in the afternoon. He worked seven days a week for years on end.

The former chief was interrupted while telling a story the last time I saw him. There was some other chatter. And before he could get back to his story, Charlie Hutson and I decided to leave. And in classic Ben fashion, he said “Wait a minute. I’m not finished telling my story. Sit down here.”

Ben Baird turned 80 last month. Walters Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/26/2026-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON AND PERCY SHULTZ)