Ben Lewis Baird, former Chief of the LaFollette Police Department, passed away Monday, May 25th, 2026 at the age of 80. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Baird, mother Lettie Brown Baird, and sister Barbara Foust, and is survived by his children, daughter Sabrina Baird-Gerber, 55, of Knoxville, TN, son John Baird, 53, of Louisville, Kentucky and brother David Baird of LaFollette.

Chief Ben Lewis Baird was born April 18, 1946, and spent his life showing LaFollette, TN what it meant to truly serve.

Chief Baird joined the LaFollette Police Department in 1973 after graduating from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in Donelson, TN, as a patrol officer. He moved quickly through the ranks from patrol to sergeant, sergeant to Assistant Chief, and then was appointed in 2003 to Chief. Mr. Baird was dedicated to his role as a law enforcement officer. As Chief of the LaFollette Police Department, he kept his community safe, serving a total of 36 years in the department before his retirement in 2009.

Mr. Baird was a 1966 graduate of Cumberland College, with a degree in history and a minor in political science. He became a school teacher in 1967, teaching second grade and then other elementary grades until 1976, when the new Campbell County High School in Jacksboro was completed. He taught Special Education there for 24 years, retiring as Special Education Administrator in 2000. Mr. Baird championed the students who needed a champion most.

Ben was an avid gun collector and loved firing his many weapons in target practice at his firing range on the farm. He taught dozens of law enforcement officers at the range, where he had created several real-life type scenarios for practice. Ben was especially skilled with long-range weapons such as sniper rifles, and was an FBI-certified sniper for most of his career.

But ask anyone who knew him, and they’ll tell you-Chief was more than his titles. He was known throughout the community as a man of fairness and respect, treating everyone he encountered with dignity regardless of their station in life. It was simply who he was.

A student of history, an outdoorsman who loved to hike, and a man who never met an animal he didn’t like: Chief Baird had a presence you didn’t forget.

The community is invited to celebrate his life on Friday, May 29, 2026. A procession of law enforcement officers will depart at 11:00 A.M. from Walters Funeral Home, 509 East Central Avenue in LaFollette and proceed to Fincastle Cemetery, 629 Old Middlesboro Highway, LaFollette where a graveside service will be held featuring the current Chief of the LaFollette Police Department, Matt Forsyth. Friends may pay their respects at their convenience on Thursday, May 28, 2026, until 7:00 P.M. at Walters Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made instead to Project K9 Hero, at https://projectk9hero.org.

Walters Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Ben Lewis Baird.