Top state cop hangs up hat
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Col. James Baker bids farewell to Bennington County Sheriff Barry Forrest. Vyto Starinksas / Rutland Herald |
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By PATRICK McARDLE STAFF WRITER - Published: July 1, 2009
SHAFTSBURY – After more than 30 years, Col. James Baker gave his final 10-42, police radio code for "officer off duty, at the Shaftsbury barracks of the Vermont State Police on Tuesday.
Troopers from Shaftsbury, Rutland and New Haven and the headquarters in Waterbury were part of the ceremony where Baker, retiring as the commander of the state police, bid his colleagues farewell.
Lt. Reg Trayah, station commander at Shaftsbury, said the ceremony is a tradition among retiring colonels that usually takes place in Waterbury. Trayah said the officers at his barracks were "honored and privileged" to host Baker in Shaftsbury.
Baker, who started his career as a trooper there, said he was keeping a promise.
"This is where I started my career, right here at this office. I'm leaving here today because I always said, 'I walked through that back door right over there in 1978.' I was going to leave from that back door and that's what I'm doing today," he said.
Baker called the occasion "bittersweet" as he left the state police 10 days short of 31 years.
After joining the force in 1978, he went on to work as an investigator for the Bennington County State's Attorney. He led the state police drug task force from 1989 to 1995, when he became station commander at the Brattleboro barracks.
Baker, who lives in Arlington, next took over the top post of Troop C, which includes Rutland, Shaftsbury and New Haven, before becoming the colonel in September 2006.
On Monday, Thomas L'Esperance, who was formerly stationed in Brattleboro, was promoted to colonel of the Vermont State Police during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Montpelier.
"I do realize how fortunate I am to be handed the reins from Col. Baker to a highly professional organization that is rich in tradition and history," L'Esperance said on Monday.
Baker admitted he had had "one heck of a run."
"Every day I would come to work trying to do the right thing and my goal every day was to try to make a difference in someone's life on that given day. Before you know it, here I am," he said.
Baker said he was particularly proud of the work troopers did on the Brooke Bennett case last year because of the impact it had on Vermont.
"I think the challenge that Col. L'Esperance is going to have is to continue the conversation about what is the future of the Vermont State Police and what is the Vermont State Police going to look like 50 years from now and No. 2, how are we going to keep citizens safe in Vermont, one of the safest states in the country, when we face the kind of things we do in this state right now," he said.
Baker said he planned to spend the summer tending to some of his personal relationships and projects that took a back seat to his duties as a police leader. In September, he expects to make some decisions about his future.
Reflecting on his career, Baker said he'll miss the people.
"There are great, great people in the Vermont State Police who are doing yeomen's work every single day keeping Vermonters safe. I don't think I can begin to describe to anyone the kind of work that they do every day. … I'm going to miss them. I going to miss the civilians, I'm going to miss those relationships, but I'm not going to miss the 2-4/7, 52 weeks out of the year," he said.
patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com
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