Sheriff Baugh reflects on father, bridge named in his father's honor

Baugh recognized the fact that it was a long process to get the bridge renamed, and noted he was pleased that it has gotten done. 

For Jarrod Baugh, his late father is always on his mind and in his heart.

It is part of the job, as Baugh followed two years ago in his late father's footsteps when he was elected Putnam County Sheriff. 

And, his father's memory is forever etched and woven not only in the uniform but in his heart as he navigates through Putnam County, especially on U.S. 231 near the Big Walnut Creek. Two decades ago, Capt. Jim Baugh was responding to an automobile accident when he lost control of his patrol vehicle on U.S. 231 and overturned into Big Walnut Creek. He was taken from the scene to Methodist Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. 

Since then, there have been efforts to rename the bridge in his honor and the hard work finally paid off, as Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 has made its way through both the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Senate, paving the way for the bridge over Big Walnut Creek on U.S. 231 to be renamed in honor of Capt. Baugh. 

"We look forward to seeing Captain Jim Baugh Memorial Bridge north of town. The crash scene is something that will always be important to our family, but I talk to people whether it is at coffee in the morning or the fairgrounds and I will see people there I don't normally see during the year and we all somehow get on a Jim Baugh story or they bring up that they can't go over that bridge without thinking about your dad. Maybe now, some other people will Google Captain Jim Baugh and read the first four or five articles, and, hopefully, it is a constant reminder that we do have these emergency services people that are conducting themselves in a day to day job that they love and at any moment something can happen. We don't have all the answers and we never will until we finally meet again, but, for now, anything like that that reminds people of his service and sacrifice makes the family happy and that is the goal that my mother set out many years ago," Sheriff Baugh told The Putnam County Post. 

Baugh recognized the fact that it was a long process to get the bridge renamed, and noted he was pleased that it has gotten done. 

"This year, it got done, and that is the only thing that matters. We will have that constant reminder up there of his sacrifice and service to the Putnam County community, and maybe some more Jim Baugh stories. We have good police officers that take their family serious, take their community serious and duty serious, and if they do die in the line of duty, whether it be by someone else's hand or an accident, the community always remembers them," Baugh said. 

Baugh recalled a message he shared with Indiana Senators and Representatives when discussion was being held of renaming the bridge. 

"They aren't always the loudest folks, but these officers and their families are watching. They are watching how you treat the family of the fallen officer. We have a community, state, government and country that supports law enforcement, especially here in our community, and this is just a continuation of that," Baugh said. 

As a child, Baugh grew up riding with his father as a deputy. 

"I was a young kid running around the jail with my single action BB gun. It is one of those things that when you watch someone like that do a job and you see how happy they are going to work compared to all those who may not be happy going to work, you have to look at it and say maybe some day," Baugh said. 

Baugh said when he was a student at Ball State studying criminal justice, he began looking at opportunities to leave the community but met his wife, who wanted to teach at Cloverdale.

"That is where we stayed, and then things progressed. Being the Sheriff is an awesome thing. It is the only elected police officer in the country, and I serve God, my wife and the community and I watched my dad do that. I then saw people put words to that, and I said I'd like to have that opportunity to put myself in a position to do it. I look back at it with my father having done it before, and he did it well," he said. 

The Sheriff said his father's legacy is something that is always on his mind. 

"The only thing that lays in the back of my mind is don't screw this up. I have a great staff that keeps me focused on the things that need to be done and the right way to do it. The title and position wasn't as important as the opportunity, and I say it because I mean it. To lead an already great department when I got there, and we just try to make it better every day. I am focused on making sure we do a good job, and that is what we expect out of the deputies and jailers, and I hope they expect it out of me," Baugh said.