[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING JAMES BAKER OF ARLINGTON, VERMONT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2018

  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. James Baker of 
Arlington, Vermont for his distinguished career in law enforcement and 
his deep and abiding commitment to improving the lives of Vermonters.
  Jim's exemplary career spanned 40 years. As commander of the Vermont 
State Police and director of the Vermont Police Academy, he put to good 
use his strong leadership skills and his noble commitment to public 
service. He worked hard to ensure the fair delivery of justice and an 
end to discrimination and misconduct whenever it arose.
  Shortly after retiring from the Vermont Police Academy in 2009, Jim 
was recruited to fill important positions in communities in need of new 
law enforcement leadership. He served as acting police chief in 
Manchester, then took the helm of the Rutland Police Department.
  In Rutland, Jim worked countless hours to tackle the opioid epidemic 
that hit the city hard. He played a major role in the creation of 
Project VISION, an effective grassroots community collaborative that 
coordinates local efforts to combat addiction and crime. He also 
transformed the culture of the police department, while identifying and 
rooting out the causes of crime and addiction. Jim's lasting legacy is 
a coalition of hundreds of residents, active to this day, who address 
community challenges head-on to improve the quality of life in Rutland.
  Jim's tenure yielded positive results for Rutland. Calls for police 
service dropped and the city experienced a double-digit decline in 
burglaries and property crimes. Resident surveys demonstrated 
remarkably higher satisfaction with their neighborhoods.
  Most recently, Jim returned to Arlington to help revitalize his 
hometown, working with volunteers to ensure that no one falls through 
the cracks.
  Jim Baker has earned his reputation as the ``Mr. Fix-It'' of the 
Vermont law enforcement community. Countless Vermonters have benefitted 
from his tireless work, and our state is better off because of it.
  And now, as he battles cancer, Jim is doing so with the 
characteristic grit, grace, determination, and sense of humor that all 
of us who have had the good fortune to work with him will recognize.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me today in 
sending James Baker of Arlington, Vermont our best wishes and thanking 
him for his lifetime of service to Vermont.

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