Dennis Baker says he was in his early 20s when he joined the Kingfisher Police Department back in September of 1989.

But when he showed up at the Times & Free Press office for the obligatory new officer photo and story, he looked about 15. (And if you think that’s just our faulty memory, check out the photo that we’ve reprinted here.)

Fresh-faced or not, Baker struck us from the get-go as a sharp, courteous young man who took his professional responsibilities seriously.

And except for the “young” part, our opinion of him has not changed over the past 30-plus years.

When Tom Jones retired as police chief in 2005 after making strides to modernize the department to a new level of professionalism, Baker was the obvious choice to replace him and take up that mantle.

Under Baker’s watch, the department has advanced from the pen-and-paper days, to computerization and now to the digital age.

Being a good lawman is not enough when you are top officer over a growing department - you have to be a good manager as well. Baker has excelled at both.

He’s said before that part of his hiring criteria for new officers includes a determination as to whether the candidate is a “community fit” as well as a capable policeman.

New hires receive not only standard Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training certification, but they go through an inhouse training period with a more experienced officer.

Baker’s expectations are high, but his officers will tell you they also are clearly explained and fairly enforced and no different for the expectations he holds for himself and other senior officers.

Over the past years when law enforcement has found itself at the center of the public crosshairs - too often literally as line-of-duty deaths have increased - the public perception and community support for local police officers has remained at an all-time high.

That doesn’t happen by accident. It starts at the chief’s desk where community policing and positive interaction has always been a top priority.

You’ll see a current photo and mention on our front page of accolades Baker received from Kingfisher city commissioners at their meeting Monday night and elsewhere in this edition you’ll find Part II of an article we started in Sunday’s paper about Baker’s family.

Although he will be missed by this newspaper, we take comfort in knowing that his replacement, newly-appointed Chief David Catron, is cut from the same cloth and shares Baker’s commitment to courtesy and professionalism.