Captain Baer Retires After Serving More Than Two Decades

To hear Dave Baer tell it, he wasn’t really from anywhere in particular. His dad was a Methodist minister, and they moved around central Ohio from parish to parish as he grew up.

When you speak with Baer, you come to understand that his heart has always been in emergency services, both in fire service and in law enforcement.

He attended the University of Toledo in Ohio, obtaining his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice at only 19 years old, and was offered a job in a local agency. He began his career in a small township near Columbus for a short time, and then moved on to a small college department, which he loved. At that time, he also served as a volunteer firefighter in the same area, and chased fire calls in his time off.

At 29 years of age, he ended up serving as chief of another small agency with a total of nine personnel within Central Ohio. He used his academic credentials to help create the structure of the department.  Those tools came in handy for him as he arrived in Marco Island as a new hire for the fledgling community that was looking to create a new Public Safety Agency, merging the existing fire-rescue services with law enforcement responsibilities.

It was a time of turmoil for the hybrid department which would eventually see fire-rescue services retain its “stand-alone” status, and the community in 2000 approving the establishment of a separate police department. 

When you ask Baer what his fondest memories are of the last 22 years he’s spent with the Marco agency, he is quick to respond that the challenges of organizing a department from the ground up was a great experience.

In 2009, he began a journey that would result in a decade-long pursuit of his PhD in Criminal Justice.  During that time period, he completed his studies to obtain a Bachelor of Science, two Master’s degrees and, finally, his PhD in Criminal Justice - a pretty substantial accomplishment for one working under the demands required by his job.

There were disappointments early on for Baer, as the department suffered from turnover during its early years. As with any agency, turnover creates a myriad of problems. They range from morale issues to budgetary impacts due to high turnover. “The administrative demands grow exponentially when you have an unstable workforce with great turnover,” said Baer, explaining how much that impacts all aspects of an agency.

The demands for proper training and equipment, overtime and other factors, are impacted by high turnover, especially in efforts to meet the high expectations associated with providing excellent services to a community.

“We are fortunate that we have dealt with those issues with the support of those who made good decisions over the years,” said Baer.

Following the council meeting, available personnel gathered to take one last group photo with Baer. Photos by Steve Stefanides

 Baer isn’t going too far away, as he will do some part time teaching at two different colleges, as well as maintaining his certification by remaining on the job as a reserve officer with the Marco Island Police Department when called upon by the agency he helped to build.

“We really have a great agency here. That is due in great part to the fact that we have been able to recruit some of the best in our profession to come here,” he said. “Who wouldn’t want to be part of this team in an agency that has so much to offer?”

Last Thursday, September 9th, Captain Dave Baer walked down a row of his peers, city staff, elected officials and friends. He did so with his wife, whom he credits for being his rock during his 37-year career in law enforcement, with the past 22 years being in service to the citizens and City of Marco Island. It was fitting that this walk would take place just outside the MIPD Headquarters building, the construction of which he personally supervised.