One of the first people I met when I began my newspaper career in St. Tammany Parish (back in 1972) was Wallace Laird, Chief Deputy for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office. He was always willing to fill in the details of some article I was writing on deadline, and pictures of him were featured in the news media on a regular basis, due to his work.
I was sad to hear this week that he died on June 29, 2026. According to his obituary Wallace was born on December 30, 1938, in Folsom, Louisiana, to Joseph Samuel Laird and Lilda Bryant Laird . He was raised on his family’s farm in Folsom, and his name appeared frequently in local newspapers with him showing beef and dairy cattle at area livestock shows.
He attended Covington High School before continuing his education at Southeastern Louisiana University. Married in 1960 to Sylvia Sydney “Sue” Champagne Laird, their partnership spanned 65 years. He was active with the National Guard and the Covington Jaycees. In 1961, Laird began what would become an extraordinary and distinguished career in law enforcement when he was hired by Sheriff Red Erwin as a deputy with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.
This marked the beginning of more than 44 years of dedicated
service to the people of St. Tammany Parish — a career defined by leadership,
integrity, and commitment to protecting
and serving his community.
When George Broom was elected Sheriff in 1964, Wallace was appointed head of the Criminal Division and later promoted to Chief Deputy, a position he proudly held for the remainder of his career.
He would go on to
serve under Sheriff Pat Canulette and later Sheriff Jack Strain.
In 1962, Wallace became one of the first K-9 officers in the
parish, embracing the innovation in law enforcement. He also attended Louisiana
State University’s School of Criminology and the LSU Law Enforcement Institute.
In 1968, at only 29 years old, Wallace was selected to
attend the FBI National Academy in Washington, D.C. — becoming the first
officer from St. Tammany Parish ever chosen and the youngest graduate in his
class of more than one hundred officers.
In 1972 he was honored for his efforts in Litter Clean Up Programs.
His impact reached far beyond Louisiana. In 1987, Wallace
was appointed to the Executive Board of Regional Organized Crime Information
Center (ROCIC), a national organization created to support law enforcement
collaboration against organized criminal activity. In 1989, he was elected
Chairman, helping lead efforts during a critical era when organized crime
groups posed major threats throughout the Southeast.
In 1992, Wallace was elected as the first voting deputy in
the State of Louisiana to be elected to serve on the Louisiana Sheriff’s
Pension Fund Board. He faithfully served in this role for three years, helping
represent and protect the interests of law enforcement officers throughout the
state.
From left to right: Sheriff George Broom, Deputies Tom Davis, George Duck, John Galloway and Chief Deputy Wallace Laird.
Over the course of his career, Wallace witnessed tremendous
change in law enforcement. He built lifelong friendships and helped countless
people in times of need.
Laird was a longtime member of Red Bluff Baptist Church, where he served through his gift of music. Blessed with an extraordinary singing voice, he was a proud member of the church choir and quartet. He was a lifelong sports enthusiast who proudly supported the LSU Tigers and the Covington High Lions.
