Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Scott Baird was killed after being struck by a vehicle while attempting to move an obstruction from a roadway in the early morning hours.
The obstruction was a 200-pound batting cage that had been placed in the road behind a high school as a prank. Officer Baird was struck by the cage after the cage was hit by a vehicle.
Officer Baird had served with the Gainesville Police Department for two years. He had recently been named "Most Popular Officer" by local businesses.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-EDEFAF19- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Baird gave the Gainesville Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gainesville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Baird.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Scott Matthew Baird is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Gainesville Police Dept., 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Scott Matthew Baird's cause is highlighted.
How Scott Matthew Baird Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Scott Matthew Baird is highlighted in Feb.
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Gainesville Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
