Sheriff Buford Pusser's lasting impact on Tennessee law enforcement
Sheriff Buford Pusser kept law and order in McNairy County back in the 1960s. When Hollywood portrayed him in the 1970s film Walking Tall, he carried a big stick to fend off criminals. However, that stick, historians say, is somewhat of a myth. What's not a myth is how Pusser left a permanent mark on law enforcement.
'Whatever you think of him – good, bad – he did motivate people to get into law enforcement for the right reason. I think my whole generation of law enforcement officers, not just in Tennessee, but across the country and all across the world, who were motivated by those movies,' said Sheriff Guy Buck.
Who was legendary lawman Buford Pusser?
Buck currently occupies the sheriff seat in McNairy County that Pusser once sat in. Even though more than 50 years have passed, Buck still gets asked about his famous predecessor.
Pusser was well-known for serving justice with his own style. According to one story, instead of hauling a car theft suspect off to jail, he tied the man to a pole to publicly humiliate him. Sheriff Buck admits that law enforcement today is not what it was when Pusser served this small county from 1964 to 1970.
'Law enforcement is very different. We would all go to jail for the things that we did in 1984, much less the things they did in 1964. It's a different world. It's a completely different world,' said Buck.
'Good guy, bad guy, something in between?' we asked Buck.
Buford Pusser's granddaughter says grandfather represented 'respect and integrity'
'I think he was a human being. And he was a sheriff in the '60s. And, I think, if you were to ask anybody about any sheriff in the '60s, they would have different opinions. Some would think they were good, some would think they were bad. Obviously, Buford is no different,' said Buck.
Buford Pusser is no longer top cop in McNairy County, but his name is truly synonymous with law enforcement. And, also creating an opportunity for this county to become a place where visitors can come from all over and pay their respects to law enforcement. In fact, they recently unveiled this memorial to do just that.
'It is a granite wall that contains 796 names of every police officer who has died in the line of duty since Tennessee became a state,' said Buck. 'So many of those stories have never had a voice, and they do out here now.'
The county also hosts an annual law enforcement appreciation ceremony at the Buford Pusser Festival.
Leaders here envision a future McNairy County where people from Memphis to Johnson City can gather to pay their respects to law enforcement, and it all started with one man, Sheriff Buford Pusser. 'You can't say sheriff without thinking of Buford Pusser,' said Buck.
Sheriff Pusser was known for professionalizing the department by hiring paid deputies and purchasing squad cars.
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