Children at the church still ask where “Big Bear” is … expecting to see him sitting in his chair by the door, Henson said.

40 YEARS OF SERVICE STARTED WITH A ROANE STATE CAREER DAY

When Webb retired from the Police Department, he had led the LPD for 18 years — and his departure capped a 40-year career that started with a Career Day at Roane State Community College during his senior year at Loudon High School.

Webb said he attended Career Day without really knowing what he wanted to do. He said the opportunities in Loudon back in the early 1980s were limited to jobs at places like Maremont and Viscase.

At the Career Day, he met Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Danny Wright, who later became police chief in Rockwood and a member of the Roane County Board of Education. Webb said Wright was impressive in his THP uniform.

“(Wright) told me I should start working on my criminal justice degree while I was waiting to be old enough to work as a police officer,” Webb recalled in a 2022 interview with The News-Herald.

Webb attended RSCC for two years, at one time taking a few months to work at Maremont. He said the environment of the factory convinced him to go back and finish his education.

He also started participating in the Junior Police organization at the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office.

CLIMBING UP THE LADDER AND MODERNIZING THE LPD

On his 20th birthday in 1982, Webb applied at the Oliver Springs Police Department and was hired. … In less than a year — and still just 20 years old — he joined the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office as a road deputy … a job he held for six more years.

In 1988, he joined the Loudon Police Department as a patrolman and was promoted to sergeant and then day shift sergeant. In 2004, upon the retirement of Chief Bill Anderson, Webb was named chief.