Chief Ledford Receives The Order Of The Long Leaf Pine

MINT HILL, NC – Former Mint Hill Police Chief Timmy Ledford is a recipient of the most coveted honor and award the Governor of North Carolina can bestow upon a citizen, the highly-valued than The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. The award was created in 1963, and it has been presented to honor civilians who have a proven record of service to the State of North Carolina. It is the highest award for state service granted by the office of the Governor.

Upon being named to The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the honoree receives a certificate by which the Governor confers upon the recipient the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary privileged to enjoy fully all the rights granted to members of this exalted order. It is among the most prestigious awards conferred by the Governor.

There is a almost a 60-year history of the award in the state. It is highly popular and carries enormous prestige. It was first awarded during the administration of then Governor Terry Sanford (1961-1965). Ledford is now included on a roster maintained by the Order of the Long Leaf Society, joining notable North Carolina recipients such as Maya Angelou,  Dale Earnhardt, Billy Graham, Andy Griffith, Michael Jordan, Coretta Scott King, Richard Petty, Bob Timberlake, Dean Smith and Charles Kuralt.

The contributions a citizen makes to their communities, the extra effort in their careers, and many years of service to their organizations are among the guidelines by which recipients are selected for the award. The honor is most often presented when a person retires.

Ledford’s career in public service extendss over 44 years as a certified police officer. He began his career at the Franklin Police Department in 1976, moved to King Police Department, and became the Chief of Police in 1986, then moved to Mint Hill Police Department and became Chief of Police in 2008.  He served for 19 years in this capacity until his retirement. He also served 9 years as a Commissioner of the North Carolina Criminal Justice and Standards Commission from 2009-2018. He is a veteran who served 10 years in the Army National Guard, attaining the rank of Captain, and will complete his term as Commander of Mint Hill American Legion Post 555 on June 30, 2022. Finally, he is currently an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice, at Gardner Webb University.