lafourche pride awards edition - Lafourche Parish Sheriff`s Office

LAFOURCHE PRIDE AWARDS EDITION
Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office employees and outstanding citizens were recognized for
their hard work, dedication and heroic actions at the 18th Annual Lafourche Pride Banquet and
Awards Program held Saturday, September 24 at the Larose Civic Center. The Lafourche
Deputies Association sponsors this evening with the financial help and support of member
deputies and many local businesses. Along with good food, friends and music, Sheriff Craig
Webre utilizes this annual event to take time to publicly honor those individuals who, over the
past year have saved a life, captured a dangerous felon, risked their own personal safety for
others, or performed their job in law enforcement in a distinguished or commendable manner.
Guidry Awarded Sheriff’s Star
Phyllis Guidry
received
the
Sheriff’s Star, the
annual top honor,
for her 10 years of
service with the
Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Star is
awarded by Sheriff
Webre each year to
the individual who
fully embodies the
Whatever it Takes
motto of the LPSO.
In addition to
serving as Property
Control and Offduty Detail Manager, Guidry (or
“Fe” as she is
known to her fellow
employees) served as a vital
member
of
the
Accreditation Team and has
also coordinated the Investment Recovery Program, Pool
Unit Assignments, and the
Retention of Records. She
has recently taken on the
scheduling for the Mobile
November/December
2011 Edition
Inside this issue:
Distinguished Service
Awards
2-3
Life-Saving Awards
4-5
Certificates of
Commendation
6-7
Unit Commendations
8-9
Retirees
9
The Rap Sheet
brought to you by:
Brennan Matherne, PIO
Content, Design & Layout
Rachelle Bilbo
Design & Layout
Command Post and even
finds the time to help other
commanders in coordinating
parade schedules.
Guidry is a graduate of
South Lafourche High School
and Nicholls State University
where she earned an
Associates Degree in Liberal
Arts.
Before joining our
LPSO team, she was a private
business owner and also
worked for the Grand Isle
Volunteer Fire Department
and Grand Isle Emergency
Services. She is the daughter
of Phyllis and former State
Representative Dick Guidry.
Submit your ideas
and exciting news for the
next Rap Sheet to:
brennan-matherne@lpso.net
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Page 2
Distinguished Service Awards
On August 27, our agency was saddened by the loss of
K-9 Possum who gave his life in pursuit of a bad guy. Born in
2004, Possum began his career at a K-9 D.A.R.E. demonstration
at Zephyr Field when he was just four months old. Possum was
first trained and handled by Deborah Lillie, a reserve K-9 deputy
with Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office and the wife of Deputy
Paul Finn. Possum’s working career focused on detection work
for cadaver and narcotics. He recovered many drowning and fire
and even assisted in recovery efforts in the Lower 9th Ward
following Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, when Deputy Finn joined
the LPSO, Lillie turned her beloved K-9 over to her husband.
He and Possum developed a bond and a true partnership. It
became quite obvious to everyone just how proud Paul was of
his partner. On a recent case, Possum was responsible for the
seizure of 25 pounds of marijuana, 12 grams of meth, and
numerous firearms. Sgt. Trent Duplantis said “it was like a
father watching his son win the Super Bowl. Deputy Finn was
like a proud poppa seeing years of training pay off.” Although
Possum is gone, his memory and legacy will live on, and his memory was honored with a Distinguished Service Award.
Captain Chad Shelby of the Criminal Investigation
Division received a Distinguished Service Award as he was
recognized for his willingness to do whatever it takes to better
serve the people of Lafourche Parish, namely through representing the LPSO in the 244th Session of the FBI National Academy
earlier this year. If there is one thing that Sheriff Craig Webre
makes clear, it’s that his mission for the LPSO is to make sure
all employees are given the opportunity to excel and reach their
full potential. That’s why when the F.B.I. came calling, there
was no doubt in the Sheriff’s mind that their prestigious training
academy would help do just that for Capt. Shelby. The FBI
Academy in Virginia is a series of mental and physical challenges stretched over three months. Participants take part in
college-like courses on topics including leadership and ethics,
criminal intelligence and managing death investigations. A
participant must be invited, and those invitations go out to only
a select few in law enforcement agencies from around the world.
In 2006, Dr. Jonathon Allen joined our Reserve Division and
became a member of our Crisis Management Unit. Since that
time, Dr. Allen attends Tactical Training on a regular basis and
has responded with the CMU team on many crisis operations and
provided on-scene medical services ultimately saving a life on
one recent call. When he is not on missions with CMU, he is
working at Terrebonne General Medical Center as a Trauma
Surgeon. He also led a team of doctors to Haiti to assist after the
devastating earthquakes and provided countless hours of medical
assistance to those in need following Hurricane Katrina. His
efforts are admirable and tonight we honor him with a
Distinguished Service Medal.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Distinguished Service Awards
Page 3
continued
Data Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) is an
operational model that uses the integration of location-based crime and traffic
data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law
enforcement resources. When the DDACTS concept was introduced nationwide, a national implementation team was created, and Lt. Michael Beck was
invited to join this team as a subject matter expert. Lt. Beck has now taught
agencies across the nation how to implement DDACTS in their jurisdictions.
In addition to this national endeavor, Lt. Beck has made great strides on our
local level within the Patrol Division by implementing a new project called
“Focused Patrol,” where supervisors pair up with deputies and work as a team
to target the hot spots of the parish. This project has fostered a stronger working relationship between supervisors and deputies and has created excellent
mentoring opportunities in Patrol. For his efforts on the national and local
level, Lt. Beck was awarded the Distinguished Service Award.
Crossing Guard Eddie Hadley was honored with a Distinguished
Service Award for his tireless dedication. For over 19 years, the Traffic
Section has been blessed to have a very special employee. Neither rain,
nor sleet, nor hot sunshine can keep Hadley from his duties. He is the
epitome of dedication. Each and every morning and afternoon, Hadley
performs his duties ensuring the safety of all our school children.
Reservist Columbus Kennedy was also recognized with a Distinguished
Service Award. Kennedy joined the LPSO in 1993, and has truly made his
mark when it comes to volunteering. He can often be seen working fairs and
festivals, assisting with jail escorts, helping out in court, and even working
with the Explorers. Kennedy has distinguished himself as a Model Reservist.
He has volunteered over 1500 hours over the past 2 years to the citizens of
Lafourche Parish, therefore making him a most deserving candidate for this
award.
In the summer of 2010, 33 law enforcement professionals were chosen
to attend the Northwestern School of Police and Command Staff. Our
agency was honored to be represented by Sergeant Jennifer Knight.
Sergeant Knight has spent more than 15 years serving the people of Lafourche Parish and her graduation from this prestigious police management school proves her dedication to her career.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Page 4
Life-Saving Awards
Eight-year-old Jordan Miller received the Life-Saving Award for his actions in
saving the life of his father, Gene. In October of 2010, Jordan was helping his
father build a deer stand at their hunting lease in Mississippi. Suddenly, Gene fell 14
feet from the top of the deer stand to the ground. Gene was disoriented and unable
to seek help. Young Jordan responded in a way that is well beyond his years. He
figured out how to unhook the trailer from the four wheeler and he assisted his
father onto the back of the four wheeler. Gene was only able to give Jordan limited
directions on getting back to their camp, but Jordan figured it out all while keeping
his father secured on the four wheeler. Once there, a friend brought them to the
hospital where Jordan spent the night caring for his father. Coincidentally, Jordan’s
picture had previously been used on many billboards and advertisements for the
Sheriff’s Office. He is the little hero on those ads/billboards who reminds everyone
“Protect those who protect us.”
Captain Karla Beck received a Life-Saving Award for her quick
thinking and selfless action that saved the life of a total stranger while she
was off duty. While on a Saturday outing with her family, at a local water
park, Captain Beck noticed something odd in the “Lazy River.” A man had
apparently fallen
from his raft and
was face down in
the water, slowly
sinking to the
bottom.
Other
riders witnessed
the incident but
did nothing to
help the man.
Captain
Beck
leapt from the
table she was
sitting at and
immediately
jumped into the water. Despite the fact that the man was twice her size, she
pulled the unconscious man from the bottom of the pool and pulled him to
the banks so CPR could be started. She later learned from the paramedics
that the man had experienced a seizure and would surely have drowned if it
had not been for her life saving efforts.
Performing a life saving act has special meaning
in a deputy’s career; it has even greater meaning
when the life you save is a member of your own
family. That is exactly what happened to Deputy
Chasity Thompson on the night of January 20th.
Deputy Thompson was at home with her step-father
when he began to complain of his arm getting
numb. In an instant, he fell to the floor and stopped
breathing. Immediately, Deputy Thompson called
upon her training and began CPR. She was able to
obtain a pulse and restore his breathing until
paramedics arrived.
Lieutenant Andrew Labat, K-9 Deputy Anthony
Stelly and Port Fourchon Harbor Police Officer P.J.
Lyons were each presented the Life-Saving Award for their
actions in rescuing a woman from a car that had rolled into
the bayou. At 5:30am on October 15th 2010, the woman
was driving her vehicle heading northbound on LA-1 and
lost control causing the vehicle to roll over into the bayou,
and it began filling with water. The woman was trapped
inside. These three officers responded to the scene. All
three entered the water and Deputy Stelly was able to break
through the driver’s side window. The others told the
woman to take a deep breath and they would pull her out of
the car; and they did just that. She was taken to the local
hospital where she was treated for minor injuries. She told the officers that night she thought she was going to drown, but thanks to
the heroic actions of the three, she is alive and well. The Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association also recognized their
efforts with a recent award.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Life-Saving Awards
continued
On July 27th, 2010, Deputy
Amy Guillot received a phone
call from a crime victim informing her that she could no longer
deal with the trauma of being
attacked. The victim informed
Deputy Guillot that she had a gun
and was planning to take her own
life. Although the victim was
distraught and hyperventilating,
Deputy Guillot immediately
began to calm her down and to
provide crisis counseling. She learned that the victim actually had the gun to her
head, but she continued to talk with her in an attempt to refocus her intentions.
When deputies arrived, they verified that she did have the gun to her head and had
every intention of using it, if it had not been for Deputy Guillot ’s interventions.
A call of an unconscious child
is difficult for anyone to respond
to, but this deputy is no stranger to
life saving measures. Once again,
Deputy Koby Richard was
presented with this difficult task. A
child was not breathing and Deputy
Richard sprang to action. He began
CPR and was able to restore his
pulse so the ambulance could
transport him to the hospital.
Page 5
Corrections Officer Stanley Jones
received a Life-Saving Award for his helping
to save the life of an inmate. Early one
morning, Officer Jones was preparing inmates
to go to court when he noticed that one of the
inmates looked ill. Knowing the inmate’s
history of heart problems, Officer Jones kept a
close eye on him. Later that morning while in
the courtroom, the inmate collapsed, and
Officer Jones sprang into action. He immediately checked for a pulse and then began CPR.
With the assistance of the court personnel, the
inmate’s life was saved. Officer Jones then
accompanied the inmate to the hospital where
he was admitted for treatment.
On March 17th, Water Patrol received a call of a sunken boat near Tidewater Canal in Golden Meadow. Deputies responded,
found the boat, and learned that one life had been lost in this accident. When members of Police Social Services were called to assist
the family of the deceased man, they learned that there must have been a second boater. LPSO Deputies and Commanders, along
with Port Fourchon Harbor Police, Golden Meadow Police, and agents from the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries quickly
returned to the scene and began to search. Joe Wheeler, Port Manager for the Leonard Miller Airport in Galliano, arrived at the scene
and contacted Cougar Helicopters to assist in the search and they willingly joined in. Through the outstanding display of teamwork,
the second boater was located alive! Thanks to these individuals’ dedication and commitment, a life of the second boater was saved.
Receiving Life-Saving Awards were Deputy Cody Naquin, Sgt. Jeff Prevost, Sgt. Kent Matherne and Capt. Dean Savoie
(LPSO Support Services Division) and pilots Grant Mills and Mike Bolling, Corpsman Richard Cormier and Rescue Steve
Johnson (Cougar Helicopters). Joe Wheeler (Airport) and Chief Pilot Rusty Munsey (Cougar Helicopters) received Certificates of
Commendation along with the following individuals: Lt. Danny Eschete (LPSO Support Services); Deputies Shelly Savoie and
Sabina Miller and Lt. Valerie Martinez (LPSO Police Social Services); Capt. Larry Terry, Sgt. Troy Dufrene and Officer Tait
Lafont (Harbor Police); Officer Reggie Pitre (Golden Meadow Police Dept); and Lt. Chad Hebert (Wildlife & Fisheries).
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Page 6
Certificates of Commendation
Twelve-year-old Maegan Foret received a Certificate of Commendation for her courage and quick thinking that helped get a dangerous criminal off the streets. Last October, after getting off the school bus, Maegan
was approached by a 38-year-old man who tried to lure her to join him
saying he was looking for his little sister. Maegan said, “No,” and began
to walk away, but the stranger pursued her. Maegan began running and
made it home to tell her mother about the encounter. Maegan and her
mother got in their vehicle and while on the phone with the Sheriff’s Office, spotted the man. They made sure deputies did too, and he was
quickly taken into custody. Deputies discovered the man had a long criminal history that included Attempted Kidnapping.
Lieutenant Michael Beck, Captain J. P. Degravelles
and Deputy Jeff Arceneaux received Certificates of Commendation for their efforts during a severe rainstorm in late
last year. On November 2nd, a tornado had touched down in
Raceland, ripping a portion of the roof off an LPSO retiree’s
home. The retiree was physically unable to deal with the
problem and these three men all knew it. All three climbed
up on the roof in the wind and rain to cover what was damaged and secure what was left, and the disabled retiree was
truly grateful for their help.
Susan Martinez received a Certificate of Commendation for her
dedication in helping Hispanic victims in our community in offering her
services as an interpreter. A growing number of citizens in Lafourche
speak Spanish, and that can make responding to an already difficult or
dangerous call that much more complex and precarious. Thanks to Susan,
LPSO deputies don’t have to worry about that. Susan makes herself
available as an interpreter at all hours of the day and night. Deputies have
also seen her travel to court with members of the Hispanic community to
help them understand the process.
Percy & Shannon Billiot were commended for their assistance in helping Lafourche Parish Drug Task Force Agents
catch a suspect in the middle of the night. On February 8,
Task Force Agents were in a foot pursuit in Golden Meadow
with a 41-year-old man who had 13 active warrants, three of
which had no bond, so this suspect would need to serve some
jail time. Obviously, the suspect wasn’t willing to do that because he jumped into the bayou and started swimming for the
other side. Agents, knowing they needed to act fast, spotted a
boat nearby belonging to the Billiots. Reluctantly, agents
knocked on their door and asked if the boat could be used to
track the suspect. Not only did the Billiots say yes, but Percy
also assisted agents by launching the boat and crossing the
bayou and Shannon followed closely in another vehicle.
Within the minutes, the suspect was in custody and Percy
transported agents and the suspect back across the bayou.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Page 7
Certificates of Commendation
continued
Criminal Investigation Division Deputy Commander
Lt. Todd Charlet and Juvenile Detective Toby Gambarella
received Certificates of Commendation for their dedication and
commitment to teamwork. These men have their hands full with
their full-time jobs as detectives. On top of that, they have come in
early or stayed after hours to conduct Voice Stress Analysis tests on
new hires at Personnel. No matter what their work load is, these
detectives never say “No” when asked to conduct one of these tests.
Deputy Joseph Anderson was commended for truly embodying the
“Whatever it Takes” philosophy in his service to the citizens of Lafourche
Parish. Recently, LPSO Personnel received a call who wanted to recognize a
deputy for “doing everything right.” The caller was of course talking about
Anderson and went on to say that he went above and beyond to assist her
family member. The caller described him as kind, compassionate and having
a heart of gold. Deputy Anderson is often singled out by the public on many
Citizen Satisfaction Surveys as being an outstanding deputy and providing
superior public service.
Communications Deputy Brandi-Raye Allemand was commended for her
tenacious spirit in helping to bring a suspected killer to justice. A Raceland man
had been on the run since 2008, trying to avoid facing a murder charge here in
Lafourche. In April 2010, a message came through that fingerprints matching
those of the wanted murderer were a perfect match for a man booked on a
traffic stop in Georgia. Deputy Allemand sent a teletype and placed several calls
to Cobb County Jail with no response. She finally got through to a booking
officer who indicated the man was about to be released. Despite a high number
of calls coming in and a
shift change, three
hours later, Deputy
Allemand was finally
able to get a message
through to place a hold on the man until LPSO could pick him up.
Co mmunications Deputy
C a m m i e
BoudreauxGuidry
was
commended for
her persistence
and dedication
in helping link a
suspect to a
bank robbery. In July, a man walked into a Raceland bank and
handed the teller a note to give him all of the 50’s and 100’s and
no one would get hurt. The man did little to disguise himself, even
wearing a Dr. Seuss-style Mardi Gras hat. Detectives had a good
idea of identity of the robber who left the bank in a maroon SUV.
Deputy Boudreaux-Guidry ran the SUV through the National and
LPSO database and confirmed the identity of the suspect.
Sergeant John Hoyt received a Certificate of
Commendation for his actions that protected everyone’s safety
at the scene of an incident late last year. Deputies responded to
a call of a female in her 30’s who had doused a man with
gasoline and was threatening to light him on fire. Once
deputies arrived, at first the woman refused to come out, but
finally when she did, she appeared to be under the influence of
some sort of drug or alcohol. Sgt. Hoyt approached the woman,
noticing blood on her forearm and shirt. The woman, who had
her hands behind her back, suddenly produced a utility knife
and slashed her wrist. Knowing all on scene were in great danger, Sgt. Hoyt deployed his taser, stopping the woman from
hurting herself further, or any others on scene.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Page 8
Unit Commendations
The Proactive Police Unit (PPU) can often be found walking the
beat in some of the toughest area of the parish, making contacts,
cultivating sources and building relationships with people who are sick
and tired of criminals within their community. In their first 7 months,
Deputies Derek Champagne and Richard Reidel have made more
than 300 arrests including nearly 3 dozen DWI arrests, taken 18 weapons off the street, and recovered property stolen in burglaries. The PPU
received a Unit Commendation for their diligence in arresting those
who have broken the law and also building relationship that benefit the
entire agency.
The Training Academy Staff also received a Unit
Commendation. Whether it’s dealing with a new cadet,
or keeping track of the recertification of a current deputy,
the Training Division has certainly stepped up and is
recognized across the state for its knowledgeable staff. In
2010, the academy staff accomplished what no other
Louisiana academy was ever able to achieve: graduating
7 Academy classes, all while undergoing the POST
Re-accreditation process… and passing! Over the past 2
years, they have prepared 195 cadets to enter the world of
law enforcement. The staff includes Capt. Jeremy
Granier, Sgt. Dave Robichaux, Dodie Fusilier, Deputy
Dustin Arabie, Thibodaux Police Officer Will Torres,
Houma Police Officer Tim Lucas, and a number of
part-time instructors who were also recognized.
The Range Safety Officers received a Unit
Commendation for their achievements. These
dedicated professionals are always available to
share their knowledge of firearms history and
technical expertise to the novice and firearms
enthusiast alike. They do it all with “safety”
being their number one concern. The Range
Safety Officers are Duane Boquet, Karen
Boquet, Tommy George, Dave Marse, Mariah
Martin, Mike Ordoyne, Peter Reynaud, Justin
Reynaud, Sgt. John Sutton, Sgt. Tom Brown,
Joe Touchton, Peter Webre, Richard Webre
and Sgt. Tim Wisinger.
Although never seen by the public, the LPSO could not
serve the public efficiently without the Information
Technology Section. They’ve been on the front line in
merging dozens of databases across the agency into one,
seamless program called “LEDS”. They are responsible for a
network in 10 buildings, nearly 300 desktop and laptop
computers, 25 servers, and over 400 users. There are well
over 100 hardware devices that connect all the pieces that
make up the LPSO network, and on top of all of that, they
have to constantly be on the lookout for the latest hackers,
viruses and phishing attacks. They are pros at keeping the
system up and running when it’s needed most during major
storms and emergencies. The Information Technology
Section is represented by Shannon Delatte, Valerie Adams,
Eric Bonvillian, Maclean Chiasson and Chad Hebert.
The Rap Sheet, November-December 2011
Unit Commendations
Page 9
continued
Communications Deputy Wendy Plaisance received a Certificate of Commendation and the Communications Section was
awarded a Unit Commendation for all their outstanding efforts in working with the children of PACT Place. Deputy Plaisance came
up with the “Adopt an Egg” program to make sure every child coming to PACT Place would have their own Easter basket. The
deputies at Communications then chose names and went above and beyond creating the overstuffed baskets filled with goodies. The
Communications staff often goes above and beyond to handle thousands of calls for service each year, including nearly 64,000 in
2010. Recognized for the Unit Commendation were Deputy Plaisance and Deputies Linda Bernard, Shirley Collins, Candice
Reilman, Dianna Rousse, Barbara Morgan, Cammie Guidry, Jodie West, Levy Serigny, Marissa Adams, Angie Doucet,
Tracy Price, Kimberly Chaisson, Brandi Allemand-Engle, Kristie Solar, and Chasity Thompson.
Retirees Honored
Terry Lyle served for a total of 19 years under Sheriff Craig Webre. He was
born in California on August 27, 1950. Terry first began his employment with the
LPSO in September of 1980 as a patrol deputy. From there, Terry had security
positions at Southland Mall, Terrebonne General Medical Center and the Thibodaux Police Department before returning to his LPSO family in 1992. Terry
moved through the ranks and served as Captain over the Narcotics and the Administration Divisions. He was promoted to Major in 2006 where he oversaw the
Information Technology Section and was instrumental in leading our agency to
achieve its first National Accreditation from CALEA. During Terry’s career, he
was honored with a Distinguished Service Medal and the coveted Sheriff’s Star.
Phillip Avery was born in Schriever on November 20, 1940. He began working for LPSO on
March 5, 1992. Soon after, he attended the academy and went on to become a Bailiff and then a
Process Server in our Court Section. In 2004, Phillip earned the prestigious Sheriff’s Star for his commitment to duty and his pride in his work. In 2007,
he moved up to become the Community Service
Coordinator where he completed his career, retiring
on January 29, 2011 after 18 years of service.
Retirees Norris Brown and
Gary Price were also recognized for their years of
dedication and service.
Brown served for 29 years
at the Transitional Work
Program, and Price served
as Chief Financial Officer
for 13 years.