2015 Louisiana State Police ceremony honors heroes from across the state

Louisiana State Police held its annual awards ceremony to honor troopers, public safety personnel from across the state, and civilians for their extraordinary efforts over the past year. The ceremony was held Thursday at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy Auditorium on Independence Blvd. in Baton Rouge. Examples of bravery, dedication, and exceptional work ethic were common themes throughout the ceremony.
Awards presented to these extraordinary individuals are as follows:
Lifesaving Award – Awarded for any act which saves or sustains the life of another.
Sgt. Troy Leonard (Troop C)
For heroic actions on Nov. 18, 2014, at a local restaurant, where he saved a man from choking on an obstruction in his air way by performing the Heimlich maneuver
Sgt. Gary Smith (Troop D) and Cpl. Benjamin Randolph (Lake Charles Police Department)
For heroic actions taken on Jan. 27, 2015, when their life saving efforts were able to keep a woman that had stopped breathing alive until paramedics arrived
TFC Blake Lemoine (Troop B)
For heroic actions on Oct. 20, 2014, when he saved a woman from drowning in the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway
TFC Ronald Picou (Troop D)
For heroic actions on Oct. 17, 2014, when his lifesaving efforts on a crash scene saved a man that had been unresponsive for more than 8 minutes
TFC Eric Regan (Troop I)
For heroic actions on June 18, 2014, when he risked his own life to save a kidnapped child from a burning vehicle
Senior Technician Eric Curlee (LSP Emergency Services Unit)
For heroic actions on June 25, 2014, on I-10 when he performed the Heimlich maneuver while on a traffic stop to save an individual that he discovered wasn’t breathing
DPS Officer Ralph Palmer (DPS Police - Crescent City Connection)
For heroic actions on Sept. 23, 2014, when he stopped a man from committing suicide on the Crescent City Connection Bridge
Officer Derek Canatella (New Orleans Police Department)
For heroic actions on Nov. 27, 2014, when he stopped a man from committing suicide on the Crescent City Connection Bridge
Hank Bradford, Mark Russell, Woodrow “Buddy” Williams Jr.,
and Roy Anselmi
For heroic actions on Sept. 12, 2014, where they rescued a woman and three children from drowning in Bayou Lafourche following a vehicle crash
Uniformed Trooper of the Year – Awarded to an individual who has demonstrated unusual skill and ability in performing his or her duties both on and off of the job.
TFC Jessie Almore (Troop G)
While at Troop G, TFC Almore has distinguished himself as a committed law enforcement professional while serving the public. Last year, TFC Almore issued 1938 citations, 486 of these citations were safety and child restraint violations. In addition to his regulatory efforts, TFC Almore made 28 criminal arrests and 115 DWI arrests. TFC Almore was recognized by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission as the Louisiana Trooper with the most DWI arrests in 2014.
He also routinely serves as a Duty Officer, Field Training Officer, and Adjunct Instructor. As a Child Passenger Safety Technician, he has helped numerous families by demonstrating how to correctly install child seats. TFC Almore exemplifies the Louisiana State Police core values.
Plainclothes Trooper of the Year – Awarded to individuals who have demonstrated unusual skill and ability in performing his or her duties both on and off of the job.
M/T George Shirey (LSP Bureau of Investigations-Region 3)
In 2014, Master Trooper George Shirey played an integral role in the investigation known as Operation “Pit Stop”, which resulted in three Federal Title III wire intercepts. M/T Shirey was a lead investigator and DEA Task Force Case Agent for this investigation. M/T Shirey committed himself to this investigation full time, working countless hours each day.
The investigation resulted in dismantling a major drug trafficking organization that had been distributing cocaine in north central Louisiana for over four years. As a result of the investigation, cash seizures were $539,066, other asset seizures totaled approximately $77,000 and total arrests as of September 2014 were 18. To date this has been the largest cash seizure in the Western District of Louisiana.
Department of Public Safety Officer of the Year Award – Awarded to individuals who have demonstrated unusual skill and ability in performing his or her duties both on and off of the job.
Officer John Kay (DPS Police - Weights and Standards Unit)
Officer Kay is a DPS Mobile Weights and Standards Police Officer currently assigned to the Troop G area. Officer Kay has a total of 28 years of experience in law enforcement and mobile weights enforcement.
In 2014, Officer Kay weighed approximately 9,000 commercial motor vehicles in which 506 were weighed with portable scales. He has issued 2,286 overweight violations of which 91 were in excess of 10,000 pounds overweight. During the course of his inspection duties, he also discovered 633 Motor Carrier safety violations and removed 187 imminently hazardous vehicles as well as 50 drivers from off our roadways.
Richard Honeycutt Award– Awarded for outstanding service and dedication to duty by a Communications Officer.
Comm. Specialist 2 Alicia Pickens (LSP Troop D)
Alicia Pickens has been working for LSP Troop D as a dispatcher since April 10, 2006, and is currently a Communications Specialist 2. Ms. Pickens expertise and calm demeanor on the radio has assisted Troop D during many pursuits and fugitive arrests over the last year. On May 6, 2014, Troop D received a call from the Beaumont Police Department about a Chevrolet truck that they were pursing into Louisiana. Pickens relayed pertinent information to the patrol supervisors and troopers, which led to them successfully spiking and disabling the fleeing vehicle.
Meritorious Service Award – Awarded for performance of duty that exceeds the normal expectations of duty and demonstrates an exceptional degree of good judgment, initiative, and competence.
Technician Supervisor John Wyles (LSP Emergency Services Unit), Senior Technician Preston Summers (LSP ESU), Criminal Investigator Shelly Hopkins (LSP ESU), SABT Cliff Bland (FBI), SABT Dave Clarke (FBI), SABT Gary Elmore (FBI), SSG Kenny Scherrer (U.S. Army 705th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company), SGT Rafael Polo (U.S. Army 705th EOD)
For performance of duty exceeding normal expectations on August 25, 2014, when the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted the Louisiana State Police, Emergency Services Unit in reference to the detonation of an explosive device that had occurred earlier that day. The sheriff’s office explained that a male suspect had detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in his wife’s vehicle and they were in need of the department’s bomb technicians. Investigators furthered the investigation which led to the residence of the suspect. During the search of the suspect’s residence, several additional IED’s were located as well as “booby traps” throughout the residence. All technicians and investigators took a “hands on” approach and rendered all devices safe.
Sgt. Joey Nations (Troop A)
For performance of duty exceeding normal expectations from May 19, 2014 to Nov. 17, 2014. As a trooper, Sgt. Nations was delegated the duties, responsibilities and authority of a state police Sergeant. Sgt. Nations served in the capacity in the absence of a permanent sergeant on both A and C Teams.
TFC James Benoit (Troop I)
For performance of duty exceeding normal expectations in 2014. TFC Benoit’s hard work led him to seize over 1 million in illegal narcotics. TFC Benoit seized 59 pounds of marijuana, 14 pounds of cocaine, 30 liters of codeine, 4 pounds of methamphetamine, and 57 pounds of synthetic marijuana. In addition to the narcotic seized, TFC Benoit recovered five stolen vehicles, 3 stolen weapons, and seized $13,250.00 dollars in US currency.
S/T Steve Linn (LSP Bureau of Investigations Region 1), TFC Robert Goertz (LSP BOI Region 1), and TFC Rohn Bordelon (LSP BOI Region 1)
For performance of duty exceeding normal expectations. On Aug. 6, 2014, troopers Linn, Goertz, and Bordelon were working the New Orleans detail in a plain-clothes capacity at which time they were traveling on Calliope Street near Simon Bolivar Boulevard in an unmarked unit. Linn, Goertz, and Bordelon approached a suspect who was having an altercation, pulled out a gun, and fired two shots at the victim at close range. Goertz immediately called for backup, notified NOPD dispatch of the incident, and gave a detailed physical description of the suspect and his direction of flight. Troopers and NOPD K-9 units then began their track of the suspect from the location relayed by Linn, Goertz, and Bordelon. The suspect was subsequently located under a residence on South Saratoga Street approximately two blocks from the scene. Linn, Goertz, and Bordelon’s proactive observations and their tactical response played a significant role in the successful outcome of the case and apprehension of the subject.