Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is joining other law enforcement agencies in participating in the “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign, going on now through April 27, 2024. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
As part of this effort, additional deputies will be assigned to saturated patrol efforts in an effort to ensure the safety of everyone on our roadways.
According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, state observation surveys and fatality data show that pickup truck drivers and passengers fall well behind occupants of other kinds of passenger vehicles when it comes to wearing seat belts. The “Buckle Up In Your Truck” campaign involves high-visibility enforcement and awareness to encourage seat belt usage and reduce unrestrained fatalities among our pick-up truck drivers and passengers. Taking the time to buckle up before every trip is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.
4/24/24 UPDATE: Cheralynn Lopez has been found and is safe.
ORIGINAL POST:
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 14-year-old Cheralynn Lopez of Raceland. She was last seen at around 8 p.m. on Sunday in the Raceland area.
Cheralynn Lopez is described as 5’3” tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds with reddish brown hair. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced one person is in custody following a shooting incident on St. Louis Street in Raceland on Sunday evening. There were no reported injuries in the shooting. One vehicle was damaged in the incident.
More information will be provided as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to submit a tip anonymously to Bayou Region Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-743-7433, online at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or via the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are continuing to investigate two shooting incidents that occurred Thursday night. The shootings occurred in Raceland and Thibodaux, with the Thibodaux incident resulting in four injuries. There is no evidence that the shooting incidents were related.
The first incident occurred at around 8:25 p.m. in the 200 block of Market Street in Raceland. Deputies responded to the area after receiving several 911 calls of shots fired. At least three vehicles and one residence were struck by gunfire during the incident, but there were no reported injuries.
The second incident occurred just before 10 p.m. in the 1400 block of Orange Grove Square in Thibodaux. Deputies and officers from the Thibodaux Police Department responded to the scene where they found three individuals who had been struck by gunshots. They also learned a fourth victim had been transported to a local hospital. Deputies and officers performed lifesaving measures on the victims, and they were later transported to University Hospital in New Orleans. Investigators learned a fight had occurred that resulted in shots being fired.
Detectives are asking for the public’s help as these investigations continue. Anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to submit a tip anonymously to Bayou Region Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-743-7433, online at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or via the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced deputies are investigating two separate shooting incidents that occurred Thursday night in Lafourche Parish. The first incident occurred on Market Street in Raceland with no reported injuries. The second incident occurred on Orange Grove Square in Thibodaux with reported injuries.
These investigations are ongoing. More information will be provided on these incidents as it can be made available.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are searching for a man wanted in connection with a shooting incident in Galliano last month. Kevion Harrison, 21, of Gray is wanted for several charges including attempted murder.
At around 10:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024, deputies learned several shots were fired at a van in the Galliano area. Deputies found several bullet holes along the rear and passenger side of the van. The incident is believed to have occurred around the area of West 147th Street, and there were no injuries in the shooting.
Through investigation, Harrison was developed as a suspect in the shooting. Investigators learned Harrison was allegedly targeting specific passengers in the van that were known to him. They obtained warrants for Harrison’s arrest for charges including attempted second degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal discharge of a firearm, aggravated criminal damage to property, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon with a bail amount totaling $1.2 million. He is also the primary suspect in other violent offense investigations.
Kevion Harrison should be considered to be armed and dangerous. He is believed to possibly be in the Houma area. Anyone who sees him or knows his whereabouts should not approach him. Instead, submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433, online at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or via the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced three men were arrested in connection with an incident in Chackbay on Sunday. Jaheim Stewart, 22, Tyrence Williams, 18, and Jarius Bannister, 18, all of Vacherie, all face charges stemming from the incident.
On the evening of April 7, 2024, deputies responded to a discount store on LA Highway 20 in Chackbay. Three masked men were reportedly seen near the rear entrance of the building. A concerned citizen confronted the men and attempted to detain them. The altercation turned physical and one of the three masked men pointed a firearm at the concerned citizen. As the three men ran from the scene, they threatened to kill a woman and her dog. When deputies arrived, they quickly located the three men and took them into custody.
All three were booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. Each was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and conspiracy to commit armed robbery with a firearm. Bail for Williams and Bannister was set at $600,000 each. Stewart was additionally charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His bail is set at $650,000.
Sheriff Webre cautions citizens from intervening in crimes but also issues a warning to criminals about the public’s intolerance for lawlessness. “We certainly encourage citizens to contact law enforcement and never try to approach a criminal who may be armed as they were in this case,” said Sheriff Webre. “With that said, I hope criminals take this as a warning that our citizens will simply not tolerate crime in our parish.”
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint in Lafourche Parish on April 9, 2024. During this checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and other potential violations. Checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.
Pictured left to right: CALEA Executive Director W. Craig Hartley, Chief Deputy Roy Gros, Captain Jessica Davis, Deputy Valerie Brown, CALEA Commissioner Marlon Lynch.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced that the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) for Law Enforcement, Training Academy and Communications. These three accreditations allow the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to maintain its Tri-Arc Accreditation status, a distinction held by fewer than 40 agencies in the U.S. and Mexico combined. The announcement of the accreditations came March 23, 2024, during CALEA’s Spring conference which was held in Montgomery, Alabama.
“It is an incredible honor to once again be re-accredited by CALEA,” said Sheriff Webre. “CALEA not only ensures we have fair and legal policies in place, but that those policies are also being practiced. It provides the public with the ultimate level of accountability and transparency for a law enforcement agency. We are proud to serve our residents using the best practices and proven policies from across the country.”
This marks the eighth time the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by CALEA. The agency was initially accredited in 2000 and has been re-accredited seven consecutive times. LPSO must meet 461 standards to gain accredited status for the agency which now lasts for a period of four years. During that time, the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The agency also submits proofs that are reviewed by CALEA compliance service managers l to ensure policies are indeed being followed.
Realizing the training and communications functions of any agency come with their own unique challenges, CALEA offers separate accreditation programs for both. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy trains officers from agencies across the state. It was first certified by the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Council in April 1986 and has maintained its status ever since. To achieve its CALEA accreditation, the academy had to meet 160 standards. The Communications Section, meanwhile, had to meet compliance with 208 standards. This section is staffed by the individuals who answer thousands of calls for service each year.
Pictured left to right: Major Lafate Day, Deputy Michael Jenkins, Deputy Erica Plaisance, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Sheriff Craig Webre.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced three members of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office were recently recognized at a statewide award ceremony. Major Lafate Day, Deputy Erica Plaisance, and Deputy Michael Jenkins were honored with Heart of Law Enforcement Awards, presented by the Beyond the Badge organization, in a ceremony in Baton Rouge. A total of 15 officers from 11 agencies across the state were honored at the event on March 12, 2024.
Major Day was recognized for an act of kindness and generosity in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Eighteen months after Ida struck Lafourche Parish, a local family was still displaced from their home, living in a makeshift shelter of tarps and other items. After seeking out other options, Major Day ultimately donated a camper to the family to restore some sense of security and stability. He also worked with Bless Your Heart Nonprofit to have a wheelchair access ramp constructed for the camper. As stated in his nomination, this is just the tip of the iceberg for Major Day. He can often be found volunteering in the community.
Deputy Plaisance and Deputy Jenkins were also honored for an act of kindness, this one involving a toddler. A young boy had contacted 911 because he had not purchased a gift for his brother’s birthday, and wanted to see if deputies could pass by since the two-year-old loved law enforcement officers. Using this as a teachable moment, the communications deputy advised the boy on the proper use of 911, but she assured him she would let deputies in the area know. Deputy Plaisance and Deputy Jenkins responded to the call. They purchased a Paw Patrol police toy at a local store using their own money before heading to the boy’s home where they were the life of the party. They arrived with overhead lights activated and parked in front of the home to surprise the 2-year-old. The boy’s mother took him outside to meet the deputies, receive his gift, and take some memorable photos.
Sheriff Craig Webre said, “These officers are shining examples for their law enforcement brethren. I am proud to say I work alongside some of the best law enforcement professionals in the world, and these individuals are a testament to that.”
The annual ceremony, held on March 12, 2024, was attended by dozens of esteemed guests, including state elected officials including Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, area police chiefs and sheriffs. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill was the keynote speaker for the event.
Major Cortrell Davis (2018) and Sergeant Keniyelle Frank (2022) are the other members of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to have received the award.
Beyond the Badge was incorporated in April of 2016 and is operated entirely by citizen volunteers and funded by corporate and private donations. Baton Rouge resident Linda Hull created the non-profit organization to recognize law enforcement officers for acts of kindness that go beyond their duties. Nominations of officers for Beyond the Badge’s Heart of Law Enforcement award can be made throughout the year. Members of the general public or law enforcement agencies can submit nominations online at BeyondTheBadgeLouisiana.org. Nominations are accepted until January 31 for acts performed during the previous calendar year.
