Granier named LPSO’s top deputy of the year

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office recognized outstanding employees and citizens at its 19th Annual Lafourche Pride Banquet and Awards Program.

The department’s highest award, the Sheriff’s Star, was presented to outstanding employee Capt. Jeremy Granier.

Before joining the sheriff’s office, Granier served as a member of the U.S. Navy and worked as a combat medic with the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry.

Granier joined the LPSO Water Patrol after he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2002. In the years since, he has become director of the Lafourche Regional Training Academy, a post he has held for five years, and he leads a training staff. Granier also serves as the director of Disaster Preparedness and Homeland Security, assisting the sheriff’s office with major disasters and emergencies.

As a grant writer for the LPSO, Granier has secured funds to help purchase the force’s Mobile Command Vehicle and a new generator for the Criminal Operations Center in Lockport. Granier is also leading the progress of the new Law Enforcement Complex in Thibodaux and helped to get $1 million in funds for the first phase of the center. In addition to overseeing the construction of the complex, Granier is supervising improvements to the Sheriff’s Office Range Facility.

Sheriff Craig Webre also presented the Medal of Valor to 13-year-old Indeja Fulwiley.

In June, Fulwiley thwarted criminals during an armed robbery at the residence where she and her two younger brothers were staying.

That evening, as a man was returning to his home, three men dressed in black clothing and masks and armed with guns approached the resident demanding money. After handing over his keys and wallet, the masked men forced the man into the home where Fulwiley and her siblings were.

One of the masked men forced the young girl to the floor, holding her at gunpoint and threatening to kill her. When the man turned his attention to one of his accomplices, Fulwiley stood up, darted to her siblings, ushered them into a bedroom in the home and locked the door. After making sure her brothers were secure, Fulwiley kicked out the room’s window and ran to another home to call for help.

Once the deputies arrived, they discovered the boys safe in the room where their sister had left them and, thanks to help from Fulwiley, officers were able to locate the suspects later that evening.

The Sheriff’s Office Lifesaving Award was presented to Sgt. Trent Duplantis for his work at two separate incidents.

He and Lt. John Champagne were both acknowledged for rescuing a man who had driven into a swamp off U.S. Highway 90. In the second incident, Duplantis, Lt. Danny Toups and Deputy Clay Blanchard were all recognized for attending to a man who was suffering severe blood loss after falling through a glass cabinet. Duplantis was the first to respond to the emergency, and he kept pressure on a wound to one of the man’s arteries. Duplantis even rode in the ambulance with the man until the EMTs reached an emergency room. Toups and Blanchard both received Certificates of Commendation for their assistance at the incident.

Lionel Guidry and Brock Bennett, two of the parish’s District No. 3 volunteer firemen, were also recognized for their lifesaving efforts after they rescued a Tennessee man who had driven into the Intracoastal Canal in Larose. Deputy Clerk of Court Sharon Walker was acknowledged for using the Heimlich maneuver on a child who was choking at the Clerk of Court’s office in Thibodaux, and Lt. Craig Melancon, Sgt. Brandon France, Deputy Jeff Bordelon and Nurse Andrell Jones also received Lifesaving Awards for saving the life of an inmate at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center.

Sheriff’s Office Deputies Brent Chiasson, Anthony Stelly and Blake Vining also received commendations for saving a man that had tried to hang himself in his home this fall. Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Reidel and Louisiana State Trooper Donnie Callais were also honored with Lifesaving Awards.

Distinguished Service Awards were given to Sgt. Yvonne Ordonne, Sgt. David Robichaux, Reserve Deputy Roland Berthelot and Bridgette deGravelles.

Ordonne has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for more than 11 years, and she was given the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her continued involvement in the Special Olympics Torch Run and Relay for Life and her efforts in audits and re-accreditation. Robichaux has been a part of the Sheriff’s Office Training Academy for the past eight years and, as a certified firearms instructor, has helped to train hundreds of cadets. Berthelot has logged in 148 hours of service since the start of 2012, and deGravelles was recognized for her work as an evidence custodian in the Sheriff’s Office Evidence Section.

Eighteen sheriff’s office employees received Certificates of Commendation for work during incidents throughout the past year, and four officers were given two commendations.

Deputy Paul James was awarded two commendations, one for his help solving a burglary and the second for showing special attention to a distressed man during Hurricane Isaac.

Sgt. Andrew Eagan, Deputy Dylan Cortez, Deputy Chastity Thompson, Det. Ben Dempster and Narcotics Agent Justin Leonard were commended for solving a July pharmacy robbery, which led to an arrest the same night. Deputies Joseph Anderson, Robin Naquin and Clay Blanchard were honored for helping the Thibodaux Police Department solve the arson case at the Western Sizzlin’ restaurant.

Naquin received a second commendation for helping respond to a Nov. 2011 shooting in Thibodaux. Deputy Haley Burkett, K-9 Deputy Paul Finn and Reserve Lt. Columbus Kennedy were also honored for their work at the shooting scene.

As members of the multi-agency Meth Lab Response Team, Finn and Deputy Mike Collason were also recognized for their work in helping to take down a drug dealer in August. Collason was also honored for his patrol work over the past year.

Deputies Doug Duet, Candice Reilman and Marissa Adams were commended for their work with individuals contemplating suicide, and Det. John Dillmann was honored for helping make headway in solving the cold case murders of Enola Boudreaux and Bruce Williams.

The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Department, as well as deputies of the “B-Shift” Patrol Division, employees of the LPSO Records Section, and the Animal Control Section all received Unit Commendations.

Sheriff’s office retirees Wayne Garner, Lana Pennison, John Sutton, Van Kurt Chouest and Janet Chiasson were recognized for their years of service at the Sheriff’s Office.

Connie Uzee, asset protection manager for the Wal-Mart Corporation’s Mathews location, was given the Humanitarian Award for assisting the sheriff’s office and the community with merchandise and financial donations during hurricanes and storm events.

Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre presents Capt. Jeremy Granier with the Sheriff’s Star, the department’s highest award, for his work as director of the Lafourche Regional Training Academy and the Disaster Preparedness and Homeland Security, as well as grant writer for the agency.

COURTESY PHOTO