Ronald Robinson
July 12, 2010Business management practices the foundation for Christian life
July 14, 2010
Serving the public is just another day in the life of Lt. Lafate Elliott Day Jr.
But June 29 was an extraordinary day for the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office lieutenant.
That’s because he was the recipient of the 2010 Law Enforcement Explorer Post Advisor Award from the National Sheriff’s Association.
“It was an easy decision to nominate Lt. Day for this prestigious award,” said Sheriff Craig Webre. “He has poured his heart into this program for more than 14 years, developing it and the young adults involved in it to heights not seen before in Lafourche Parish.”
Day served as assistant advisor for the Explorer Program during its first seven years before taking it over in 2003.
The program’s focus is to support the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office through community service with children ages 14 to 21 who could possibly have an interest in law enforcement.
The Explorer program is free to youngsters.
With 35 youth currently in Lafourche Parish’s Explorer Program, Day is proud of how far the program has come since its inception in 1996.
“It was great to win it,” said Day. “I’m proud to have it, but I see the award as a reflection of what my Explorers do. I was the person who set the training up, but the kids have to live their lives the way they do.”
The Explorers assist the sheriff’s office by doing traffic and parking direction at the festivals, fairs and large events throughout the parish and by operating the child identification program where they take fingerprints, DNA swabs and iris scans for parents.
“We just help out at any event or any other non-profit organization that needs assistance, and if we’re available, we’ll try to go help out there as well,” said Day.
Along with being able to take part in larger training conferences around the state and around the country, Explorers receive basic police training in hope they can use what they’ve learned when an emergency situation takes place.
“I don’t care if they win a national award or if they win in a conference,” said Day. “The important thing is that they’re bringing their lessons back home.”
Day said seven current officers in Lafourche Parish passed through Lafourche’s Explorer Program, plus one very, special defender of America’s freedom.
Growing up in the projects, Darrius McDuffy needed someone or something to show him the proper direction in life, and the Explorer program did just that.
“He made it all the way up to Explorer Lieutenant,” said Day. “He showed great leadership skills.”
After McDuffy graduated from the program, Day said McDuffy joined the U.S. Army and was shipped to Iraq shortly thereafter.
“Darius called me from Iraq,” said Day. “He said he had some down time and was thinking about his life and the decisions he has made, and he wanted to take time to call me to thank me for what the Explorer Program and myself had done to make him a man.”
Day said he was so touched by the phone call that upon hanging up he was nearly in tears.
“His life is on the line every day, and the first person he thinks to call is me,” said Day. “I don’t need an award. I don’t need recognition cause that let me know that what I was doing was right.”
McDuffy is just one of many former Explorers living a better life because they took part in the youth program – the best award Day could ever receive.
COURTESY PHOTO
