Six Louisiana State Police troopers join Tri-parishes’ Troop C

Six recent graduates of the Louisiana State Police’s academy are joining Troop C’s ranks.

The six – troopers Simon Besson, Cory Brunet, Brian Harding, Evan Harrell, Brent Hayes and William Powell – were among 61 cadets administered the oath of office in December.

“I am proud to have six new troopers joining the Troop C family. These men are dedicated to their careers and are eager to help protect and serve our local area,” commander Captain Val Penouilh said in a news release.

Following the physically and mentally demanding training program at the academy in Baton Rouge, all six troopers said they are very excited to begin their careers in the five-parish Troop C area.

Besson joins Troop C after serving six years with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and one year with the Grand Isle Police Department. “I’ve wanted to become a part of the most elite law enforcement agency in the state,” he said.

Besson, 26, is a Grand Isle native.

Brunet always dreamed of being a trooper. The 29-year-old said he is “proud to work for the best law enforcement agency in the state.” The Houma native previously worked for the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Harding, 26, is a North Carolina native. He served with the United States Coast Guard for seven years.

“I wanted to better myself and fulfill a dream that I have had [to become a trooper] since I was a child.”

Metairie native Evan Harrell, 27, said he decided to become a trooper to better serve others and to surround himself with a great organization.

In the meantime, Hayes said he wanted a career that was interesting and challenging. The 31-year-old from Lafayette said, “I was bored working in the business world after college.”

Powell worked with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office before deciding to become a trooper.

The 29-year-old Thibodaux native said he wanted to “work for the best department in the state with the best equipment and training.”

According to Troop C spokesman Gilbert Dardar, the troopers are not done training yet. They now have to go through an eight- to 12-week field-training program.

“This program pairs the new troopers up with other seasoned troopers to fine-tune the skills learned at the training academy,” Dardar explained. “These men went through the rigorous process of becoming a trooper; this is another stage in their training.”