Troop C honors Besson for work during school shooting

The Louisiana State Police Troop C held its 8th annual awards night Thursday to give thanks for another successful year and honor exemplary service of its troops.

Among the award winners, Simon Besson was named Trooper of the Year for his service during the Larose Cutoff Middle School shooting and his work in arresting three reserve officers on Grand Isle who were caught stealing in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. William Powell was also named the DWI Enforcement Trooper of the Year for making a record 116 drunk-driving arrests.

“It’s just a way to give recognition, to make a positive note for the men and women who wear the uniform and our support personnel who make Troop C what it is today,” said Trooper Brian Zeringue, the public information officer for Troop C.

Troop C Capt. Darrin Naquin thanked his troops for their service, saying, “The job that you do does make a difference. Each of you helps make Troop C as successful as we are.”

“It’s very seldom that the police are rewarded for what they do,” said Besson after winning his award. “It helps bolster your spirits back up. Sometimes you get into a little slump.”

Besson just happened to be performing seat belt checks at the parking lot of Larose Cutoff Middle School when a call came over his radio about shots being fired in the school. Luckily for all involved, Besson had been the instructor for the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office’s active shooter training before moving on to the state police.

“Some of the guys wanted to go off on their own, which you never want to do,” said Besson. “So I organized search teams and established a perimeter, and eventually I found the shooter in the bathroom semi-conscious with the pistol still in his hand.”

Naquin was less modest about the trooper’s accomplishment. “Simon was able to stay calm and take initiative. Had he not been there, that situation could have been a lot worse,” he said.

At 28, Besson already has 10 years of experience in law enforcement. As a youth, Besson loved riding around in police cars with his uncle, who was the chief in Grand Isle. Besson wasted no time starting his career.

“I graduated high school on a Friday or Saturday and I was working for the Grand Isle Police the following Monday,” said Besson.

The trooper has always considered itself a family, but the and his older brother Frank take the idea one step further.

“He’s probably a 10 times better trooper than I am,” said Frank Besson, who also serves in Troop C. “I’m really proud of him.”

“Riding along with my uncle is probably where I got started,” said Simon, “and of course you always want to follow in big brother’s footsteps.”

A lot of police might have trouble arresting fellow officers. When Simon Besson was faced with such a predicament after Gustav came ashore, he had no trouble. An anonymous tip came in that reserve police officers on Grand Isle were stealing gasoline. Besson, a former member of the department, was sent to investigate.

“Of course, it wasn’t a problem,” he said. “We did what anyone would do.”

Besson, meanwhile, said that the people around him in Troop C played a major role in his success and encouraged him to do things the right way.

“If you do the right thing, you’re always going to move forward,” he said.

In the night’s final award, Powell was recognized for his DWI arrest figures. According to spokesman Zeringue, 60 drunk driving arrests is a good year for most troopers; no troopers currently on the job could remember anybody having more than 80 arrests. This year, Powell cited 116 people for driving while intoxicated.

“It means a great deal to me to get drunks off the road,” he said. “I don’t really have a strategy or anything, I just keep my eyes open.”

SIMON BESSON – Troop C Trooper of the Year