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LAPLACE — Deputy Benjamin Teekell was named the 2019 Officer of the Year for the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office for his patience, kind demeanor and professionalism in helping a woman severely beaten in a domestic violence incident.

His investigative work led to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator on several physical abuse charges and other offenses. The perpetrator was recently sentenced to life in prison.

Teekell has worked in law enforcement for 13 years. He’s always known he wanted to be an officer, but he never worked in a truly family oriented environment until he came to work at the St. John Sheriff’s Office two years ago. Teekell quickly made an impact in fall 2017 by donating a television to a Reserve church that had been robbed. Tragedy struck in 2018, when Teekell lost his 5-year-old daughter, Addisyn, in a head-on vehicular collision that led to the arrest of an Ascension Parish couple.

“This department has walked through hell with me,” Teekell said. “You all have been such an anchor and strength for me in my personal nightmare that I walk through daily. You all help me be the officer that I am today.”

On April 24, 2019, Teekell began investigating a domestic violence case. A woman arrived at the ER with a broken hand, second-degree burns on her shoulder, bruising to her body, a contusion to her head and other injuries.

While the woman was initially reluctant to talk to law enforcement, Teekell assured her that her boyfriend, a convicted felon, was detained and couldn’t hurt her anymore. He talked to the victim patiently and calmly, and she began to open up.

According to investigation, the boyfriend suspected the woman of cheating and demanded to view her phone. When she denied the request, he grabbed a belt with a metal buckle and struck her multiple times. As she struggled to get away, he grabbed a hot iron and burned her shoulder.

The woman unlocked her phone, hoping his anger would subside. However, the boyfriend became more enraged, retrieved a metal pipe, and beat her until she lost consciousness. He then drove her to the hospital. The woman disclosed that the boyfriend had punched her and broken both of her eye sockets in a prior argument.

Upon visiting the crime scene, Teekell found bloodstains surrounding items used as weapons. He learned the boyfriend had a violent criminal history and a warrant from the New Orleans Police Department. The boyfriend was recently sentenced to life in prison, and the woman is recovering from her injuries.

Other Officers of the Quarter eligible for the Officer of the Year Award were Deputy Morris Sarah, Sergeant Chris Crawford and Deputy Raymond Breaux.

Sarah, the Officer of the First Quarter, was honored for his quick response to an accident with injuries and his efficient actions to rescue the occupants. Upon arrival, Sarah observed an overturned vehicle with three people, including an elderly male, trapped inside. Sarah cut the seatbelt and pulled all three occupants to safety.

After a pursuit through high volume traffic, Crawford, Officer of the Third Quarter, was able to talk a male subject out of committing suicide and to surrender to police. No one was harmed during the incident.

Breaux, the Officer of the Fourth Quarter, was recognized for executing warrants that led to the arrest of several dangerous criminals. He also rescued two children from inside of a locked vehicle on an extremely hot day, breaking the window with his fist and pure willpower after receiving permission from the vehicle owner.

Other distinguished honors were given out during the Officer of the Year award ceremony. The Humanitarian Award went to Noah Bailey for his quick response in removing a family with two small children from a crashed vehicle after they were struck by a drunk driver.

Unit Commendation Awards went to Patrol 200 Shift, Patrol 300 Shift, 300 Shift 911 Dispatchers, Patrol 400 Shift and 400 Shift 911 Dispatchers for outstanding response, actions, teamwork and professionalism.

The Distinguished Service Award went to Crawford, Teekell and also Deputy Robenson Thelemaque, who went above and beyond in conducting a welfare check on a man who was battling suicidal thoughts.

The Lifesaving Award went to Lieutenant Jason Raborn, Corporal Daniel Materne and Deputy Seth Rome for quickly administering tourniquets to the arms and legs of a gunshot victim who would have died from any further blood loss.

Sheriff Mike Tregre started the Officer of the Year program in 2013, and he was happy to celebrate its seventh year.

“I realize first responders do not get the recognition they deserve,” he said.