By Monique Roth

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Lt. Gordon Jeffcoat, a 13-year veteran with the department, was named Officer of the Year 2013 at an awards ceremony held recently by the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Jeffcoat was solely responsible for sex offender registration in St. John Parish. He was also named Officer of the Second Quarter 2013.

Jeffcoat directly oversaw 110 sex offenders, with 67 court-ordered to check in with his office as required. Jeffcoat also created a system identifying houses where registered sex offenders live so children would not approach those homes for Halloween.

Jeffcoat is currently assistant warden in the correctional facility and oversees courtroom security. He also assists with traffic control, responding to 911 calls and the training of other officers.

The ceremony, created to honor the four 2013 Officers of the Quarter and to name the 2013 Officer of the Year, was held on Jan. 23 at Choice the Event Place in LaPlace. Sheriff Mike Tregre said the event would become a yearly tradition.

Officers of the Quarter for 2013 were recognized by Tregre, with Jeffcoat later being announced as Officer of the Year.

Deputy Anthony Cox was recognized as Officer of the First Quarter 2013.

Among several other notable actions, Cox responded to a medical emergency during the first quarter of the year in which a 7-year-old child was found unresponsive. Cox immediately put his CPR training into action in an attempt to revive the child, and when paramedics arrived the child was breathing and had a strong pulse. The child survived.

In 2013 Cox was presented with a 2013 Professional Excellence and Unit Citation awarded by the Louisiana State Police Department of Public Safety and Corrections. This award was presented to Cox regarding his participation in successfully capturing an armed suspect who was prepared to cause mass causalities after Hurricane Isaac at the New Wine Center. An assault weapon and handgun were recovered.

The Officer of the Third Quarter 2013 was Deputy Michael Dean.

Among other achievements, Dean responded to a call of an elderly male unresponsive and not breathing. Because of a language barrier, the family of the man could not receive instructions from the dispatchers to begin CPR. Dean arrived on the scene and immediately began to administer CPR. The man was transported to the hospital and survived.

Detective Maurice Rodrigue was recognized as Officer of the Fourth Quarter 2013.

Rodrigue worked countless hours and months interviewing witnesses, suspects and family members in regard to the disappearance of a missing teenager.

Natalie Tatje of Tatje Insurance, the sponsor for the ceremony, took time to thank the officers for their hard work and service to the community before announcing Jeffcoat as the honoree.

Jeffcoat hugged his fiancé and gave several handshakes to other officers before taking the microphone and accepting his award.

Jeffcoat said everyone in the room was an officer of the year and thanked his comrades for their service and support.

“There are two people not here, Brandon and Jeremy. This is for them. Don’t ever forget,” said Jeffcoat, speaking of the two officers killed in the line of duty in August 2012.

Col. Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana State Police served as keynote speaker of the night.

“We’re all ordinary individuals, but these four man honored here tonight exemplified extraordinary service,” said Edmonson.

The program opened with a welcome by Sgt. Marshall Carmouche and prayer by th Rev. Ernest August. Sgt. Denise Bertrand led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance before Jared Tregre sang the National Anthem.

The St. Charles Catholic High School boys’ basketball team served drinks and dinner at the event, which was catered by Cajun Grill.

The Sheriff’s Office had a busy week not only with the awards ceremony, but also with the Jan. 21 dedication ceremony for the newly constructed multi-purpose room in honor of Lanard Robinet.

Robinet served citizens of St. John Parish for more than 20 years with the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. That ceremony was held at patrol headquarters on Deputy Barton Granier Drive in LaPlace.