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On Thursday, Deputy Ryan Adams was honored as the 2024 Officer of the Year for the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office during the 11th annual ceremony held at the Lloyd B. Johnson Training Center in LaPlace.

Ryan, a seasoned member of the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, was honored for his heroic act of opening a burning car door to save a trapped motorist, reflecting the Sheriff’s Office’s core values of service, community, and dedication.

Sheriff Mike Tregre launched the ceremony in 2013 to honor the Officer of the Year and distinguished officers for their dedication to public service and exemplary police work.

Over 150 officers, their families, community members, and business associates attended the event, where retired St. James Parish Sheriff Willy Martin delivered the keynote address.

On May 18, 2024, at 2:15 a.m., Deputy Adams responded to an accident involving a vehicle that had hit a light pole and been taken off the road. Upon arrival, he saw that the car was on fire and still occupied. Deputy Adams tried to open the door but found it stuck due to the crash’s impact.

Upon arrival, Deputy Adams and the assisting deputy grabbed their fire extinguishers to extinguish the flames. This gave Deputy Adams time to force the driver’s side door open and pull the driver out of the vehicle to safety. Seconds later, the car became fully engulfed in flames

The driver sustained minor injuries due to the impact of the crash and was taken by ambulance to University Hospital. Without Deputy Adams’ courage to open the burning car door, the driver would not have survived.

Sheriff Tregre partners with businesses for sponsorships to honor top officers, including Brandon Mabile of Mabile’s Restaurant, for the 2024 Officer of the Year ceremony.

Other notable awards were presented to several officers, Captain Greg Baker was honored with the Sheriff’s Star for exceptional teamwork, perseverance, dedication, professionalism, and service to the community and the SJSO.

Deputy Ryan Adams and Corporal Tynisha Crushfield received the Lifesaving Award for their response to a May 18, 2024, vehicle accident.

Lieutenant Carolina Pineda, Sergeant Gilberto Castellanos, and Deputy Curley Jones, Jr., for their response to a potential jumper on the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Oct.9, 2024.

The Excellence in Service awards honor officers nominated by commanders for exceptional professionalism, integrity, and commitment to the St. John Sheriff’s Office. Awardees include Deputy Shantell McKnight (Human Resources), Sgt. Tiffany Richard (Crime Scene), Sgt. Valrie Macon-Smith (Corrections), Deputy Kristen Vicknair (Records Division), and Corporal Antonio Francalacia (Fleet, Maintenance, and Special Projects).

The Rising Star Award honors employees with strong leadership potential, exceptional performance, and commitment to development. Recipients include Deputies Jadon Iberico and Tyler Daigle from SWAT.