LAPLACE — St. John Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre received a vote of confidence Saturday as local voters backed him for another term in office.

Tregre secured 9,605 votes (58.72 percent) by the end voting Saturday, outpacing a challenge from deputy Michael Hoover, who secured 6,753 votes.

A St. John Sheriff’s deputy for 24 years prior to being elected Sheriff in 2011, Tregre, 49, said his top priority is to focus on the reduction of violent crime.

“I plan to accomplish this by continuing to provide department-wide training in the best technological advancements and trends available to law enforcement,” he said prior to the election. “Well trained officers on the streets of our parish are more likely to not only arrest criminals, but also gather evidence to ensure convictions in the court system. This will reduce repeat offenders and decrease the crime rate.”

Tregre said he has worked his way through every department, with the exception of 911/communications, in the Sheriff’s Office.

“My experience in the jail, undercover narcotics, patrol and the detective bureau has given me the knowledge of how these departments should operate effectively and efficiently,” he said. “My investigative skills and courtroom testimony has put murderers in prison. I have walked in the shoes of the majority of the officers I lead today, which makes me the best candidate for the job.”