LAPLACE — Sheriff Mike Tregre received a strong show of support from St. John the Baptist Parish voters Saturday, topping a challenge from former deputy Michael Hoover.

Tregre captured the runoff victory by securing 9,605 votes (58.72 percent) compared to 6,753 votes for Hoover.

The final results Saturday followed a trend set last month, when Tregre (7,280 votes, 49.64 percent) and Hoover (6,372 votes, 43.45 percent) dominated a primary field of four candidates.

Tregre said it felt great to know the community is going to allow him to continue what he began in his first term.

“In three years, they like the track that we’re on,” he said. “It’s back to work. We are going to be working hard to solve high-profile cases. We are going to be doing more recruiting, and I will continue to give the officers better training and a better salary.”

Tregre said the training is a continuous effort that he also benefits from.

“We do it to stay on top of crime patterns and crime trends,” he said. “We just need to keep working hard every day.”

Building a shooting range and hiring more deputies remain a Sheriff’s office goal, according to Tregre.

“I also want to put a substation on the West Bank,” Tregre said. “I campaigned on that four years ago, and it has to happen — no ands, ifs or buts. I also want to set up a Citizens Academy, where citizens get to come into the Sheriff’s Office and learn basic police functions. Basically, they will get to learn our limitations, our capabilities, our policies and our procedures. The St. Charles Sheriff’s Office has one, and I’ve been watching it and it seems to be a very productive program.”

On Monday, Hoover said the election loss was still disappointing because many people worked hard for his campaign.

“I told the volunteers and everyone who helped with the campaign that no matter what happens at the end of the day, we would walk with our heads held high,” Hoover said. “We conducted an ethical and moral effort and the best campaign we could do.”

Hoover said he planned to spend some time with his family and regroup as a family unit before looking at possibilities for the near future.

“I will always be a voice for the Parish,” he said. “I think my past has said that from day one.

“You will never silence the voice of a servant. In what area will I continue to serve, only time will tell?”

— By Raquel Derganz Baker