St. John Parish officers shown plenty of support
Published 12:10 am Saturday, July 23, 2016
- Tricia Landry and Elyse Perez, back, stand with children Felipe, Elena, Lola, Enki, Xiela and Eualisse after presenting Sheriff Mike Tregre with Law Enforcement Survival Kit candy bags to distribute to officers.
LAPLACE — There have been donuts, cookies, sandwiches and pies delivered to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s headquarters.
Deputies have been offered free lunches, free coffees and goodie bags.
Sheriff Mike Tregre receives a thank you note from Walmart co-manager Monique Williams during Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Wednesday for the St. John Sheriff’s Office.
There have been lots of cakes.
Sheriff Mike Tregre said it’s beginning to take its toll.
“The wellness program is not doing so well right now,” he said. “I’m trying, but people are not cooperating.”
The hearts and souls of the department’s deputies are getting some much-needed balm, however.
Recent events, including the deaths of five officers in Dallas and three in Baton Rouge, have stirred heated emotions between law enforcement and the public.
Some officers have been targeted and mistreated across the nation with restaurants refusing them service.
In St. John, however, the public seems to mostly want to feed them.
Almost daily, a tray of sandwiches or cookies, a box of donuts or a cake is delivered to the Sheriff’s headquarters.
“Y’all never heard of a fruit tray?” Tregre joked. “It has been amazing, the acts of kindness and appreciation. They’re just letting us know that they have our backs. For me, it’s a boost.”
Megan Smith of LaPlace and Michelle Remondet of Metairie have been handing out Law Enforcement Appreciation bags, with various candies inside, in St. John and St. Charles. They also sent 50 bags to officers in Baton Rouge.
Not all acts of kindness have been high in calories, either.
Anne Hooter, owner and proprietor of Helping Hands Massage, 1101 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace, is offering a free head, neck and shoulder massage or a relaxing back massage to any “officer in knead.” Officers can book their time at laplacemassage.com. Hooter is donating her salary to cover the session and will use money donated for gift certificates.
Anyone who donates to Hooter’s cause can take their receipt to Baba’s Sports Grill on Main Street to receive half off a po-boy, hamburger or lunch.
“They’ve just been through so much,” said Hooter, a licensed clinical massage therapist. “The community needs to come together for them.”
Pam Brady, a stylist at Hello, Gorgeous Hair Studio, 928 Carrollwood Dr., is offering free hair cuts for male and female deputies. Walk-ins are welcome.
Perhaps the biggest celebration took place Wednesday at the LaPlace Walmart, where it was declared “Officer Appreciation Day.” Deputies were feted with sandwiches, chicken tenders, cake and ribbons and were shown appreciation by employees and the public, alike.
“What should have been a 20-minute thing turned into an hour,” Tregre said. “There were little kids, big kids, people just wanting to shake our hands and say ‘thank you.’
“Right now, there’s a lot of open talk among some officers, the younger ones, who are second-guessing whether this will be their lifelong chosen path. It’s concerning. When they see these little acts of kindness, it’s like huge encouragement that I can’t provide. When it comes from a citizen, it has a different effect.”
