LAPLACE — Christie Chauvin has spent months dealing with the ugly side of life in St. John the Baptist Parish.

The detective lieutenant with the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office has investigated a string of cases including murder, aggravated battery by shooting, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, burglary and possession of stolen firearms.

According to Major Larry LeBlanc, Chauvin’s dedication has allowed the criminal investigations division to close three cases, “with more to come,” make several arrests and taken a minimum of four illegal weapons off the streets.

“Lt. Chauvin’s work ethic and dedication to keeping the citizens of St. John Parish safe consistently yields impressive results,” LeBlanc said.

Due to that effort, Sheriff Mike Tregre named Chauvin “Officer of the Fourth Quarter for 2018,” a recognition she was honored with Wednesday.

Chauvin’s work helped police determine a specific group of repeat offenders as either directly responsible or involved with the string of violent offenses.

“Lt. Chauvin has spent numerous work hours, as well as numerous hours of her personal time, using all investigative tools available to sift through this group’s deceptive techniques and gather the necessary evidence to obtain several arrest warrants and search and seizure warrants,” LeBlanc said.