Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington recognized five deputies in a ceremony last month at the Bossier Parish Courthouse.
The Star of Valor is the highest award given by the Bossier Sheriff’s Office. The award is given to a deputy for an act of heroism demonstrating extraordinary initiative, performed at great personal risk, in carrying out the duties of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office. Each deputy received a ribbon bar, medal and plaque for their outstanding bravery while saving lives of residents of Bossier Parish.
The recipients of the Star of Valor are:
Deputy Erin Tindall – An 8-year veteran of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, responded to an ambulance call on March 22, 2016 at a residence in North Bossier Parish. Deputy Tindall was the first on the scene and a 9-month old child was unresponsive at the residence. Deputy Tindall recognized the child’s distress, discoloration, and unconsciousness, caused by an obstructed airway. Deputy Tindall sprang into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver to remove the obstruction, and, in doing so, saved the child’s life.
Lt. David Reynolds, Deputy Jay Williams, Deputy Darryl Ware Jr. – These three deputies risked their lives on March 9, 2016 to rescue an elderly man trapped in his residence in a neighborhood in Haughton. That night the Bossier area experienced a large amount of rainfall and the water rose quickly. Deputy Ware, a 5-year veteran of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, went in and was able to locate the resident, while Lt. Reynolds, a 9-year veteran of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office held the boat, and Deputy Williams, a 12-year veteran of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, was able to pry the door open for them to float the resident out of the house on his recliner.
Sgt. Daniel Wolff – On the morning of March 9, 2016, Bossier Parish was hit with 15 – 19 inches of rain causing flash flooding. Sgt. Wolff, an 8-year veteran of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, was heading to work at the Medium Security Facility and decided to take Hwy. 3 as an alternate route, due to the flooding. Sgt. Wolff came upon a motorist who was stranded on top of his vehicle. Sgt. Wolff leaped into action and retrieved a rope from his vehicle and instructed the motorist to tie it around himself so he could pull him to safety. As Sgt. Wolff pulled the stranded motorist to safety, the vehicle was swept away by the flood waters.
“This is a testament to the kind of deputies we have working for us here at the Bossier Sheriff’s Office,” said Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington. “These deputies didn’t hesitate to jump into action and save lives. This is what these men and women train for, and the public places their trust in us to serve and protect them, and to save lives, and that’s what these deputies have done.”
