Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Beginner Handgun Course Scheduled for January 20

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will offer a Beginner Handgun Course on Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Shooting Range located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. This class is designed for first-time firearms owners and persons looking to learn basic fundamentals about firearm ownership. Class will begin at 8 a.m. and last until around noon. The actual ending time will vary due to class size.

This course will include the following:

Firearms handling and shooting safety
Firearms parts and their operation
Ammunition and its function
Shooting fundamentals and an opportunity to develop them on the range
How to select, clean, and store a firearm
Review of various activities available to help participants develop their shooting skills
One hour of live range fire with certified Range Safety instructor

The cost for the course is $50, and advance registration is suggested due to class size. CLICK HERE to register online, or for more information, contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net. Participants will need to bring 50 rounds of ammunition, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs).

Seat Belt Checkpoint Slated for Thursday, December 21

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint during the daytime hours of Thursday, December 21, 2017, in Lafourche Parish. During the checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and insurance. Checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.

This checkpoint is being conducted in conjunction with the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign which runs through December 31, 2017. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is conducting multiple checkpoints throughout the campaign, and additional deputies are assigned to saturated patrol efforts to target impaired drivers and help keep motorists safe.

Sheriff Webre also thanks citizens for their cooperation and patience when passing through these checkpoints and for recognizing the importance of raising awareness for safety issues.

Concealed Handgun Course Slated for Saturday, January 6

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced a Concealed Handgun Training Course will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018, at the LPSO Shooting Range Facility located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. The class will begin at 8:00 a.m. and last until approximately 5:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. The actual ending time will vary due to class size.

The course will include the following:

One hour of instruction on handgun nomenclature and safe handling procedures of a revolver and semi-automatic pistol.
One hour of instruction on ammunition knowledge and fundamentals of pistol shooting.
Three hours of instruction on the use of deadly force and conflict resolution. (Includes a review of R.S. 14:18 through 14:22 and which may include a review of any other laws relating to the use of deadly force)
One hour of instruction on handgun shooting positions.
One hour of instruction on child access prevention.
Two hours of actual live range fire and proper handgun cleaning procedures. Live range fire shall include 12 rounds each at 5 feet, 10 feet, and 15 feet for a total of 36 rounds.
Must perform at least one safe reload of the handgun at each distance.
Must score 100% hits within the silhouette portion of an NRA B-27 type silhouette target with 36 rounds.

The cost for the course is $110, and advance registration is suggested due to limited class size. This course is a pre-requisite for those applying for a Concealed Handgun Permit from the State of Louisiana. CLICK HERE to register online for the course, or for more information, please contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net.

Participants will need to bring 50 rounds of ammunition, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs).

Detectives Investigating Early Morning Shooting in Thibodaux

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre reported one man is injured after suffering a gunshot wound to the face early Friday morning in Thibodaux. Detectives are on scene in the 2000 block of St. Mary Street in Thibodaux after receiving a call of a shooting at 3:39 a.m. on Friday, December 15. The victim was initially transported to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, but he was transferred to University Hospital in New Orleans.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.

UPDATE: Missing Teen Located

Fourteen-year-old Brandt Bennett has been located and is safe.

Teenage Foster Child Remains Missing Since Friday

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 14-year-old Brandt Bennett of Thibodaux. Bennett had been newly assigned to a foster home in the 600 block of Fairway Drive in Thibodaux on Thursday, December 7. He left the home at around 2 a.m. on Friday morning. Investigators believe Bennett may be in Terrebonne Parish as he has family members in the Gray area and may also be hanging out on the east side of Houma.

Bennett was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans. Bennett is described as 5’7” tall and weighs approximately 140 pounds. He has black hair with small twists. Anyone with information on Bennett’s whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply call 9-1-1.

Raceland Man Faces Multiple Charges Including Rape and Battery

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Mark Kraemer (age 36) of Raceland on multiple charges including rape and battery.

Just before 11 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at Kraemer’s residence on Bayou Folse Road. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with Kraemer and a woman whom deputies learned Kraemer had been dating. Deputies learned Kraemer had committed a battery on the victim that night and during a previous argument. Following an investigation at the scene, Kraemer was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center on charges of Second Degree Battery and Battery of a Dating Partner. He was released Sunday afternoon after posting $20,000 bond.

Detectives were assigned to the case, and through further investigation, they learned that Kraemer had recently forced the woman to have sexual intercourse at gunpoint and did not allow her to leave the residence for several days. Investigators obtained a warrant for Kraemer, and he was arrested approximately three hours after he had bonded out of jail. He was booked into the Detention Center on new charges of First Degree Rape and False Imprisonment – Offender Armed with Dangerous Weapon. His bond is set at $300,000.

Local Warrant Scam Affecting Lafourche Citizens

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is informing residents of a warrant scam which is targeting local citizens. Several citizens reported receiving the phone call on Monday, December 11.

In this scam, a scam artist identifies himself as a member of the U.S. Marshals (or similar agency), and he claims you failed to appear in court. He references the 17^th Judicial District and even a local judge by name. The scammer then demands you pay a sum of money immediately, or a warrant will be issued for your arrest. The caller then demands you acquire a prepaid debit card, electronic money order or gift card, and call them back immediately with payment.

In reality, if you are required to appear in court, you would have been duly notified. It should, therefore, not be a “surprise” to learn you missed court. In the event you do actually fail to appear in court, a warrant may then be issued for your arrest, but the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office would not call demanding immediate payment. Also, should you choose to pay a fine or ticket by phone, those means of payment would not be accepted. You can only use a credit card or debit card when paying fines or tickets by phone to LPSO.

While this scam is unique and has aspects based in reality, it demonstrates that citizens should be able to discern whether a phone call is a scam based on common signs. In this case, the demand for “immediate” payment by an incoming caller and the payment method (prepaid debit card, electronic money order or gift card) are two signs of a scam. Other signs include a caller asking you to send money to receive money or prizes, a caller using threatening or vulgar language, or someone calling from a department, but not giving the name of the company. Ultimately, if you are concerned the call may be legitimate, simply hang up and call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808. If the call is in reference to tickets, fees, or fines, you can call directly, (985) 449-4428. Do not call a number given to you by the incoming caller unless you verify it first.

We encourage you to call us BEFORE you send money if you have any doubt about the authenticity of the call. We would be happy to assist you to ensure you do not become the next scam victim. It is not necessary to report every phone scam, but if you lose money in a scam or receive threats of physical harm or violence, you should report it to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency.

Sheriff Webre Announces Plans for Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will join other local law enforcement agencies in participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign which runs December 13 through December 31, 2017. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

Additional deputies will be assigned to saturated patrol efforts to target impaired drivers and help keep motorists safe. There will also be several checkpoints held in conjunction with the campaign throughout the month of December. The first of these will be a seat belt checkpoint to be held this Wednesday, December 13. There will be additional seat belt checkpoints and a DWI checkpoint held during the campaign period.

During the seat belt checkpoints, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as other violations such as expired inspection tags. During the DWI checkpoint, deputies will be looking for drivers who are possibly impaired while checking for other traffic safety issues, including but not limited to seat belt usage. Lafourche Parish is a “No Refusal” parish, meaning if a suspected drunk driver refuses a breathalyzer test, deputies will seek a search warrant to have that person’s blood tested.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving is a deadly epidemic that takes the lives of more than 10,000 people each year, on average. In 2016, 268 people were killed as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol in Louisiana alone.

Sheriff Craig Webre reminds citizens to have a plan to get home safely before you decide to drink. Never drive if you have had anything to drink containing alcohol. Remember that driving under the influence of illegal narcotics can also lead to a DWI arrest. In fact, some legal medications can impair your ability to drive. Always read warning labels and instructions on prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Sheriff Webre also thanks citizens for their cooperation and patience when passing through these checkpoints and for recognizing the importance of raising awareness for safety issues.

MISSING TEEN: Brandt Bennett

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 14-year-old Brandt Bennett of Thibodaux. Bennett reportedly left a residence in the 600 block of Fairway Drive in Thibodaux at around 2 a.m. on Friday morning, December 8. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans. Bennett is described as 5’7” tall and weighs approximately 140 pounds. He has black hair with small twists. Bennett has family members in the Gray area and could also possibly be hanging out on the east side of Houma. Anyone with information on Bennett’s whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply call 9-1-1.