Last Friday the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office gathered at the courthouse in Franklinton for their monthly all-hands meeting. During the meeting, Captain Chris Hickman and Sgt. Lionel Mark were honored as they retired from the Sheriff's Office. Patrol Deputy Brittney M. Rick was promoted to Sergeant, and ten-year-old Carson Painter was honored for her courage and quick action.
Sgt. Mark, the WPSO School Resource Officer, was with the Sheriff's Office for 12 years and spoke fondly of his time working with the children of Washington Parish. "My wife was a little surprised when I took a job working with kids, but I quickly came to love being the Resource Officer here," Mark said. At the end of his speech, a dozen younger WPSO deputies that he had mentored as students stood to honor his service.
Capt. Hickman retired after 29 years of service to Washington Parish. In a career that spanned almost three decades, he spent time in Drug Task Forces, Street Crimes units, the Patrol Division, and a stint as the Warden of the jail. At the podium, his wife read an emotional poem that chronicled a lifetime's worth of achievements, culminating with his promotion to Captain last year.
At the beginning of the monthly meeting, Brittney M. Rick was promoted from Deputy First Class to Sergeant after coming to the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office last year. Sheriff Jason Smith said that in her time with WPSO, she has shown exceptional leadership and drive, and her new rank will position her to have more authority to effect positive changes, not just at the Sheriff's Office put also in the parish.
After displaying uncommon bravery and decisiveness when she helped to rescue her injured father from the Bogue Chitto River two weeks ago, ten-year-old Carson Painter was given a Certificate of Commendation by both Sheriff Smith and Senator Beth Mizell during the meeting. Sheriff Smith also presented Carson with a badge, naming her a Junior Deputy of the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office from this day forward.
After her father was injured, Carson dragged him from the water and onto a nearby sandbar before kayaking over a quarter of a mile through treacherous water to reach a cell phone and call 911 for help. Her father said of the incident, "I don't think she realizes it yet, but she truly saved my life that day. I was almost out of air when she pulled me from the water. There's no telling how long I would have laid there if she hadn't gone for help."
Before the Sheriff's Office All-Hands Meeting, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) met and presented a check for $4,000 to Lieutenant Jimmy Seals and his wife, Brittney, who both work for the Sheriff's Office. During one of the recent storms, a large tree fell on their home and caused serious damage to the structure. FOP president Kevin Bond quickly brought the organization into action and pooled donations to help them offset the cost of repairs. The FOP also took nominations to replace Captain Chris Hickman as Vice President following his retirement.
