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Two local law enforcement officers to be posthumously honored

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Posted at 3:42 PM, Oct 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-29 16:42:33-04

Two police officers who served in local departments will be among 21 officers honored posthumously next week during a Medal of Honor ceremony in Baton Rouge.

The ceremony is being held by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement on Thursday, November 4, at 1 p.m. at Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge. 21 law enforcement officers will be commemorated with the Medal of Honor, which was established by the Louisiana legislature in 1997 to recognize the service and ultimate sacrifice made by officers for the protection and safety of Louisiana citizens.

This year, the Commission will honor the following officers who died in the line of duty during 2019 and 2020:

1. George Bowman Baker (Trooper) – Louisiana State Police
2. Kejuane Artez Bates (Officer) – Vidalia Police Department
3. Raymond Andrew Boseman (Reserve Capt.) – New Orleans Police Department
4. Kaitlin Marie Cowley (Agent) – Louisiana Probation & Parole
5. Claude Winston Guillory (Deputy) – Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office
6. Mark Albert Hall, Sr. (Sr. Officer) – New Orleans Police Department
7. Loyd Ray Hamm (Lt.) – Richland Parish Sheriff's Office
8. Glenn Dale Hutto, Jr. (Lt.) – Baton Rouge Police Department
9. Vincent Nat Liberto, Jr. (Capt.) – Mandeville Police Department
10. Wilmot Sandlin "Sandy" McCain (Warden) – Louisiana Department of Corrections
11. Kyle Melancon (Deputy 1st Class) – Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office
12. Chateri Alyse Payne (Officer) – Shreveport Police Department
13. Kietrell Michael Pitts (Deputy) – Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office
14. Donna Richardson-Below (Deputy) – DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office
15. Shane Michael Totty (Cpl.) – Baton Rouge Police Department
16. Kevin P. Trahan (Capt.) – Church Point Police Department
17. Henry Turner (MSgt.) – Louisiana Department of Corrections
18. Randy Michael Vallot (Capt.) – Richland Parish Sheriff's Office
19. Marshall Lee Waters, Jr. (Officer) – Mangham Police Department
20. Steven Dewayne Whitstine (Lt.) – East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office
21. Sharon M. Williams (Sr. Officer) – New Orleans Police Department

Jeff Davis Parish Deputy Claude Winston Guillory died last year at age 63 from complications related to COVID-19. He became a sheriff's deputy in 2019, but had more than 30 years experience in law enforcement. Church Point Police Department Captain Kevin P. Trahan also died last year of complications from the coronavirus. He'd served with both CPPD and the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office for a combined total of 30 years.

The Commission will also honor K-9 King, who served with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office.

After this year's ceremony, the number of Medal of Honor recipients will have reached a total of 133 since the program's inception, along with three K-9 honorees.

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