“Most Louisiana politicians get elected and go to prison, but I assure you I’m going to break that trend.”

With that, Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal began his presentation, entertaining the members of the Bogalusa Rotary Club with his country charm.

Sgt. Warren V. Vallaire has been selected as the 2012 Washington Parish Deputy Sheriff of the Year by a unanimous vote of administrators and his peers, Seal said.

At the age of 59, Vallaire has been a law enforcement officer since September 2001, when he was hired as a reserve officer with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office.

He entered the Slidell Regional Police Academy in March 2002 and graduated in September, becoming a full-time St. Bernard deputy in May 2004. It was Hurricane Katrina that eventually brought him to Washington Parish.

After a short stint as a deputy with the Grayson County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, he moved to Franklinton and became a WPSO deputy in August 2006, where he has served the residents of the parish with distinction.

“We’re honored to be here to honor one of our deputies,” Seal said, but he first introduced Deputy Chief Jeff Boehm, who is the public information officer for the department and also in charge of the Bogalusa office.

“(Boehm) is a good guy, and we’re glad to have him. He’s doing an outstanding job,” Seal said.

Seal next introduced Deputy Sheriff Mike Haley, who was born and raised in Bogalusa.

“If he hadn’t agreed to come back home to Bogalusa, if he had not agreed to come home, I would not have run for sheriff of this parish. I felt like I needed someone I could depend on, that I could trust, and I’m honored to have him,” Seal said.

Haley said he was excited to be back home.

“I did graduate from Bogalusa High School in 1963, and we had great time this past weekend at our 50th reunion at Maria’s and at the Bogalusa Country Club,” he said.

“I’m still trying to figure out who all the old folks were,” he said to peals of laughter.

Speaking of Vallaire, Haley said, “He is a sergeant in a leadership position. He works in patrol and does an excellent job. It was interesting. When we got to the point of selecting a deputy of the year we took two votes. We let all of the staff vote, and then all of administration voted.

“The votes were the same. There was just overwhelming support of Sgt. Vallaire.”

Haley continued, “Everyone appreciates his leadership, his maturity and his dedication. But if you’re out there doing wrong, you don’t want Warren Vallaire driving up and looking after you,” he said.

After Haley presented the plaque from the WPSO, and Rotary President Scott Catalanotto presented the Rotary plaque, Vallaire took the microphone.

“Thank you very much,” he said.

“I thank everybody for allowing me this time, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to serve in the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. I hope to continue to do so for some time.”

A native of New Orleans, Vallaire iand his wife of 38 years, Nancy, are the parents of two daughters, Angela, 30, and Elizabeth, 28. He also has a grandson, Taylor, who is 10.

“He chose to come here and be one of us, and he is one of us,” Haley said about Vallaire.

“He is one of the best deputies that we have, and we’re proud of him.”