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SBSO DETECTIVE SGT. JEFFREY VEGA RECEIVES CRIMESTOPPERS AWARD
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Vega received the 2024 Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust – Crimestoppers Outstanding Service to the Community Award Friday, March 1 at the 39th Annual Crimestoppers Award Luncheon, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Darlene Cusanza, president and chief executive officer of Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans, said the award honors law enforcement officers who display the core values of the oath: Honor, Character, Courage, Public Trust, Service to Our Communities, Reverence for the Law, Commitment to Leadership, Integrity in All We Say and Do, Respect for People and Quality Through Continuous Improvement.
“Recipients of this award should be recognized by their law enforcement peers and the community for efforts that have gone above and beyond the call of duty,” Cusanza said. “They should display high personal standards of honesty, integrity, moral fortitude, leadership, and selflessness.”
Cusanza said recipients also must show leadership qualities in the following areas: victim’s advocacy and service, heroic acts of service, outreach to community and citizens in need, implementation of innovative programs to improve the needs of the community with special emphasis on programs to juveniles.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said Sgt. Vega represents the Sheriff’s Office well.
“We are proud of Sgt. Vega’s accomplishments and his dedication and service,” the Sheriff said. “His commitment to keeping our community safe is truly commendable.”
Sgt. Vega, a 26-year veteran of law enforcement, has served as a detective in the Criminal Investigations Bureau since 2004.
In 2022, he was named a Task Force Officer assigned to the Federal Investigations Bureau’s Violent Crime Task Force. In that role, Sgt. Vega assists local, state and federal agencies in pursuing violent felons through coordinated investigations across the metropolitan area.
Sgt. Vega began his career in 1998 in the Corrections Division working as a deputy at the Parish Prison, and he graduated from Police Office and Standards and Training, or P.O.S.T. police academy the same year.
He has worked in the Special Investigations Division Street Crimes Unit, as a School Resource Officer and holds certifications in Special Weapons and Tactics, crime scene investigations and FARO laser scanning which digitally captures crime scene details for reconstructive and and investigative purposes.
Sgt. Vega volunteers his time in the community with the St. Bernard Special Olympics, and as a board member of the St. Bernard Autism Krewe, a non-profit organization that works to identify and assist with the needs of St. Bernard families who have children, grandchildren, and family members with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other exceptionalities.
He also oversees the Sheriff’s Office Help Me Home, a voluntary enrollment program for adults, parents and/or caregivers of individuals in St. Bernard Parish who have various mental or physical challenges including, but not limited to diagnoses such as Autism, Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s.
The program is designed to provide first responders with critical information about the individual’s intellectual or physical condition in the event they ever need assistance and/or are unable to communicate effectively on their own.
“I enjoy being able to educate others about Autism, putting on events for the citizens of St. Bernard who are on the Autism spectrum and being able to meet and interact with other parents of autistic children,” Sgt. Vega said.
He also is a member of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 64, the local chapter of a national organization committed to improving the working conditions of law enforcement officers through education, legislation, information, community involvement and employee representation.
Sgt. Vega’s commitment to serving his community is appreciated by his supervisors, including Col. Chad Clark, commander of the Criminal Investigations Bureau.
“Sgt. Vega was nominated for this award for his dedication to crime prevention, and the significant contributions he makes through the work he does with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office and the FBI,” Col. Clark said. “He also is very active in the community through advocacy for individuals with Autism and other special needs.”
Sgt. Vega is humbled to be honored by Crimestoppers and recognized by Sheriff Pohlmann and the Sheriff’s Office command staff.
“To be acknowledged for my work on the job and in the community is a great privilege, and is one of the most satisfying events in my career,” he said.
Sgt. Vega said he is thankful to work with such a great group of fellow law enforcement officers.
“Everyone that I work side-by-side with is deserving of this award and it is because of their work ethic and unwavering support that I have been able to receive this award,” he said.
Receiving such accolades also wouldn’t be possible without his family, Sgt. Vega said.
“Having the support of my wife Kristi and my son Jackson means so much to me,” he said. “They’ve always been supportive of my role in law enforcement and have stood by me during the callouts on holidays and after hours which happens often in our field.”
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