Life-long Thibodaux resident Brett Theriot became the University Police captain on Monday when previous captain Danny Kraemer retired from the position after 26 years.According to Theriot, before hearing about the position at Nicholls from a friend, he worked with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department from 1987 until 2002. He served as police captain for six years and gained over 10 years of management experience. Theriot also worked for New Park and Environmental, an offshore company, in 2003 as a cite manager as well as operating Affordable Home Improvements, his personally owned business which continues today.
“I enjoyed doing (law enforcement), and I think I’m pretty good at it,” Theriot said.
According to Craig Jacuzzo, University Police chief, an advisory committee made up six Nicholls affiliates made a recommendation to Jacuzzo that he select one of two final candidates out of the six possible candidates reviewed for the position.
Jacuzzo said because several officers with years of experience have retired recently, he was looking for a candidate who possessed the same experience as the other officers but who was younger.
“Captain Theriot is a prime example,” Jacuzzo said. “He’s (under 40 years of age), but he has 16 years of law enforcement experience and the majority of his career was administration. I was looking for someone who possesses the same skills and the experience of developing a police department to the professional standard that we are held accountable for now. Captain Theriot had that.”
Theriot said some intangible rewards received from working in law enforcement are having the opportunities to work with the public and to protect civilians from harm. He said one of the best rewards was receiving letters and phone calls of praise from co-workers when he left his position at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department.
Theriot and Jacuzzo previously worked with one another at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department where Jacuzzo was in criminal enforcement and Theriot was the warden at a correctional facility and a senior staff member of the sheriff’s office.
“I’ve seen his work ethic,” Jacuzzo said. “I’ve seen him manage a capacity of over 270 people, and he was very effective. He had a clean record and was productive in doing his job.”
Theriot said he became acquainted with the previous University Police captain, Kraemer, through working security at several Nicholls’ football games and as a warden at the juvenile detention center in Thibodaux. Theriot also said he is “absolutely ready” to take over Kraemer’s position and hopes to “take on the challenges of the future.”
“From the short time I’ve been here, (Kraemer) has always been helpful to me,” Jacuzzo said. “The University had thought very highly of him.”
Jacuzzo also said he believes Kraemer has done well with the previous lack of consistency in the police department, which changed its police chief six times during Kraemer’s employment.
Theriot said he believes he can further positively impact and stabilize the University police department as police captain like Jacuzzo has done for the past year as police chief.
“I believe Theriot has always been consistent with the performance of his job and duties required of him,” Jacuzzo said. ” I think he has made a wise choice in coming to our police department and being a part of change.”
Theriot said: “I’m proud of the University. I think (the University) is an asset to the community, and hopefully, I will be an asset to the University.”
According to Theriot, in addition to his professional life, he is a hunter, fisher, television sports watcher and family man. He also hopes to continue his education and receive a degree, an opportunity he said his new position at the University has afforded him.
