St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Benjamin Teekell delivered the keynote address Tuesday for MADD Louisiana Statewide Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheon.
The 2024 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Law Enforcement Recognition Ceremony aimed to honor those who had made at least 25 DWI arrests in the last 12 months.
“They need to be acknowledged,” executive director of MADD, Louisiana Sunny Wall said. “I want them to be, in a sense, refueled to continue the work they do out there saving lives every day.”
The event, which honored more than 100 law enforcement officers from around the state, was an opportunity to recognize law enforcement officers for protecting our communities from substance-impaired driving.
Deputy Teekell shared his personal story involving an impaired driver. In 2018, while driving in Gonzales with his young daughters, Deputy Teekell was involved in a head-on collision with an intoxicated driver. His 5-year-old daughter Addisyn was killed and his 7-year-old daughter Ashtyn was hospitalized for weeks after the driver ran into their vehicle.
“Addisyn’s death has completely turned my life upside down as well as her sister’s,” Deputy Teekell said.
In recognizing the work of law enforcement officers, Deputy Teekell said:
“We just want to make a great impact on people, and hopefully keep someone from experiencing the pain that I have, and the other victims have gone through.”