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The fallen officers of Vermilion Parish are (left to right) Otto Bourque, Rodney Trahan, John “Dooley Hardy, Todd Touchet, and Allen Bares Jr. Their pictures are behind a cake with the saying, “All Gave Some. Some Gave All.”

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Abbeville Police Chief Tony Hardy reminds his officers to be careful on the streets of Abbeville.

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Mike Hardy served as a guest speaker.

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Charles Levine of the Sheriff’s Office says a prayer after the ceremony on Tuesday.

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Sara Borel reads a letter at the ceremony while S.P.O. Elliot Leleux holds the American Flag for the city police.

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Abbeville police officers Jason Hebert and Ryan Boutte lower the American flag and the Abbeville flag to half staff after the ceremony on Tuesday.

Honoring ‘Fallen Brother’

Ceremony held at Abbeville Police Station, 22 years after John ‘Dooley’ Hardy’s death

This year, 123 officers have been killed in the line of duty. That number was 100 at the same time last year.
Two police officers in Brooklyn were killed last week while sitting in their patrol car, while another was killed Sunday in Florida attempting to make an arrest.
Families in Vermilion Parish have dealt with such loss, including John “Dooley” Hardy 22 years ago. Hardy was shot while on duty with the Abbeville Police Department late on Dec. 23, 1992. He died after midnight.
Family and friends gathered Tuesday morning at the Abbeville Police Department to remember their “Fallen Brother in Blue,” as well as other Vermilion Parish law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty. The event is held each year by the Fraternal Order of Police John “Dooley” Hardy Memorial Lodge 48.
Those in attendance, which included family members of fallen officers, members of the Abbeville Police Department, Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, members of the State Police, Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza and members of the city council, among others, remember officers lost in Vermilion Parish.
Officers who gave their lives in the line of duty include Hardy (Dec. 24, 1992), Todd Touchet (Jan. 8, 2000) of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, Rodney Trahan (April 6, 1969) of the Kaplan Police Department, Otto Bourque ( Nov. 3, 1964) of the Erath Police Department, and Allen Bares Jr. (June 23, 2014) of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“We are not only here to mourn these officers,” said Abbeville Police Officer Jonathan Touchet, a member of the John “Dooley” Hardy Memorial Lodge, “but to celebrate their lives.”
John Hardy’s brother Tony Hardy is currently the police chief in Abbeville. John Hardy’s oldest brother, Mike Hardy, was the chief at the time of his death.
“I can remember it like it was yesterday,” Tony Hardy said Monday morning. “I can remember the moment I got the phone call. I had just talked to him a couple of hours before.”
Tony Hardy said when he sees something like the recent police killings, the pain resurfaces.
“I know what they are going through,” Hardy said of the officers’ families. “When they killed my little brother, it was like the world just stopped. Our life was shot right there, when this guy killed our little brother.
“It took me a long time to get back to operating regularly.”
Mike Hardy spoke during Tuesday’s ceremony. He remembered his brother as someone who put on his uniform proudly.
“John was a good kid who wanted to be a cop so bad,” Mike Hardy said. “He worked four or five jobs so he could afford to be a cop. He grew up in a family with cops, what else would you do.
“John loved his work. He loves his brothers, family and his daughter.”
Mike Hardy said his brother’s name will live on.
“He’s the grandfather of two children now,” Mike Hardy said. “He’s got a grandson and a granddaughter. They are going to carry his name.
“They are going to talk about what they have heard about him over the years.”
Tony Hardy repeated his constant message that each officer make it home so that no other families have to tell similar stories.
“Please watch your back and your fellow officers’ back,” Hardy said to law enforcement in attendance. “Take care of each other because we all want to get home at the end of the shift.”

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