Bares Family of Abbeville, Vermilion Sheriff deputy attend National Police Week in Washington D.C.

The Bares Family, along with good friend of the family, Lt. William Vincent of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, are in Washington D.C. in honor of National Police Week.
Williams and the Bares family are attending the week-long ceremony in honor of Sheriff Deputy Allen Bares Jr., who was shot and killed a year ago in June.
Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon was honored to send a representative from the Sheriff’s Office to escort the Bares family.
“On behalf of the entire Sheriff’ Office, we are proud to have our fallen deputy, FTO Allen M. Bares Jr. honored by the National Officers Memorial fund in Washington D.C. which will include his name being engraved on the fallen officers wall,” Sheriff Couvillon said.
“It provides another way for us to always remember Allen and the
ultimate sacrifice he made serving his parish. We could think of no better choice than Lt. William Vincent, who also serves as a Deacon in the church, to accompany Ms. Tina Bares to this event. He has been a pillar of support to both our agency and the Bares family through this entire ordeal and we appreciate him very much.”
Throughout the week, deputies, spouses and local residents gathered to celebrate law enforcement and pray for safety. So far this year 44 officers have lost their lives in the United States. Ten from gunfire, 17 from auto accidents, and 17 from other causes, mostly heart attacks.
Bares was one of the 10 officers who lost his or her life in 2014.
Organizers say National Police Week memorializes those officers lost, and celebrates the difference law enforcement makes in communities.

History of the week
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed the first National Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week. Each year, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge in Washington D.C. to participate in a number of planned events which honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Deputy shot
Deputy Sheriff Allen Bares was shot and killed at approximately 4 p.m. while investigating two suspicious men.
Deputy Bares was cutting grass when he observed the men crash their car into a ditch on South Hospital Drive. He called the sheriff’s office to report the incident and suspicious activity, then approached them and identified himself as a sheriff’s deputy. As he did so one of the men drew a weapon and fatally shot him.
Responding deputies located Deputy Bares Jr. suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to Abbeville General Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
After shooting Deputy Bares Jr., the two subjects stole his truck and fled the area. The truck was later located in Abbeville, and both subjects were arrested several hours later. They were subsequently charged with first degree murder, unauthorized use of an automobile, and for a burglary they had just committed on the same street.
Deputy Bares Jr. had served in law enforcement for 15 years. He had previously served with the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife and two children.