Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre has been selected to receive the 2015 Buford Pusser National Law Enforcement Award. The award is given annually to officers who have exhibited both heroism and leadership in law enforcement. Webre will travel to Adamsville, Tennessee, this weekend to accept the award as part of the 27th Annual Sheriff Buford Pusser Festival.
“Sheriff Pusser is one of the legends in the world of law enforcement,” said Sheriff Webre. “He is remembered for his tenacious and relentless pursuit of criminals and outstanding service to the public. I am humbled and honored to receive the award named after him.”
Sheriff Buford Pusser’s unusual methods of law enforcement and his dedication to service made him the principal character in the Walking Tall movies of the 1970s, and the inspiration behind the remake of the same name in 2004 starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Like Webre, Pusser was one of the youngest sheriff’s to be elected in his state – Webre at the age of 30 in Louisiana and Pusser at age 26 in Tennessee. Sheriff Pusser served the citizens of McNairy County in Tennessee from 1964 until he reached his term limit in 1970. During his term of office, he declared war on the criminal element operating on the Tennessee-Mississippi State Line in McNairy County. He became a local legend for his heroics and at the same time gained him dangerous enemies. Pusser was the target of several assassination attempts – one of which took the life of his wife in 1967.
Webre was nominated by Sheriff Jerry “Peanuts” Gaines of Warren County in Kentucky. Both are past presidents of the National Sheriffs' Association (Webre in 2007-08, Gaines in 2000-01). In his nomination, Gaines touted Webre’s career achievements and highlighted his office’s unparalleled service to the public.
This marks the second time in three years an officer from Louisiana will accept this award as Louisiana State Police Colonel Mike Edmondson received the award in 2013.
