Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Cpt. Tracy Darbonne was recognized recently for her ongoing dedication to the state’s D.A.R.E. program when she was presented with the 2022 D.A.R.E. Lifetime Achievement Award during a ceremony in Opelousas.

Darbonne has been with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office since 1994, and she has served as a D.A.R.E. officer for more than 20 of those years.

Each year, Darbonne educates students between fifth and seventh grade at multiple schools across Calcasieu Parish about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and mentors them against violence and bullying. Through the years, she said she has built many positive relationships with the students in her classes and that she continues to find the work rewarding.

“After 20-plus years of teaching D.A.R.E., it is still rewarding to have my past students approach me and thank me for teaching them. They will tell me about their life’s journey, family and career. Hearing those stories is what motivates me to continue to teach and build those positive relationships with students,” Darbonne said.

When looking back on her career thus far, Darbonne said that they are many moments that bring her a sense of pride, but she said it is seeing a future for other women in law enforcement that fills her with the greatest sense of accomplishment.

“I have done a lot of things in my career, but my proudest accomplishment would be that, in a career that is made up of mostly men, I was able to work my way up through the ranks of leadership and become a Captain,” she said.

According to Sheriff Tony Mancuso, Darbonne was CPSO’s very first female Captain, and she now serves as the supervisor over the Youth & D.A.R.E Division.

“Captain Darbonne has spent the majority of her career educating the youth in our community. She has worked very hard to make a lasting impression on the students in Calcasieu Parish. She leads by example and continues to instill passion to her fellow deputies, who strive to make positive interactions in the classroom,” Mancuso said.