Knights of Columbus in Chalmette gives awards for Sheriff’s Deputy, Firefighter and Paramedic of the Year; Det. Ryan Melerine. Deputy Chief Glenn Ellis and EMT Chad Singletary honored

Ryan Melerine was named Deputy of the Year by the Knights of Columbus in Chalmette. Shown, from left, are Det. Capt. Mark Jackson, Chief of Detectives Robert McNab. Grand Knight Cisco Gonzales giving the award to Melerine, Sheriff James Pohlmann and Col. John Doran. In back are Council Chairman Al Graffia and Program Director Fred Billiot

Chad Singletary of Acadian Ambulance was Paramedic of the Year. He is shown receiving the award from Grand Knight Cisco Gonzales. Also shown are Janie Fuller of Acadian, Council Chairman Al Graffia and Program director Fred Billiot.

Archbishop Rummel Council 5747 of the Knights of Columbus in Chalmette gave awards for Sheriff’s Deputy, Firefighter and Paramedic of the Year during a banquet on Sunday, Nov. 17 in its council hall on Paris Road.

Sheriff’s Det. Ryan Melerine, a 7-year veteran of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, was Deputy of the Year. Deputy Chief Glenn Ellis, 35-year veteran of the St. Bernard Fire Department, was named Firefighter of the Year. And Chad Singletary, who has been with Acadian Ambulance nine years and before that with Priority EMS, was the Paramedic of the Year.

Grand Knight Cisco Gonzales, present with Council Chairman Al Graffia and Program Director Fred Billiot, said the Knights of Columbus gives the awards because, “We want to recognize the people who do so much for this community.’’

The group also honored veterans at the event.

Sheriff James Pohlmann said Melerine is “a good choice because he has developed into a good officer with several important arrests to his credit.’’

The sheriff said Melerine, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since late 2006, has made a nice transition from a patrol deputy to the position of detective in the Criminal Investigation Bureau. The sheriff said he also did a good job helping train young deputies new to the streets.

A native of St. Bernard Parish, Melerine, 28, was promoted to detective in August of this year after having worked in the sheriff’s Patrol Division for 4½ years and before that in the Communications Division, where he began with the Sheriff’s Office in December 2006.

“I am proud to be able to police my own parish’’ in an effort to keep it safe, Melerine said. “And I couldn’t work for a better department.’’

Melerine wife, Lindsi, and children attended the event with other family members and the Sheriff’s Office was also represented by Sheriff James Pohlmann and Melerine’s superiors, Col. John Doran, head of operations, Chief of Detective Maj. Robert McNab and Det. Capt. Mark Jackson.

Parish Fire Chief Thomas Stone lauded the work of Deputy Fire Chief Glenn Ellis of the First Platoon, saying. “He goes above and beyond.’’

Stone emphasized Ellis was instrumental in starting a boat rescue team which has been deployed three times to help with situations in other parishes, including rescuing numerous people in their homes in Plaquemines Parish during the flooding of the 2012 hurricane.

Also present from the Fire Department were Fire Prevention Officer Charles Licciardi, District Chief Gerald Carlini, District Chief Joseph Dullary, Capt. Troy Serigne and Engineer Clinton Melerine.

Singletary was praised by fellow Paramedic Janie Fuller for his work as a preceptor, which is a field training specialist, training new paramedics. She also said he is known for his attention to details in patient care and documentation for medical records.