Church Point Police Capt. Kevin Trahan was laid to rest on Thursday after passing away from complications from COVID-19.
Church Point Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux stated, in a social media post, “It is with tremendous pain and sorrow that I have to announce we lost a member of our law enforcement family last night at around 10:30 p.m.
“Captain Kevin Trahan, who served in the Church Point Police Department, passed away from medical issues caused by COVID-19. Captain Trahan had returned to work in April following a stem cell transplant for cancer at MD Anderson in Houston. Captain Trahan caught the COVID-19 virus while in the performance of his duties protecting the citizens of the Town of Church Point.”
Trahan was 59.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Trahan on Thursday at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church here in Church Point. He passed away on July 31 at St. Francis Medical Hospital in Monroe. Pastor Patrick Broussard, Pastor of OLSH, officiated the services, and burial followed in Woodlawn Cemetery in Crowley.
Trahan received a full law enforcement funeral, and people lined Main Street in Church Point last Thursday as the procession traveled from Duhon Funeral Home to the church.
Survivors include Trahan’s wife, Brenda V. Trahan, of Crowley; one daughter, Reisha and husband, Preston Bergeron, of Eunice; two step-daughters, Robyn Pefferkorn, of Lafayette, and Meagan Flyte and Blair Guidry, of Duson; two sons, Trevor Trahan, of Crowley, and Trevin and wife, Lyla Trahan, of Iota; two sisters, Lisa Trahan and Dwayne Papillion, of Opelousas, and Cindy Trahan and Troy Mouton, of Crowley; two grandchildren, Cypress and Rosalie; one step-granddaughter, Remi; his mother-in-law, Renola and Thomas Daigle, of Church Point; four sisters-in-law, Debra and husband, Chief Dale Thibodeaux, of Church Point, Sue and husband, Al Venable, of Church Point, Mona Venable and Tommy Bellard, of Church Point, and Peggy Venable, of Church Point.
Trahan began his law enforcement career with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office in July 1994, and he worked in several different divisions throughout his time there. While at the sheriff’s office, Trahan worked under Sheriff Ken Goss and went on to work under Sheriff Wayne Melancon. Upon completion of Sheriff Melancon’s term in office, Trahan came to work for Church Point Police under Chief Albert Venable as a patrol officer.
Former Church Point Police Chief Albert Venable recalled hiring Trahan onto the town’s police force.
“He was a very good officer,” Venable said. “He was the type of man who could talk to people, which, to me, is a good quality in a police officer, and that is a quality I looked for when I hired an officer. He was a good listener, and he did his job very professionally.”
Trahan continued his career with the Church Point when Chief Thibodeaux took office in January 2019. Under Thibodeaux’s administration, Trahan was promoted to captain and assisted in overseeing the operations of the department and training of new officers. He also worked in the Narcotics and Warrant Division.
“The loss of Captain Trahan will leave a great hole in the police department, and he will be missed deeply,” Thibodeaux stated. “Captain Trahan was a kind loving man who loved his family and grandchildren more than life itself. There was not one time that you would ask him to do something for you that he would not do it. Kevin was not only a coworker but was my family and brother.
“Kevin would take each young officer and try to instill the fact to them that you can do your job but do it in a professional and caring way. Captain Trahan would say to treat people the way you would want an officer to treat your family. Captain Trahan was the only one I knew that could bring you to jail, and he was so kind you would thank him for bringing you to jail.”
Thibodeaux asked that the community keep Trahan’s family and fellow officers in its prayers during this time.
“There is no doubt in my mind that he will be watching over each one of us and keeping us out of harm’s way” Thibodeaux stated. “The Lord needed someone in Heaven with his kindness and generosity. I guess, but he sure took a great man that no one will ever be able to fill those shoes. Rest in peace my friend and brother until we meet again. You may be gone, but I can guarantee you that you will never be forgotten.”
