New Orleans Police Department Officer of the Year!

Detective Lamar Rana Lewis

Why are you nominating this officer? How long have you worked with or supervised this officer?
It is an honor to nominate Detective Lamar Rana Lewis for the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust­ Crimestoppers Officer of the Year Award. Detective Lamar Lewis has (16) years of dedicated service with the New Orleans Police Department. I have had the pleasure of supervising Detective Lewis for three years in the Special Victims Division/Child Abuse Unit. Detective Lewis is an exemplary detective. He has investigated some of the city's highest profile cases involving harm to children. Detective Lewis is also tasked with sexual assault investigations of adult survivors and his performance of his investigatory duties has been nothing short of excellent.

Detective Lewis will not leave any stone unturned. He is a father and a grandfather and works each investigation as if it was his own family member. He is always available to the survivors he serves. When he receives a case, he will work until justice is served. He often stays well pass of tour of duty to complete his cases. He has developed relationships with our city agencies and outside agencies through his investigative efforts. Detective Lewis works with these agencies and advocates to provide services to our survivors and capture suspects who seek refuge in our surrounding parishes. He is an accomplished detective and deserving of recognition for his performance.

What positions has this officer held within your agency?
Detective Lewis started his career in the Fourth District where he served as a platoon officer. He was later assigned to the District Task Force conducting proactive patrol for about (5) five years. Detective Lewis served in the Fourth District as a Detective in the District Investigative Unit where he harnessed his skills as an investigator for four years prior to his assigned in the Special Victim Division. He has been assigned to the Special Victims Division with the New Orleans Police Department since 2020 and is presently assigned to the Night Watch. As a dedicated member of the Night Watch, Detective Lewis investigates both Sex Crime and Child Abuse cases.

Under the specific qualifications cited in our qualifications, please provide example(s) of what has this officer done that merits their nomination?
Detective Lewis entered the field of Child Abuse and Sex Crimes investigations with the core belief, that this is not just a job but a call to duty. From when he started his journey into law enforcement sixteen years ago, he always wanted to help children and those vulnerable in the city of New Orleans. 

He always wanted to stand in front of those who could not stand up for themselves; he is a guardian in our city. Detective Lewis will pursue a lead tenaciously, knowing that a predator cannot be left on the streets to harm again. He takes the pain of his survivors personally...he feels their struggle to survive what they have been through. It fuels his drive towards closure for his survivors. It forces him into overdrive in capturing a suspect. 

He has developed partnerships with other agencies because he understands that solving the case doesn't stop at the border of our city. If the perpetrator has crossed over, Detective Lewis follows with the fortitude that the bordering community is not safe until the suspect is captured. The success of his investigations are rooted in his ability to partner with others, with the understanding that we are all in the same fight and we are all seeking the same outcome. He is always available to his partners from other agencies and is always willing to help his fellow detectives in his unit. He is honorable in his duties and commitment to excellence in serving the citizens of New Orleans.

Is there a specific event which stands out that expresses how this officer has gone above and beyond the call of duty to assist?
In the New Orleans Police Department Fourth District, Detective Lewis was assigned a missing person's case from the 1980's where a child went missing during a residential fire. Detective Lewis raised awareness for the family and worked with outside agencies for age progression photographs. He is currently working on another documentary with the same agencies on the case in efforts to bring awareness until she is reunited with her family.

Detective Lewis investigated an aggravated rape of a college student who was kidnapped by the suspect and relocated to a secluded area of the city. The student was sexual assaulted and robbed before being let go. Detective Lewis worked on the investigation through the night finding the suspect residence in Jefferson Parish. The suspect was arrested before the survivor was released from the hospital.

Detective Lewis has aggressively pursued charges against careless owners of firearms, where guns have been left unsecure in children's reach. Detective Lewis has worked on cases where children have fatally wounded themselves and has held the gun owner accountable. Detective Lewis recently worked on a case where the subject left a stolen firearm with the safety off on the bed with a four-year-old. The four-year-old fatally wounded himself and the subject was apprehended and arrested within hours. Cases like these take a toll on the detectives emotionally and physically, but Detective Lewis always pushed his feelings and gave his all to complete his investigations.

Detective Lewis investigated a house fire in New Orleans East where three children under the age of nine were murdered. Their father deliberately set the house on fire with his children inside. In this cruel act, he called the children's mother to tell her his intensions; the children could be heard screaming for their mother over the phone. Being present on this scene, seeing the children who suffered such a horrible death was immensely emotional for everyone present on that day.

Detective Lewis pushed through the pain and worked tirelessly to bring the suspect to justice. Agencies from all surrounding parishes, the U.S. Marshalls, Fire Departments, LA State Police and the Department of Children and Family Services all came together outraged by this heinous act. No one stopped until the suspect was apprehended. For Detective Lewis, the fight wasn't over because an arrest was made. Detective Lewis continues the investigation day in and out to make sure that justice is served for the three victims.

How is this officer described by their peers?
Detective Lewis is loved by his peers. In receiving the unit's detective of the year award, everyone said he deserved it, yet Detective Lewis only recognized his awesome team in his acceptance speech. He is described as humble and a "good dude" who you can always count on to show up. Detective Lewis is a leader and often counsels his peers through tough investigations. He is described as their friend and is there for his peer's life challenges. He has helped his peers in coping with the things they see in their field of investigations that would shock the conscious a citizen.

Has this officer received other awards or citations for outstanding service?
(Recognition for acts of heroism or bravery: preserving or protecting human life with or without exposing oneself to danger; outstanding service to the community; involvement in the furtherance of crime prevention; voluntary service and exemplary acts.)

Detective Lewis was approved for a merit award from the New Orleans Police Department for his assistance with the capture of a suspect who shot at an officer as he drove up to the residence of a domestic battery call.

Detective Lewis received the 2022 Achievement Award for the Special Victims Division for his exceptional contribution of hard work, determination, passion, and high standard of excellence in his work.

Detective Lewis was the 2023 recipient of the Special Victims Division - Child Abuse Unit Detective of the Year Award for his hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence among his peers