career in 1999 and has served in various roles in the New Orleans Police Department ( NOPD ) including Patrol , Investigations , and Administration . Matt took over his current role in 2017 . Matt remains commissioned as a New Orleans Police Sergeant in the Reserve Division , where he works as one of the agency ’ s LGBTQ + liaisons . As you can see , he has a lot on his plate .
His furry friend at home , always waiting for him , is Bourbon , a three-year old Beagle . He was a rescue dog that Matt locally adopted from Pet Adoption Services on what they call his “ gotcha ” day , Oct . 29 , 2018 . Bourbon and his three siblings were found wandering in a park in Jefferson Parish .
When talking to Matt , I discovered some funny quirks about Bourbon ( which reminds me of one of my babies ). Matt says , “ Bourbon can ’ t keep a bed . He likes to chew holes in them , stick his head through the hole , then run around the house with the zoomies . My mom was dogsitting him one night , and he did just that . Then ran outside and started chasing squirrels with a bed around his neck . She snapped a pic to me .”
His response to the question led me to my next . How do you handle taking care of Bourbon when you have to put in long hours ? This is a legitimate concern for any parent ( and yes , four-legged children are our children too ). Matt answers , “ I have some of the most amazing friends . On days when I know I am going to work late , they ’ ll stop by the house to let him out or take him for a walk . Sometimes he goes to Mid-City Animal House , so he gets to play while I ’ m at work or traveling .”
Bourbon seems like a true NOLA Dog , and I wanted to finish the interview with cutest thing he does . According to Matt , Bourbon has a mean side-eye . He can throw shade with his eyes . He ’ ll cut them quick to let you know he ’ s judging you . So cute !
Next , I spoke with Sergeant Evan Cox with the NOPD Special Operations Division . Evan has been with NOPD for 17 years , and in law enforcement for 18 . For the majority of his career , he was assigned to investigative units , focusing on criminal intelligence . Currently , he supervises a group of investigators who attempt to locate and apprehend individuals who have engaged in violent crime but have not been apprehended . Evan is one of the team leaders for the department ’ s SWAT team and an adjunct instructor at the training academy . He also enjoys working festivals and special events to meet the wonderful and eclectic people who also call this beautiful place home .
It is his work for the NOPD that brought Evan ’ s fur baby Six into his life . He found Six while working in the Sixth district . He was a tiny puppy in the rear of an abandoned residence , alone , no food , water or shelter . After speaking to neighbors in the area , no one knew anything
Pets help their owners in myriad ways ; one of them is by relieving stress and helping them relax . Matt ’ s description on how Bourbon helps him handle stress was so heartwarming . “ Bourbon is a great release ! It ’ s like he knows my schedule . When I come home , he ’ s on the edge of the couch waiting to greet me with his tail wagging . First thing first is we go for his evening walk . It gives me a chance to clear my mind and him a chance to take care of business . During the spring and summer , he enjoys hanging out by the pool just as much as his humans do . There ’ s one day a year that I get to bring him to work — for the Barkus parade . Our office leads the parade with the NolaReady car and our pups . It ’ s always a fun day around the office .”