03/23/2025
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Sheriff Randy Smith and the men and women of the STPSO are heartbroken to share that we are suffering an unimaginable loss. Early this morning, Sergeant Grant Candies was killed in the line of duty while attempting to deploy spike strips on Interstate 10 near the Oak Harbor exit. The perpetrator, fleeing from a pursuit, struck him, taking the life of a husband, a father, a Marine, a mentor, and a true leader among his peers.
Sergeant Candies was the kind of deputy every agency hopes to have. He spent five years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, three years on inactive duty, and carried that same dedication and discipline into his career in law enforcement when he joined the STPSO in 2016. βππππππ£π ππ§π€π’ π©ππ ππ§π€π£π©" is a principle he carried into his role as a Field Training Officer in the Criminal Patrol Division. To him, training new deputies wasnβt just about teaching tactics, but it was about shaping them into the kind of deputies who serve with integrity, courage, and compassion.
His path to law enforcement was one of fate and devotion to his family, to his community, and to a calling greater than himself. Originally from Luling, Sergeant Candies grew up watching his father serve with the St. Charles Parish Sheriffβs Office for over 30 years. Though he once dreamed of becoming a Marine Corps pilot, meeting his wife, Courtney, at Southeastern Louisiana State University changed his trajectory. Love anchored him here, in St. Tammany Parish, where he chose to serve and protect the place his family calls home.
More than anythingβ¦Grant was a family man. He and Courtney built a beautiful life together, raising their two children, Brenna and Bryson, with the same values he carried every day, strength, kindness, and unwavering commitment. Whether he was teaching his kids how to hunt and fish, working on their small farm, or simply enjoying time together, he was the kind of dad every kid deservesβ¦the fun kind, the protective kind, the kind who made sure his family knew they were loved beyond measure.
Grant never did this job for recognition, but his leadership spoke volumes. He was named Deputy of the Year for 2023, and true to his humble nature, his response was simple: βWhen my team succeeds, I have succeeded.β He didnβt care about titles or awards. He cared about people, about doing the right thing, and about making a difference.
So, while we grieve, we also honor. We remember a man who lived with purpose, who led with strength, and who left behind a legacy that wonβt be forgotten. His laughter, his wisdom, his driveβ¦they will carry on in the deputies he mentored, in the family he adored, and in the community he gave his life to protect.
Rest easy, Sergeant Candies. Your watch may have ended, but your impact will never fade.
End of Watch: March 23, 2025 ππ€π
