Captain Patrick J. Yoes has worked his way through the ranks, first serving as a uniform patrol deputy, corporal and sergeant in the Patrol Division. He was reassigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, where he served as a detective for five years. When Sheriff Greg Champagne assumed office in 1996, Captain Yoes was tapped to command the newly created Special Services Department. Captain Patrick J. Yoes earned his Bachelors of Science in Organizational Leadership from Mountain State University. He also received an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice degree from Nicholls State University and is a graduate of the 196th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.”  Captain Patrick J. Yoes is the author of Chest Deep and Rising: The Hurricane Katrina Nightmare.

According to the book description of Chest Deep and Rising: The Hurricane Katrina Nightmare, it “is an astonishing look at the events before, during and after the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005, from a unique point of view: a first responder in St. Charles Parish, 20 miles west of New Orleans, one of the people whose assignment was to protect life and property during extraordinary conditions. “Chest Deep and Rising conveys a moment when the future seemed out of reach, and out of control. It was a time when our world collapsed all around us. It was a time of ever-changing challenges, unspeakable horrors, and survival. Equally important, it was a time of bravery, heroic acts, and selfless devotion by America’s first responders.” – Patrick Yoes, author of Chest Deep and Rising.”

One reader of Chest Deep and Rising: The Hurricane Katrina Nightmare said, “Of all memoirs I have read about the rescue operations into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina no one captures the true spirit and facts of that period better than Pat. Pat took all of our personal journals and pulled them together into a factual record that captures the emotions of the moment and the men and women who worked tirelessly to help those in need. His book brings to the forefront the men and women who stepped forward in a time of great need and crisis and made a difference in the lives of those they rescued. He brings life to those who would not be alive today if it had not been for the unselfish and heroic efforts of the many first responders who to this day will humbly and genuinely tell you that they were just doing their job.”

One reader of Chest Deep and Rising: The Hurricane Katrina Nightmare said, “This was an excellent insider view of the hurricane. The writer has given an account that is more personal than the news accounts we saw during the hurricane. As a first responder he took risks on a daily basis to help all the surrounding communities survive.  It makes clear the amount of preparation a community and it's first responders must make years in advance to survive a crisis. Some of the communities were ready and some were not.”

About the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office

The Louisiana Legislature added the office of sheriff in 1810. Appointed to serve a three-year term, the sheriff was also to serve as ex-officio tax collector for the parish. A constitutional provision approved by the Legislature in 1845 changed the sheriff's job to an elected post. Unlike sheriffs in other states, Louisiana sheriffs are responsible for enforcing all laws, providing patrol and investigations, operating the parish's correctional center and collecting all taxes - property and inheritance.”

Today, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office is a full service law enforcement agency that employs 358 full-time employees and is led by the Sheriff, one deputy chief, four majors and seven captains.  The Patrol Department consists of 68 deputies that are deployed in patrol shifts, K9 units, marine patrols and traffic patrol. 

In addition, of the specially trained homicide detectives, two are further trained to investigate child fatalities. In homicide cases involving children, the CID detectives work with JID investigators -- also specially trained in investigating the intricacies of such cases. The Bureau, and more specifically, the CID works closely with a regionally based task force. Led by State Police investigators, information-sharing meetings are held monthly.”