LAFAYETTE PARISH — If you visit the Lafayette Police Memorial at the Lafayette Police Department, the name of Senior Corporal Segus Jolivette has been newly inscribed, just seven years after that of Corporal Michael Middlebrook. Jolivette and Middlebrook, both officers in Precinct 4 of North Lafayette, shared a special bond.
"Talking to my dad, they were very close and worked closely together," said Ajah Jolivette, Segus Jolivette's daughter.
Detective David Sibley, a close family friend who worked with both officers, emphasized the importance Jolivette placed on remembering Middlebrook. Jolivette kept a picture of Middlebrook in his garage, a space he often occupied. "We would teach our kids all the time about Michael, and that legacy is going to live on because we are going to carry on the legacy of Segus Jolivette," Sibley said.
Jolivette joined the Lafayette Police Department on November 5, 2013. According to Sibley, Jolivette was an officer his colleagues could always rely on for help. "It made him a phenomenal negotiator. We would always lean on Segus to deescalate a situation if things were bad. Segus had a way of building rapport with people and getting them to open up," Sibley recalled.
Jolivette also provided a safe space for his fellow officers. "People aren't calling 9-1-1 because they're having a good time. I could always go to Segus after a call and kind of lighten the mood and get a smile," Sibley added.
Segus was someone you could talk to about anything, and fortunately most of our conversations ended up revolving around our families. Family vacations and camping trips are usually my favorite topic, and Segus did not miss the opportunity to talk about his family. He was always smiling, and his smile could sometimes be infectious. Segus was a compassionate and caring person who would give anything to help those who needed it.
Now, the Lafayette Police Department is rallying to support Jolivette's family. Jolivette's sister-in-law, Adrienne Cesar, shared a touching moment from two days after his death, when officers noticed she had a flat tire and changed it in front of Jolivette's youngest son, Asher. She said the moment showed Asher that his dad's "brothers in blue" would always be there to help.
"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure his family is taken care of. The entire department and this community are coming together to make sure that this family is taken care of," Sibley said.
It's obvious to anyone who knows him, but Segus was easy to like and easy to get along with. He was always quick to laugh and have a good time. He was kind-hearted and charitable, but stern if the need arose. He was open-minded and humble, yet prideful like no one else. He wore his uniform with dignity for the job that we do. Those are all things that I wish to be more like in his honor. Segus was a good man who loved his family dearly, and he will be missed.
Cesar reflected on Jolivette's commitment to his community. "He could have known what was to be ahead of him; he still would have answered the call that day," Cesar said.
Although I only had the privilege of supervising Segus for the past year and a half, it was evident that he took great pride in being a police officer and serving the citizens of Lafayette. Segus would frequently call or meet up with me to ask questions as he strived to improve himself as an officer. Segus was dedicated to serving his community and his agency by volunteering to serve on the Honor Guard, the Crisis Negotiator Team, and as a Shift Trainer. Through his commitment to helping each of these units, his family remained extremely important to him. He would often meet up with me in between calls just to speak about his wife and children. Seeing Segus's smile as he spoke about his family is something that I'll never forget. Although he was taken from us too soon, he will never be forgotten, and we will continue to honor him each day we report for duty.
Sibley concluded, "He gave the ultimate sacrifice and he's never going to be forgotten. We're always going to remember him. It's the definition of selfless service."
