Columbus Police Officer Aaron Evrard was recognized as October’s Officer of the Month for his work in the Jilani Platt homicide case.
Evrard has been with the department for about a year. He was among the first hires last fall in the city’s attempt to add 100 police officers to the streets.
Evrard, 37, said he was proud of the honor.
“It’s pretty awesome to be pretty new at this and getting pats on the back,” he said.
Evrard was recognized for his work on the Platt case when it was initially a missing person investigation. The 26-year-old woman, who was nine weeks pregnant, was reported missing Oct. 3 by family members. Evrard began working on the case right away and put in extra effort into talking to people and collecting more information.
The officer said he sensed she could be in danger.
“I just felt like there was more to this,” Evrard said.
Platt’s body was found two days later in a retention pond near Schatulga Road, several miles from her Crystal Court home. Her husband, Zyderrious Platt, 31, was charged with murder in connection with her death.
Though this is Evrard’s first job in law enforcement, he has worked in public service before as a pre-trial investigator for a county in Maryland. He also once owned a transportation business that would shuttle at-risk youth in custody to homes and therapeutic programs.
Evrard was honored Friday in a department ceremony, where he received an Officer of the Month plaque.
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