Derrick Levasseur didn’t just win Big Brother 16; he basically broke it. If you’ve spent any time in the dark corners of the BB fandom, you know his name is spoken with a mix of awe and a little bit of annoyance. Why? Because he made winning $500,000 look like a boring day at the office. While other players were screaming in the backyard or crying over a bowl of slop, Derrick was treating the house like a long-term undercover assignment.
He was a police sergeant from Rhode Island, but he told everyone he was a parks and rec coordinator. It worked. People didn't see a strategist; they saw "Papa Bear."
Why the Big Brother Derrick Levasseur Win Was Actually Historical
Most winners have a "moment." Dan Gheesling had his funeral. Dr. Will had his "I hate you all" speech. Derrick? His "moment" was the fact that he never actually had one—because he never had to.
Here is the stat that still blows minds: Derrick went through the entire 97-day season without ever being nominated for eviction. Not once. In a season with the "Battle of the Block" twist, where four people were on the block every single week, he somehow stayed invisible. Honestly, it shouldn’t have been possible. He wasn't just avoiding the block; he was the one deciding who sat on it.
The Undercover Edge in the House
Derrick’s background in law enforcement wasn't just a fun fact for his intro package. It was his entire engine. He didn't just talk to people; he interrogated them without them knowing. He used a "triangulation" technique where he’d tell three different people three slightly different versions of a story, then wait to see which version came back to him. That’s how he sniffed out rats.
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He formed "The Hitmen" with Cody Calafiore on Day 2. That alliance is arguably the most successful duo in the show's history. While they were part of the larger "Bomb Squad" and "The Detonators," Derrick and Cody were the real core. They were the ones whispering in the storage room at 3:00 AM while everyone else was asleep.
The way he managed Cody is a masterclass in psychology. Cody was a comp beast and socially well-liked, but Derrick convinced him that taking Victoria—the "goat" who hadn't won anything—to the Final 2 would be a "disrespectful" move to the game. It sounds crazy, right? But he got Cody to believe that taking Derrick was the "honorable" thing to do. Cody threw away an easy half-million dollars because he was so loyal to the guy who spent three months subtly manipulating him.
The "Boring" Dominance Misconception
You'll hear fans complain that Season 16 was a "snoozefest." They aren't totally wrong. When one person has total control, there isn't much room for those explosive "house-flipping" moments we love. Derrick's game was about suppression. He made sure no one else could make a move.
If someone started getting a "bright idea" to target him or Cody, Derrick would be there five minutes later, calmly explaining why that move would actually hurt them more than it would hurt him. He’d frame it as "looking out for you," when in reality, he was just trimming the hedges.
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Life After the BB House
Since he walked out of those doors in 2014, Derrick hasn't exactly slowed down. He didn't just take his check and disappear. He retired from the police force in 2017 and leaned hard into the true crime world. You’ve probably seen him on Investigation Discovery hosting Breaking Homicide.
He’s also become a massive figure in the podcasting space. If you’re into true crime, you likely know Crime Weekly, which he co-hosts with Stephanie Harlowe. They don't just recap cases; they dissect the evidence from an investigator's perspective. It’s a far cry from the "Team America" tasks he was doing for extra cash on Big Brother.
He also kept that BB connection alive with The Winner's Circle, a podcast he does with Cody. It’s funny to see them together now—no cameras, no slop, just two friends who happen to be some of the best to ever play the game.
What You Can Actually Learn from Derrick's Game
You don't have to be on a reality show to use the stuff Derrick did. His book, The Undercover Edge, basically breaks down how to use these social strategies in the real world.
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The biggest takeaway? Control the narrative without being the center of attention. Derrick didn't want to be the Loudest Guy. He wanted to be the guy everyone trusted. In any environment—a job, a social group, or a high-stakes competition—the person who listens most usually has the most power.
Where is he now?
As of 2026, Derrick is still deep in the investigative world. He runs Break Investigative Group and continues to push the boundaries of how true crime is covered in digital media. He recently dipped his toes back into the "game" world by appearing on The Traitors (Season 3), where he once again had to navigate a house full of lies.
Watching him on The Traitors was a trip because for the first time, people actually knew who he was. He wasn't the "parks and rec guy" anymore. He was the target. And that’s the ultimate irony of being as good as Derrick Levasseur: the better you play, the harder it is to ever play again.
To really get how he did it, you should go back and watch the "Live Feed" highlights from Week 3 of Season 16. That’s when the house was in chaos with Devin Shepherd, and you can literally see Derrick sitting in the background, watching, waiting, and slowly pulling the strings to stabilize the situation in his favor. It's the blueprint for how to win a game without ever having to fight for your life.
If you want to apply this yourself, start by practicing active listening. Next time you're in a group setting, try to figure out what everyone really wants before you speak. It's how Derrick kept his hands clean while the rest of the house was covered in mud.