Sheriff Pohlmann and Maj. Clark tell D.A.R.E. program graduates they must make the right choices in life and use the tools they have been given

At Lynn Oaks School, D.A.R.E. essay winners in front row are Taylin Naquin, Megan Weiss and Anthony Perez. In back row are Lt. Richard Jackson, Chief Deputy Richard Baumy, D.A.R,E. program coordinator Lt. Lisa Jackson, Maj. Chad Clark and D.A.R.E. instructor Sgt. Darrin Miller.

At Joseph Davies Elementary, from left in front row are Principal Donna Schultz, and DA.R.E. essay winners Blake Allemand, Grace Abba, Avani Miller and Quentin Marshall. In back are Sgt. Darrin Miller, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Maj, Chad Clark and Capt. Ronnie Martin.

Parents video and take photos of students at Lacoste Elementary doing their D.A.R.E. song at the close of the ceremony.

Maj. Chad Clark speaks to students at Lacoste Elementary.

Sheriff James Pohlmann told children graduating the 5th-grade Drug Abuse Resistance Education program they must concentrate on making the right choices to have productive lives, including listening to their parents and teachers and deciding who they should and shouldn’t associate with.

And he praised parents for turning out for graduation ceremonies at schools and encouraged them to continue staying focused on their children, including talking often with them and looking for warning signs to help prevent drug use or be alerted to them actually using drugs.

Children at Lacoste Elementary, Joseph Davies Elementary and Lynn Oaks were recognized for completing a 12-week program in Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., taught by instructors from the Sheriff’s Office – a program aimed at trying to keep kids from using drugs including tobacco and alcohol or taking part in violence or bullying others.

If necessary, drug test kits are available at pharmacies to test young people, the sheriff told parents. If there is a problem it is important to rescue them before they become involved in the criminal justice system and end up in prison, the sheriff said.

Maj. Chad Clark, commander of the Special Investigations Division including the Narcotics Unit, said it takes the kind of education effort given by Sheriff’s Office drug resistance instructors at parish schools to affect the drug problem in America and solid law enforcement to stop drug dealers.

“We can’t arrest ourselves out of this problem,’’ Clark said, noting there are more than 100,000 deaths in America each year from drug-related causes, including some in St. Bernard Parish. The resurgence of the drug heroin is concerning law enforcement and health care officials nationwide.

But Clark said overdose deaths have been going down in the parish because of a combination of factors including law enforcement diligence.

Several hundred 5th-grade students graduate each semester from the D.A.R.E. program given by St. Bernard sheriff’s officers Lt. Lisa Jackson, commander of the program, and Sgt. Darrin Miller. The D.A.R.E. program, held in both public and private schools, was re-established in 2009, four years after Hurricane Katrina.

“Learn the warning signs of drug use,’’ in young people, Sheriff Pohlmann said to parents, including:

– Loss of interest in things they used to do such as sports, dance or reading.
– Hanging around with new groups of friends unknown to parents.
– Sudden attitude or mood swings.
– Sudden problems connected with school and academics.

Talk regularly with your children and be familiar with their friends, the sheriff said.

If parents see signs of possible problems, don’t be hesitant to ask what is happening. “It’s not something they will grow out of and it needs to be addressed,’’ the sheriff said.

Maj. Clark told children they have received the tools they need to begin making right choices. He also said parents can call the SID Division at 271-DOPE (3673) to make an appointment if they want to discuss any particular problem involving their children and drugs.

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Sheriff’s Office opens sub-station on St. Claude Avenue at parish line in Arabi; Two other sub-stations being built on Judge Perez Drive in Arabi and Paris Road in Chalmette; all three paid for by FEMA

A long-awaited new sub-station on St. Claude Avenue at the parish line in Arabi has been opened and two others on Judge Perez Drive in Arabi and on Paris Road in Chalmette are being built, with all three paid for by FEMA funds.

“I am proud to stand in front of this magnificent building that will serve this community for years,’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann told a crowd at a Dec. 10 ribbon-cutting, which included Sheriff’s Office employees, representatives of FEMA and the contracting, engineering and architecture firms which did the job.

The new sub-station, which is 8,193 square feet, is at 6501 St. Claude Ave. next to the Jackson Barracks National Guard base. It will house the offices of the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, Juvenile Investigations Bureau, Crime Scene investigations including facilities to process evidence, the sex offender registry and investigation of domestic violence cases.

“It will fit our needs for today and the future,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said of the raised building.

It is the first of three sub-stations to open that are all being paid for with a pool of money provided by FEMA, at no additional cost to the Sheriff’s Office or parish residents. The one on St. Claude cost $2,187,030.

The three new sub-stations will also be a part of the Sheriff’s Office crime suppression strategy and should give residents “peace of mind’’ that the parish can be effectively shut down in case of an emergency, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Work has also started on a 5,000 square-foot station being built at 7001 West Judge Perez Drive at Aycock Street in Arabi.

The stations at the parish line in Arabi replace the two sub-stations which stood there prior to Hurricane Katrina, the sheriff said.

There is also a 5,000 square-foot building planned for 4700 Paris Road, being built with the help of a donation of one square block of prime real estate by the Meraux Foundation

That one will replace a sub-station building the Sheriff’s Office has been leasing for years near the Orleans line on Paris Road. The savings in rent will be used to pay utilities on the three new sub-stations from FEMA money.

Both of those being built should be finished at roughly the same time in 2015.

When the stations in Arabi were built in the 1990s, Sheriff Pohlmann said, they were a psychological deterrent to criminals from outside St. Bernard who could see police were there and would know if they committed a crime they would have to leave the parish past those stations.

“I know it worked as a crime prevention measure,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “It still has that potential and could be essential for us.’’

The sheriff also said it was fortunate the Sheriff’s Office, with the help of the land donation on Paris Road from Floyd and Rita Gue of the Meraux Foundation, both of who were present for the ribbon-cutting on the new building on Dec. 10, was able to build three new sub-stations with money from FEMA.

“We had a limited amount of money and needed to make sure we spent every dollar wisely,’’ he said, thanking Maj.Pete Tufaro of the Sheriff’s Office for the job he did as project manager for the department and also thanked head of Administration John Vickers.

Sheriff Pohlmann especially thanked FEMA, the Governor’s Office for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, or GOHSEP, and officials of CDM Smith Inc., which handled the project while working with FEMA and the Sheriff’s Office. Drayfus Guient of CDM Smith and grant consultant Douglas Landry were present.

John Connolly, FEMA Louisiana Recovery Office Public Assistance Emergency Management Specialist, has said the Sheriff’s Office created its vision of how to use the FEMA money available to get the most value for the department, in this case getting all three new sub-stations.

Dwight Butler and Jenny Campora, both of FEMA, were there with Connolly, as well as Glenda Bocking of GOHSEP.

The sub-station was built by the ICON Construction group represented at the ceremony by Lyle Landry and Dale Turgeau.

Joe Crowley and Paul Jarboe were there from the Perez APC architectural firm, while the firm of Infinity Engineering Consultants was represented by Rachel Kenney, Marc Buras, Greg Lintinger and Greg Pier.

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Sheriff gives safety tips for holiday season; Also reminds parents to be cautious about children’s activities during school break

With a child in one hand and bags in the other, people shopping during the heightened excitement and stress of Christmas and New Year’s activities can be targets for criminals, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Whether St. Bernard residents are in the parish or elsewhere during the holidays as they shop for gifts or visit others, the sheriff said they should take precautions to avoid becoming a victim of theft or robbery.

“Remember to pay close attention to your surroundings in and outside of stores.’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.
“It’s possible someone may be watching to take advantage of those people distracted while busily rushing from place to place,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“Holidays are a time when people often are on the go and could let their guard down,” he said. “Just remember to follow common sense safety tips to reduce the chances of anything going wrong.’’

Here is some advice for having a safe and holiday time, Sheriff Pohlmann said:

Pay attention to where you park while shopping and, at night park only in areas that are well-lit, and then lock all doors. Once in a store, men should protect their wallets from pickpockets and women should remember not to leave their purses unattended in shopping carts and don’t put them down on counters or floors where they can be taken.

Escort children to a restroom because minors could be photographed, molested or, worst of all, abducted if left alone in public restrooms. If shopping in a large store or mall establish a meeting place in case parents and children become separated.

If possible, all parties should have cell phones to contact one another. Tell your children in advance that if they become separated from you they should go only to a store clerk or security officer for help, and not to a stranger who doesn’t work in the store.

When leaving a store for a vehicle, scan the parking lot for any suspicious activities, people standing in a group in one area or sitting in a vehicle watching patrons leave. At night, you may want to ask a store officer to escort you. If walking alone, leave from a door nearest your parked vehicle, have your vehicle keys in hand and, once inside, lock the doors before leaving your parking space.

Also, when children are out of school for holiday breaks, parents need to be proactive and ask where they will be and establish times for them to check in, just as they would in summer.

Cell phones are the best method of directly staying in touch with teen-age minors who are away from their parents, but if they are going to another teen-ager’s home parents should insist on knowing the telephone number of an adult who will be there.

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Sheriff’s Office holds Appreciation Dinner for its Reserve Division and receives a donation from the Meraux Foundation for helping with their public events

The Reserve Division of the Sheriff’s Office, a volunteer officer group that continues to build back up, was the beneficiary of a donation from the Meraux Foundation at an Appreciation Dinner for the 24 officers involved.

“We appreciate it when others want to help us protect St. Bernard Parish and our men and women deputies who do the job each day,’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann said, adding the Reserve Division is special because the officers volunteer without pay and help supplement department manpower.

At a Dec. 4 Appreciation Dinner for Reserve Division members, Floyd and Rita Gue of the Meraux Foundation were guests and announced they were making a cash donation to the Reserves for the work the division does at their events held for the public. They also gave a donation in 2013.

Mrs. Gue told Reserve Division officers, as well as Sheriff Pohlmann and Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy, that, “I am proud to be a part’’ of helping the Reserves re-build.

Reserve Division officers have worked many public events held on their property, she said, including the Sugar Festival in Arabi, the Jambalya Festival and the Blues in the Parish Festival, both held at Docville in Violet. “I think of all the hours they have worked,’’ Mrs. Gue said of the volunteer officers.

Centurion Arms and Vinson Uniforms donated gift certificates given to Reserve officers at the Appreciation Dinner. The Knights of Columbus Council in Chalmette also contributed to the Appreciation Dinner, which was held at their hall on Paris Road in Chalmette.

At the dinner, Reserve Division Capt. Joe Ricca and Reserve Division Sgt. Albert Loar both received plaques presented by Sheriff Pohlmann honoring them for 20 years of dedicated service to the Reserve Division.

Sheriff Pohlmann also said he is grateful to the Reserve Division members who donate their time, saying their standard for qualifying is the same as for full-time deputies and noted several members recently were hired to be regular deputies.

“I would like to get the Reserve Division up to about 40 or even 50 members,’’ the sheriff said. “We could use that many.’’

Any St. Bernard Parish resident interested in applying to be a member of the Reserve Division can contact its coordinator, Capt. Charles Borchers, at (504) 278-7628 for more information.

Applicants must have a clean police record, be a high school graduate who is 21 or older and would like to serve their community.

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2014 Property Tax Notices mailed out; Due by 2 p.m. this Dec. 31

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, in accordance with Louisiana law, has mailed the 2014 property tax notices via U.S. mail to parish property owners and the taxes must be paid by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014.

These notices were mailed to the address on file as provided to the St. Bernard Parish Tax Assessor’s Office. Property owners should have received these notices by now.

If anyone receives a tax notice for property they no longer own, please notify the sheriff’s Civil Tax Office at 504-271-2504 during regular business hours – Monday through Thursday – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.

If a property owner has moved and hasn’t received their 2014 tax bill, they need to call both the Sheriff’s Office to give their new mailing address so the tax bill can be sent to them and must call or visit the St. Bernard Tax Assessor’s office to give their permanent address change.

The Tax Assessor’s office is in a building at 2118 Jackson Blvd., directly behind the Parish Courthouse which is on West St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette. The Tax Assessor’s number is 504-279-6379.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office only maintains the address change for the current mailing. The Assessor’s Office keeps the permanent address.

Property taxes for 2014 become delinquent after 2 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2014.

Tax bills can be paid at the Sheriff’s Civil Tax office located on the 2nd-floor of the Sheriff’s Annex, at No. 2 Courthouse Square. The Annex – which is raised above ground – faces Pakenham Drive and is the second of two buildings directly behind the Courthouse.

The Civil Tax office will be closed Dec. 24, 25 and 26 for the Christmas holiday and will re-open at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 29. It will close at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31 – at which time any property taxes not paid will be delinquent – then will be closed New Year’s Day and re-open at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 2.

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12 deputies graduate 90-hour course dealing with working in a corrections environment

Twelve St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies recently graduated a 90-hour Corrections Division course in Peace Officers Standards and Training, or P.O.S.T., dealing with working in a prison environment or Juvenile Detention Center.

P.O.S.T. Corrections is aimed at preparing deputies for their careers in Corrections. Topics covered in the training include defensive tactics, use of pepper spray which involved each deputy being pepper-sprayed to deal with its effects, booking procedures, writing reports and other aspects of working in corrections.

Members of the class including deputies and an instructor were, from left, Christopher Manno, Instructor Lt. Dennis Morgan, Thomas Murana, Blake Kelly, Robert Maloz, Keri Krenkel, Matthew Schmill, Rosalyn Cantrell, Richard Chauppetta III, Lowell Horne Jr., Kyle Brown, Alan Clomburg Jr., and Jeremy Lobre.

Three Corrections Division instructors not pictured include Capt. Andre Dominick, Capt. Adrian Chalona and Cpl. Brandon Lewis.

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Sheriff’s Office C.O.P.S. for Christmas program is helping two Chalmette families for the holidays

When the holidays come around, it’s time for the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office C.O.P.S. for Christmas program – standing for Caring Officers Provide Smiles for Christmas.

Officers primarily from the Communications Division and the Corrections Division, who formed the group several years ago, donate money and get other help to provide at least one needy family a Thanksgiving dinner and at Christmas family presents, a tree and Christmas dinner.

This year two Chalmette families were selected based on referrals from a school and a day care center.
Katie Boehm of Chalmette, a single mother with three children, works full-time while going to paramedic training classes at night. That is about to change when she will soon have to take full-time classes that will affect her working and finances will be limited.

“It will help us a lot,’’ Boehm said, to get help for Thanksgiving and Christmas. “I appreciate it.’’
The other family being helped is that of Angelina Jarreau of Chalmette.

This is the fourth year the C.O.P.S. for Christmas program has been held.

“Participation is growing every year,’’ said Col. David Mowers, head of the Corrections Division which initiated the effort and was joined by the Communications Division. “Now we are getting participation from people in the Patrol Division and others.

Mowers said it gives people a good feeling to be able to help others and it also lets them see directly who is being helped.

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