Sheriff’s office mobile command post to lead Irish, Italian, Islenos parade and give updates throughout

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann reminds residents they can check the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Saturday (April 1) for location updates and live video streaming of the 2017 St. Bernard Irish, Italian, Islenos Community Parade.

A sheriff’s deputy on board the department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center, which leads the parade, will post regular location updates on Facebook beginning at noon and throughout the duration of the parade.
“We have been doing location updates for parades for several years now and have received many appreciative comments from residents,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “We hope spectators find it helpful to know when the parade will approach them or if there is going to be a delay.’’

The department’s mobile command post, acquired through a federal grant, essentially controls the running of the parade by coordinating closures of main cross streets as the parade approaches and making adjustments in the speed of the procession.

This year’s Irish, Italian, Islenos parade will feature 400,000 pounds of produce being tossed by riders on more than 50 floats. The cast of the A&E television show “Nightwatch New Orleans” will be the grand marshals. Cast members riding include: Holly Monteleone, Dann Flynn, Titus Tero, Nick Manning and Keeley Williams. Reigning as the 2017 King and Queen are Katherine and Barry Lemoine.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office accepting applications for Reserve Division deputies

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for Reserve Division volunteer officers to supplement its regular force of sheriff’s deputies, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“Our Reserve Division plays an important role in supplementing our police force in specific situations, including working during large scale events such as festivals, parades and athletic events throughout the parish,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “ Many have gone on to become full-time, paid sheriff’s deputies and are still with us.”

Capt. Charles Borchers, commander of the Reserve Division, said reserve officers are unpaid, volunteer deputies.

“You do not need a background in law enforcement,” Borchers said. “We provide all training and supply uniforms as well.”

To apply, Borchers said a person must meet the following criteria:

-Live in St. Bernard Parish
-Be at least 21 years old
-Have earned a high school diploma or GED
-Have a clean police record; background checks will be conducted.

For more information, or to obtain an application, contact Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Sgt. Eric Eilers at (504) 278-7799.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office on duty at Louisiana Crawfish Festival

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office will be on patrol throughout this weekend’s Louisiana Crawfish Festival in Chalmette. Setting up barricades in front of the department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center are, from left: Sgt. Eric Eilers, Capt. Charles Borchers and Capt. Bret Bowen.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Dep. Richard Scheuermann, right, oversees inmate trustees as they unload barricades in preparation for tonight’s opening of the 42nd Annual Knights of Columbus Louisiana Crawfish Festival in Chalmette. Members of the Sheriff’s Office will be on patrol throughout the duration of the festival, which opens tonight at 5 p.m. and runs through Sunday at 10 p.m.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said deputies will be on patrol throughout this weekend’s Louisiana Crawfish Festival as it celebrates its 42nd year of serving up the tasty crustaceans every way imaginable.

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Rummel Council 5747, the festival, set for today through Sunday (March 23-26), draws more than 100,000 spectators annually who descend on the grounds of the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette to enjoy live music, rides, crafts and plenty of boiled crawfish, as well as specialty dishes like crawfish bread, crawfish soup and crawfish étouffée.

Sheriff Pohlmann said deputies will walk the grounds and keep a watchful eye on the crowd from high above in the department’s Sky Watch center throughout the duration of the fair. Festival hours are today from 5 to 11 p.m., Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center also will be on the grounds of the festival.

With the exception of Thursday, visitors will have to pay $5 per person to enter one of four entrances on site. For more information, check out the festival’s Facebook page or visit http://louisianacrawfishfestival.com.

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St. Bernard deputies speak to students about the dangers of cyberbullying

Several deputies with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office juvenile division recently facilitated a talk with a group of middle school students about the dangers of using social media, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

During the lecture held March 16 at N.P. Trist Middle School in Meraux, Capt. Mark Jackson, Lt. Michelle Canepa, Det. Donald Shreve and Det. Joe Warren were accompanied by an agent from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Bureau of Investigations Cyber Crime Unit.

Students in sixth through eighth grades were educated on the risks involved with cyberbullying, or using technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person. Students were given information on how to recognize cyberbullying, as well as advice on how to respond to certain situations that may arise.

Trist Principal Denise Pritchard also took part in the lecture.

“We have been having more and more problems arising from social media pouring into our schools,” Pritchard said. “We have been spending a lot of time investigating things on social media that are disrupting learning time so we wanted to bring in some professionals to offer their expertise in this area and speak directly to the students.”

For more information about cyberbullying, or to organize an educational talk, contact the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office juvenile division at (504) 278-7749, or Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Investigations Division at (225) 326-6100.

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St. Bernard deputies graduate from POST basic police academy

Three St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies graduated March 10 from the Peace Officers Standards and Training, or P.O.S.T., basic police academy held at the Kenner Regional Training Center.

Graduates are: Dep. Sarah Perkins and Dep. William Serigne, both of the Corrections Division; and Dep. Crystal Kelly, from the Communications Division.

The academy includes about 400 hours of training in basic police work, including firearms use, criminal investigation, patrol procedures, writing reports, driving training and physical fitness.

Dep. Perkins was named top firearms shooter among the academy graduates.

Representing the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at the ceremony were: Maj. Angela Huff, Capt. Dennis Morgan and Capt. Chad Silcio.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division receives bullet proof vest

Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Chalmette recently donated a bullet proof vest to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Each year, Gethsemane holds an Oktoberfest on the church grounds which features German style food, live music, games and crafts. Steven Brandt, a church council member, said proceeds from the annual event are donated to worthy causes in the parish.

“This year, we decided one of the organizations we wanted to help was the Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division,” Brandt said.

The Second Chance bullet proof vest, which cost approximately $500 and was specially fitted, will be used by Reserve Dep. Monica D’Antoni, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Anyone interested in joining the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division can call Capt. Charles Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Sgt. Eric Eilers at (504) 278-7799 for more information.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participates in Special Olympics

Sheriff James Pohlmann walks with students during opening ceremonies at this year’s Special Olympics held at Chalmette High.

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office cheering on some of the children running in the 2017 Special Olympics are, from left: Capt. Mark Jackson, Det. Daniel Carreras and Col. Chad Clark.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Col. Chad Clark cheers on some of the runners at this year’s Special Olympics.

Sheriff James Pohlmann gets an impromptu drum lesson from Teron Lewis during opening ceremonies of the St. Bernard Parish Public School System’s 2017 Louisiana Special Olympics.

Sheriff James Pohlmann and members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office helped St. Bernard Parish special-needs students have their turn in the spotlight on Friday, March 17 at the St. Bernard Parish Public School System’s 2017 Louisiana Special Olympics.

More than 100 students participated in this year’s event which was held under beautiful blue skies on the track and football fields at Chalmette High School’s Bobby Nuss Stadium in Chalmette.

Sheriff Pohlmann said members of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau and Special Investigation and Marine divisions assisted special-needs students compete in a variety of track and field events throughout the day, including the softball throw, standing long jump, 100-meter run and wheelchair race.

“Our deputies should be proud of the work they’ve done at Special Olympics over the last several years,” Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Students competed according to their age ranges and abilities along with Chalmette High School students who served as their buddy participants.

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SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATING APPARENT MURDER SUICIDE IN CHALMETTE

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann said deputies are investigating what appears to be a murder suicide involving a husband and wife that occurred in the overnight hours of March 13 in Chalmette.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., Sheriff Pohlmann said, the bodies of Tamara Lee, 36, and Demond Mullens, 37, were both found shot to death inside the home they shared in the 8500 block of Deerfield Drive. It appears Lee shot and killed Mullens in their bedroom before committing suicide, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Three other individuals, including two minor children of Lee, were also in the home at the time of the shootings. No one else was injured in the incident, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Autopsy results are pending.

This is St. Bernard Parish’s first homicide since October of 2015.

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VIOLET MAN BOOKED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER

A Violet man was booked with attempted murder after he allegedly tried to shoot his girlfriend with a rifle during an argument, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Clarence Grose, 46, of the 7900 block of East St. Bernard Highway, and his girlfriend, Tammy Martin, 47, were involved in a domestic disturbance in the early morning hours of Feb. 25 while traveling in a vehicle along St. Bernard Highway.

Sheriff Pohlmann said Grose pulled to the side of the road during the altercation, exited the vehicle and retrieved a 10/22 caliber long rifle from under the back seat. Grose fired two rounds at Martin, missing both times, and then the rifle jammed. Martin was not hit and fled in Grose’s truck.

Grose also was booked with illegal carrying of a weapon and violation of a protective order, Sheriff Pohlmann said. He is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Martin is out on bond awaiting trial on charges involving the 2014 killing of her estranged husband, Ricky Moser. Martin was indicted in 2015 on charges for inciting a felony in connection with Moser’s death. Kory Mattox was charged with second degree murder for shooting and killing Moser.

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