St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy’s 4th week

Capt. Justin Meyers speaks with Junior Deputy Academy participants inside the St. Bernard Parish Prison chapel.	Junior Deputy Academy participants visited St. Bernard Parish Prison and were able to go inside the facility’s chapel.
Dep. Darlene Ricks demonstrates cardiopulmonary resuscitation to Junior Deputy Academy program participants.	Sgt. Pamela Bartholomew, an American Red Cross certified CPR instructor, demonstrates how to perform proper chest compressions to Junior Deputy Academy participant Troy Sino, right, while Kyle Vicknair waits his turn.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy’s fourth week included visits to the Parish Prison and lessons in basic first aid and CPR. The program, which began June 6, runs through July 12 and is designed to teach youngsters about the various aspects of law enforcement.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s office seeks suspect in car burglaries

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man responsible for burglarizing vehicles in Meraux, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The unknown black male, seen on a video surveillance camera, burglarized several unlocked vehicles on a residential street in the early morning hours of June 17. The suspect was wearing a black shirt, tan pants, a black Saints or Pelicans ball cap and white Nike tennis shoes.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity, his whereabouts or further information regarding these burglaries is asked to call the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 or Crimestoppers GNO at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters who call Crimestoppers can remain anonymous, do not have to testify and could be eligible for a cash reward.

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Times for legal use of fireworks in St. Bernard Parish

According to St. Bernard Parish ordinance, here are the times when fireworks can legally be used in the parish surrounding the 4th of July celebration:

From June 25 through July 2, fireworks can legally be used from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m.

On July 3 and 4, fireworks can be used from 9 a.m. until midnight.

On July 5, they can be used from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., when all use of fireworks must end for the 4th of July period.

Any use outside these hours would be considered illegal disturbing of the peace.

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St. Bernard Parish officials reopen Florissant highway; Delacroix highway remains closed

St. Bernard Parish officials have reopened Florissant Highway in eastern St. Bernard Parish due to waters receding; however, Delacroix Highway remains closed at this time due to unsafe driving conditions caused by standing water from Tropical Storm Cindy.

Stay tuned for further updates.

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St. Bernard Parish officials close delacroix highway

St. Bernard Parish officials have closed Delacroix Highway until further notice due to unsafe driving conditions caused by standing water from Tropical Storm Cindy.

St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis has declared a State of Emergency in response to flash flooding and severe weather as a result of the storm.

Sheriff James Pohlmann, President McInnis and members of the St. Bernard Parish Council would like to thank the residents of St. Bernard for adhering to the warnings thus far, and they ask everyone to stay vigilant until the storm has passed.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office distributing sandbags, monitoring conditions due to tropical storm cindy

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with St. Bernard Parish government, will distribute free sandbags to parish residents from 3:30 to 7 p.m. today (June 20) at the sandbag barn in the old Kaiser facility at the rear of the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette, and from 4 to 7 p.m. near the Delacroix/Hopedale Junction on La. Highway 46, the Judge Perez Drive extension.

“We have 40,000 sandbags that have been pre-made and are ready to be given to residents of St. Bernard,” Sheriff James Pohlmann said. Parish prisoners make the sandbags throughout the year in preparation for the next hurricane season.

St. Bernard residents must show proof of residency in order to receive sandbags, and there will be a limit of 15 per vehicle, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Motorists wishing to pick up the sandbags at the Port can enter the road to the port off West St. Bernard Highway at Keane Drive, next to the old Kaiser smokestack, and follow the road to the rear of the port, near the Mississippi River levee. Deputies will be there to assist, the Sheriff said.

The Sheriff’s Office is monitoring weather conditions associated with Tropical Storm Cindy and are in constant contact with local parish government leaders, officials from surrounding parishes and the National Weather Service.

“We’re reviewing our plans and are ready for this rain event,” Sheriff James Pohlmann said. “We also are prepared to bring in extra manpower to help with traffic control and road closures if need be.”

Sheriff Pohlmann reminds residents to use caution when driving down residential streets with standing water. Residents who drive down flooded streets, endangering the property of others, can be fined up to $500.

Parish government officials are continuing to monitor the storm, and also are in constant communications with the National Weather Service and surrounding key agencies, according to Parish President Guy McInnis.

St. Bernard is operating at full drainage and pumping capacity. Drainage canals have been pumped down to add additional storage capacity, McInnis said. Public works crews are in the field making any necessary preparations and pre-staging additional pumps for trouble areas.

Residents should secure any loose items around their homes, and they should survey their neighborhoods and pick up any loose and vegetative debris that may cause obstructions to the drainage catch basins.

McInnis said residents may contact the parish St. Bernard Emergency Operations Center with any specific concerns regarding a construction or road site at (504) 278-4268.

St. Bernard Parish Government offers multiple ways to stay up-to-date on information. By visiting www.sbpg.net and going to the Homeland Security Page, residents can sign up for alert notifications, which will send notifications about emergency situations including, but not limited to, weather advisories; evacuation information; chemical spills; shelter-in-place alerts; and, infrastructure issues. Visit sbpg.net, click on Departments, then Homeland Security and Emergency.

Residents who would like to report any problems or suspicious activity in their neighborhood can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501.

“We are urging all residents and businesses to get prepared and stay informed,”
Sheriff Pohlmann said.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy Week 2

Dep. Dustin Gould of the Marine Division shows Junior Deputy Academy participant Preslie Garcia how to operate the steering on one of the department’s airboats.	Junior Deputy Academy participant Connor Hartmann gets some instruction from Dep. Dustin Gould of the Marine Division during his turn in the driver’s seat aboard one of the department’s airboats.
Lt. Daniel Bostic of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division speaks to Junior Deputy Academy participants about how residents can anonymously report drug activity to the Sheriff’s Office by calling the drug hotline, (504) 271-DOPE (3673).	Sgt. Darrin Miller, left, and Lt. Lisa Jackson speak to Junior Deputy Academy participants about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol.
Dep. Dustin Gould of the Marine Division shows Junior Deputy Academy participants Nathan Doucet, left, and Christian Robin, right, what is inside a storage compartment onboard one of the department’s airboats.	Agent Jonathan Smith of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division helps Junior Deputy Academy participant Sophia Menant hold a heavy battering ram.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy’s second week included visits from the Marine and Narcotics divisions. The program, which began June 6, runs through July 12 and is designed to teach youngsters about the various aspects of law enforcement.

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Peace Officers Standards and Training graduation

 
Five St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and seven from the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office graduated June 9 after a 90-hour Corrections Division course in Peace Officers Standards and Training, or P.O.S.T., Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The corrections course, which helps better prepare deputies to work in a prison environment or Juvenile Detention Center, covers topics such as defensive tactics, booking procedures, report writing and the use of force lesson plans. Deputies also are trained in the use of pepper spray, which includes each officer being pepper-sprayed in order to learn firsthand about its effects.

The course, led by instructors Capt. Dennis Morgan and Cpl. Brandon Lewis of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division, was held at the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Training Center in Chalmette.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office deputies who were graduates of the class are: Dep. Donny Saucier, Dep. Melissa Senez, Dep. Nicholas Lambert, Dep. Brock Cadman and Dep. Carl Martin-Cook.

Plaquemines Sheriff’s Office deputies who were graduates are: Dep. Lashawn Williams, Dep. Charles Seruntine, Lt. James Gambino, Dep. Jacob Bene, Dep. Joseph Harris Jr., Dep. Akira Williams and Dep. Dylan Goff.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office announces new Addiction Resource Program

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann is pleased to announce the formation of the Sheriff’s Office Addiction Resource Program.

“The program is designed to help residents struggling with an addiction, whether it be substance abuse, or even gambling related, find the resources they need to better cope with their situation,” Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Spearheaded by Stanley Simeon, the program will provide individuals and/or their families with information on resources available to them, such as rehabilitation programs, detox centers, therapeutic plans of action and faith-based assistance.

Simeon, who has an extensive background in helping people with all sorts of addictions, will work closely with Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Aaron Johnson to facilitate the program.

Participation in the program is kept confidential.

If you or someone you may know could benefit from this program and would like more information, call Simeon, program coordinator, at (504) 278-7659 or (504) 517-2944.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office prepares for 2017 hurricane season

Capt. Brian Clark, a retired state Wildlife and Fisheries agent who heads the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, left, speaks with members of the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team during a hurricane preparedness training exercise.	Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office SWAT team listen intently as Capt. Brian Clark, a retired state Wildlife and Fisheries agent who heads the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, speaks to them about airboat safety in the event of a water rescue event.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, right, observes Sgt. Shane Lulei, left, of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, as he throws a life preserver to Lt. Stephen Ingargiola, pretending to be a person in need of rescue during a recent training exercise on Bayou Bienvenue.	Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office SWAT team pull Lt. Stephen Ingargiola to safety during a recent training exercise on water rescues.
Capt. Ronnie Martin gives a thumbs up during a recent training exercise and testing of equipment on Bayou Bienvenue in preparation of hurricane season.	Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and SWAT team recently participated in a training exercise and testing of equipment in preparation of hurricane season.
Members of St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and SWAT team during a recent training exercise in Bayou Bienvenue.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, left, with Capt. Brian Clark, head of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, during a recent training exercise on Bayou Bienvenue.
Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and SWAT team recently participated in a various training exercises.	The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and SWAT team test boating equipment during a recent training exercise on Bayou Bienvenue.

With the beginning of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Southeast Louisiana residents should begin making plans so they can be prepared if a storm threatens our area.

Preparing for hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30, should be something residents in our area are accustomed to doing, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“We should always be mindful of being prepared for hurricane season,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Remember, we are so close to the Gulf of Mexico, you can’t ignore the possibility of a hurricane.”

With that in mind, Sheriff Pohlmann said, the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is ready to respond in case there is a storm threatening our area and possibly forcing the evacuation of the parish.

The department has a plan in place, which Sheriff Pohlmann said includes several boats at the ready, and a high-water truck that would be ideal for rescue or to haul personnel or equipment to respond to a storm.

Acquired through a federal grant in 2013, the Sheriff’s Office’s custom-built F-650 truck, which has a 37-inch lift and air brakes, is an important asset for hurricane season.

“It’s meant for high-water situations,’’ such as street flooding from heavy rains, the Sheriff said.
There also are thousands of sandbags already made by prisoners for use by residents, businesses and parish government. Plans also are in place in the event prisoners would need to be evacuated, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

In addition to equipment, Sheriff Pohlmann said various departments within the Sheriff’s Office have plans in place and are ready to execute them if need be.

For instance, members of the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team train on various types of boats from the sheriff’s Marine Division in order to be prepared to immediately patrol neighborhoods in case of any type of rain event flooding.

“If parish government orders an evacuation of residents in any approaching storm we will facilitate that and then lock down the parish to prevent non-residents from entering,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

To be successful in preparing for a storm, Sheriff Pohlmann said residents need to do their part as well.

“That’s true for every family in this parish,’’ the Sheriff said. “Don’t wait until you hear a bad storm is approaching before you think about being prepared, such as whether or not you will leave and where you would go, if necessary.’’

By preparing now, Sheriff Pohlmann said, you can avoid the rush at home supply stores and supermarkets, which always get crowded and run out of things as hurricanes or tropical storms approach.

“Don’t wait until the last minute,” the Sheriff said. “Have things like flashlights and batteries, bottled water, and medications on hand where you can easily find them if leaving becomes necessary.”

If you can afford it, Sheriff Pohlmann recommends stocking up on these items in the event you chose to stay during a storm and lose electricity for more than a day.

Anticipating the needs of older relatives and deciding what to do with pets if you had to leave, also are things to consider. The Louisiana ASPCA says pet-owners should never leave them behind when they evacuate because the animals would be at the mercy of the storm.

In the event of an ordered evacuation, Sheriff Pohlmann said officers will make extra patrols through neighborhoods, as well as by boat along waterways if necessary, to protect property in the parish.

“We don’t want residents making a bad decision to stay simply out of concern over a possible burglar,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Residents are encouraged to heed the advice of local officials when it comes to deciding to evacuate or ride out a storm.

“It reduces the need for search and rescue operations if there was actual flooding in a storm,” the Sheriff said, “and it reduces the possibility of the loss of life.”

Another way citizens can prepare for hurricane season is to stay informed.

Residents can register for the parish’s FirstCall Emergency Notification Service which provides timely information about hurricanes and other high profile events occurring in the area. These alerts will go to landlines, cell phones, SMS text messaging devices, email and pagers. For more information, or to register, visit St. Bernard Parish Government’s web site, sbpg.net.

St. Bernard Parish residents with special needs or those who have no resources to evacuate themselves are eligible for assistance in evacuating should a mandatory evacuation be called in the parish, either due to a hurricane or another type of emergency which might arise.

Residents can register with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness by calling (504) 278-4268. Information also is available at sbpg.net. Click on Departments, then Homeland Security, then Special Needs Registration.

In the event of an approaching storm, here is a checklist of items you will want to have on hand in a basic emergency supply kit:

• Water: one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Can opener
• Eating utensils
• First Aid kit
• Cash
• Several complete changes of clothing and footwear per person
• Cell phones and chargers
• Bedding or sleeping bags
• Fire extinguisher (small canister ABC type)
• Bleach (no lemon or other additives)
• Mosquito repellent
• Tarp, rope, and duct tape
• Toiletries including toilet paper
• Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• Sunglasses

For families with infants, remember bottles, formula, diapers, wipes, powdered milk and medications.

For adults and others with special needs, don’t forget medicine, such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin, prescription drugs, denture needs, contact lenses and supplies and extra eye glasses.

For pets, bring their ID tag, a photo of pet for identification purposes, a week supply of food, water, medications, and your veterinarian’s phone number. Don’t leave your pet behind. Transport pets in secure pet carriers and keep pets on leashes. Most emergency shelters do not admit pets. Check with hotels in safe locations and ask if you can bring your pet.

Entertainment, especially for children, is important as well. Pack books for adult readers and for children, board games and/or other games that do not require batteries or electricity.

Also, remember to bring your important records in a waterproof, portable container. Include insurance papers or account numbers, an inventory of household goods, checks and credit cards, family records such as birth, marriage and death certificates, and important telephone numbers.

Taking photos of your home and its contents before you leave is also a good idea for insurance purposes.

Sheriff Pohlmann hopes this season will be a quiet one for St. Bernard Parish, but it’s best to keep a watchful eye and think smart.
“Let’s hope for the best, and prepare for the worst,” the Sheriff said.

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