Citizens Police Academy Registration

St. Bernard Parish residents can register now for the next Citizens Police Academy course, a free, 10-week program offered by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office so residents can learn about police work.

“The course shows residents various aspects of law enforcement and gives them an insight on how and why things are handled in a certain manner,” St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said. “Its purpose is to foster a positive relationship between our citizens and our officers, while instilling in participants a vested interest in what happens in their community.”

Classes begin Aug. 23 and will meet each Wednesday at 7 p.m. through graduation night in October. Classes will be held in the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office second-floor training center, 2118 Jackson Ave. in Chalmette, directly behind the Parish Courthouse.

For more information or to register, call Capt. Charles Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Sgt. Eric Eilers at (504) 278-7799. Capt. Borchers, head of Community Relations for the Sheriff’s Office, coordinates the class along with Sgt. Eilers.

During the course, Borchers said, participants will hear from Sheriff’s Office commanders on various phases of law enforcement, including patrol work, narcotics enforcement, detective duties, and SWAT team demonstrations. Participants also will be given boating safety tips, tour the Parish Prison and experience a firearms simulator.

Borchers said participants are placed in the shoes of a Sheriff’s Office deputy by way of computerized, simulated videos.

“The simulator creates real life scenarios of what an officer may encounter,” Borchers said, “and it challenges participants into making split-second decisions on whether or not they would use deadly force on a criminal suspect.”

Borchers, who is over the Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Watch programs for the Sheriff’s Office, said nearly 1,000 residents have completed the Citizens Police Academy course since its inception 19 years ago.

“It has really become a popular course among adults,” he said. “This program gives residents a real feel for what police work entails and it’s about as realistic as we can make it for them.”

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s office seeks suspect in armed robbery

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man responsible for committing an armed robbery at a business in Old Arabi, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The suspect, who was described as a black male possibly in his 40s and wearing a light-colored shirt and dark pants, walked into the DAV Hall barroom, 151 Friscoville Ave., on Saturday, July 29 shortly after 10 p.m., pointed a silver-colored handgun at an employee and demanded money. The suspect then fled the scene with an undetermined amount of cash. Sheriff Pohlmann said no one was injured in the incident.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity, his whereabouts or further information regarding this robbery 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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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy graduation

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office 2017 Junior Deputy Academy graduated from the course on July 19 during a ceremony held at Docville Farms. With the graduates are, from left: St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, Bill Finnan, Sandy Mumphrey and Luke Marengo, members of the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range; Sgt. Eric Eilers and Capt. Charles Borchers.	Sgt. Eric Eilers speaks to Junior Deputy Academy participants and their parents during a graduation ceremony held July 19 at Docville Farms.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks with Junior Deputy Academy participants and their families during a graduation ceremony held in their honor.	Capt. Charles Borchers speaks during the graduation ceremony held for the 2017 Junior Deputy Academy participants.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann congratulates Junior Deputy Academy graduate Troy Sino.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann with Junior Deputy Academy graduates who were awarded top shooting honors. From left, are: Darrel Gonzales, first place; Kristion Thomas, second place; and Erick Ozuna, third place.
Junior Deputy Academy participants Mark Loustalot, left, and Nicco Tommaseo, enjoy some celebratory cake after the graduation ceremony held in their honor for completing the course.	Sgt. Eric Eilers with Junior Deputy Academy graduate Troy Sino who shows off the badge he received during the graduation ceremony.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy held a graduation ceremony for its 2017 summer program on July 19 at Docville Farm in Violet.

The program, which ran from June 6 through July 12, is designed to teach youngsters about the various aspects of law enforcement.

Patterned after the Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy for adults, the Junior Deputy program included field trips to the parish prison and firearms safety taught by members of the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range. Participants also learned basic first aid and CPR, heard from officers about the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, Narcotics Division, Crime Scene Investigation departments and learned about the department’s state-of-the-art equipment.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office CERT team recognized

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Emergency Response Team, or C.E.R.T., were recently honored by the St. Bernard Parish Council for volunteering their time to serve as supplement first-responders in certain emergencies.

The CERT volunteers are under the overall umbrella of U.S. Homeland Security. In St. Bernard, CERT is funded by St. Bernard Parish government through a Homeland Security grant.

Using the training provided to them through classroom and field exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help.

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Lt. Michelle Canepa receives Kinawis Life-Saver award

Lt. Michelle Rogers Canepa, commander of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detective Bureau, received the Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi Life-Saver Award at a banquet hosted by Kiwanis on July 18 at Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant in Chalmette.

“It’s truly an honor to even be considered for this award,” Lt. Canepa said at the banquet.

Sam Catalanotto, chairman of the Kiwanis Life-Saver Committee, said the Kiwanis Club gives the award four times a year for special actions, twice to parish sheriff’s deputies and twice to firefighters.

Lt. Canepa, who started her career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2004 as a member of the Communications Division, transferred to the Juvenile Detective Bureau in 2006, following Hurricane Katrina. She was promoted to commander of the bureau in 2013, and in November of 2016 she was made a lieutenant.

During Lt. Canepa’s tenure with the juvenile division, she has had the opportunity to help numerous juvenile victims and their families. She has worked multiple high profile cases which have resulted in the arrest and sentencing of several sexual assault and abuse perpetrators, including a case in which a man was found guilty of the first degree rape of his stepdaughter.

“Through the years of working these types of cases I’ve come to learn that this is what I was meant to do,” Lt. Canepa said. “It’s my passion.”

Lt. Canepa’s passion and determination when it comes to solving these often times tragic cases has been realized by her ranking officers.

“It takes a unique person to do what Lt. Canepa does,” said Col. Chad Clark, chief of detectives of the Crime Investigations Bureau. “Her passion for the work she does is very evident.”

Capt. Mark Jackson, assistant chief of detectives of the Crime Investigations Bureau, echoed Clark’s sentiment.

“Thanks to Lt. Canepa’s continued dedication, we can trust that children will remain safe in the parish of St. Bernard,” Capt. Jackson said.

In addition to her work with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Canepa proudly works alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a member of the Joint Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team, and hand-in-hand with the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center who provides forensic interviews of sexually assaulted and abused children.

Lt. Canepa assists the St. Bernard Parish School Board with any situations that may arise within the parish school system, and is the Sheriff’s Office point of contact for the The Louisiana Department of Family Services.

She also has worked joint investigations with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Unit in which numerous warrants have been served leading to the apprehension of many perpetrators who have abused children.

Lt. Canepa, 33, was born and raised in St. Bernard Parish. She is a 2001 graduate of St. Bernard High School, and she studied criminal justice at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Lt. Canepa, and her husband of five years, Agent Brian Canepa Jr., with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division, share a 4-year-old daughter, Taytum.

Catalanotto said more than a decade ago the Kiwanis Club started presenting these awards as a way to recognize first-responders in the parish for the work they do to protect the public.

“They are the first people through a door,” to rescue someone in an emergency, Catalanotto said. “They put their lives on the line,” for St. Bernard.

The Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi meets every Tuesday at noon in the Sicilian Room at Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette. Anyone interested in joining Kiwanis is welcomed to attend. For more information, call (504) 616-7312.

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Chalmette man booked with extortion and online impersonation

A Chalmette man out on a $10,000 bond awaiting trial for charges related to an August 2016 arrest for computer-aided solicitation of a juvenile teen-age girl is being investigated for running an elaborate catfishing scheme to force women into sexual relationships, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Paul Bradford Jr., 22, of 40 Packenham Ave. in Chalmette, was booked July 7 with non consensual disclosure of a private image and July 10 with extortion and online impersonation. Sheriff Pohlmann said both recent instances involve adult female victims.

Sheriff Pohlmann said Bradford is accused of allegedly creating various fake social media accounts and using them to catfish, or scam people into romantic or sexual relationships.

In some instances, Bradford posed as fake persons, and in others he assumed the identity of actual individuals known to the victims and posed as them throughout multiple conversations, unbenounced to the victim and the person whose identity he stole.

Once Bradford befriended these individuals, they said he would coerce them into sending him sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves. Once the images were obtained by Bradford, the victims said he would begin to threaten to share them with people they know or post them online if they didn’t comply with his requests for sexual favors.

Sheriff Pohlmann said the phenomenon of catfishing is becoming more and more prevalent.

“In today’s world of social media and technological advances people need to be less trusting to individuals they meet online and more leery about what they share with them,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Parents especially need to be more vigilant about monitoring what their children are doing online and make every effort to keep the lines of communication open about the dangers associated with these types of scams.”

Sheriff Pohlmann said the investigation into Bradford’s online activity is ongoing and additional charges are possible as nearly a dozen more adult females have come forward claiming to have been victimized by him. Bradford is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison on a $25,000 bond.

Anyone who believes they were victimized by Bradford or knows someone who may have been should report it to the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau by calling Sgt. Jessica Gernados at (504) 278-7731.

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A Day Of Observance” Held To Honor Local First Responders

Members of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Wisconsin were in town July 12 to help Timothy Trumpet of Truth Ministry in Arabi host “A Day of Observance” for first responders. Kristen Rahn, youth group leader, standing left forefront, and youth group members on a mission trip to New Orleans took a moment to say a prayer for St. Bernard Parish police officers who put their lives on the line for members of their community.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann, right, visits with Justin Steinke, youth director from Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Wisconsin, left, during “A Day of Observance” hosted by Timothy Trumpet of Truth Ministry in Arabi for local first responders.

Pastor Robert Collins of Timothy Trumpet of Truth Ministry hosted “A Day of Observance” for local first responders to show appreciation for their hard work, dedication and willingness to put their lives on the line to protect their community. Church members honored St. Bernard Parish police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians by serving them meals throughout the day on July 12 on the church grounds, 7451 W. St. Bernard Highway in Arabi.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy final week

Junior Deputy Academy participants pledge to practice gun safety.	Junior Deputy Academy participant Nathan Doucet signs his Project Childsafe Pledge Certificate promising to practice gun safety by never handling a gun without the supervision of an adult.
Junior Deputy Academy participants learn about the various parts of a rifle from Maj. David DiMaggio.	Lt. Raymond Theriot instructs Junior Deputy Academy participants on how to properly handle a rifle.
Lt. Raymond Theriot instructs Junior Deputy Academy participants Abigail Mowers, left, and Mason Mowers on how to properly handle a rifle.	Maj. David DiMaggio instructs Junior Deputy Academy participant Sophia Menant on how to properly handle a rifle while at the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range.
Luke Marengo, a member of the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range, donated his time to teach Junior Deputy Academy participant Preslie Garcia about gun safety.	Sandy Mumphrey, a member of the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range, donated his time to supervise Junior Deputy Academy participants like Bob Mendel during a course about gun safety.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy’s final week included a visit to the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range in eastern St. Bernard Parish and lessons on gun safety. The program, held June 6 through July 12, is designed to teach youngsters about the various aspects of law enforcement. A graduation ceremony for the Junior Deputies will be held July 19.

Members of the St. Bernard Pistol and Rifle Range not only offered the use of their facility for this class, they also volunteered their time to help instruct Junior Deputy Academy participants on gun safety and how to properly handle rifles.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division Receives Donation From Knights Of Nemesis

 
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Reserve Division recently received a $250 donation from the Knights of Nemesis Social Club and Parade.

The donation was presented by Nemesis President Billy Showalter, Vice President Don Picou and Treasurer Robby Showalter. Accepting the donation on behalf of the Reserve Division were Sgt. Eric Eilers, Reserve Lt. Tony Jeansonne, Reserve Dep. Mike Chutz and Reserve Dep. Robert Smith.

The Reserve Division is comprised of volunteer officers who supplement the Sheriff’s Office’s 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 Capt. Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Sgt. Eilers at (504) 278-7799.

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St. Bernard sheriff’s Office seeks suspect who stole and used the debit card of an elderly man who had suffered a diabetic episode

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man who is wanted for stealing an elderly Chalmette man’s debit card while he laid unconscious in his vehicle in the Lower Ninth Ward, disoriented and suffering from a diabetic episode, and later using it to make purchases in Arabi.

On July 6, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said, deputies responded to a missing persons call about an elderly diabetic male who could not be located by his family. Family members advised deputies the man’s debit card had been used several times since he went missing, including at an Arabi business.

When deputies arrived at the business to investigate they observed on store surveillance video a black male wearing a dark in color shirt, pants and dark shoes purchasing items with the victim’s debit card.

A short time later, Sheriff Pohlmann said, the missing man was found by deputies, disoriented and apparently suffering from a diabetic episode, lying across the front seat of his vehicle while parked along Claiborne Avenue in the Lower Ninth Ward.

The elderly man transported by EMS to a nearby hospital for treatment, where doctors said if he had been found just a short time later he may not have survived.

Deputies suspect the elderly man became disoriented when his sugar levels dropped and mistakenly drove his vehicle into the Lower Ninth Ward and parked along Claiborne Avenue when he began to feel ill. They believe the suspect stole the elderly man’s wallet while he was lying unconscious in his vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity, his whereabouts or further information regarding this incident 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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