Office closed tomorrow

The administrative offices of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 1 in observance of All Saints Day. The office will reopen Thursday, Nov. 2.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy’s 19th session comes to a close with a graduation ceremony

James B. Arey, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Training Center director and commander of the SWAT Negotiation Team, speaks during the Citizens Police Academy graduation.	Anthony Uchello, a member of the graduating class of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy’s 19th session, gave a speech on behalf of his entire class.
Capt. Charles Borchers, who coordinates the Citizens Police Academy along with Sgt. Eric Eilers, speaks to the graduates during a ceremony held in their honor for completing the 10-week course.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann addresses the graduates of the 19th session of the Citizens Police Academy.

This scroll bearing “A Policeman’s Prayer” was presented by Anthony and Gretchen Uchello, on behalf of their entire Citizens Police Academy graduating class, to Capt. Charles Borchers and Sgt. Eric Eilers for their efforts in coordinating the annual course.

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Color Guard who presented the colors during the Citizens Police Academy graduation held Oct. 26 at Nunez Community College are, from left: Dep. Jeremy Lobre, Lt. Michael Lyons, Sgt. Eric Wickbolt and Dep.Clayten Burns.

“The thing that impressed and surprised our class the most was the amount of training and experience your deputies and officers have,” said Citizens Police Academy graduate Anthony Uchello to St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann during a speech he gave on behalf of the entire graduating class of the coure’s 19th session.

Uchello addressed the crowd during a graduation ceremony held Oct. 26 at Nunez Community College in Chalmette in honor of the two dozen Academy graduates.

During his speech, Uchello said he felt the most powerful part of the course was the things they saw and heard from the instructors.

“Every class, everywhere, we saw men and women who are dedicated. Men and women who deeply care about their community,” he said.

The Citizens Police Academy is a 10-week, free program offered by the Sheriff’s Office that is designed to provide residents with the opportunity to learn more about what the men and women of the department do on a day-to-day basis to keep their community safe. More than 800 citizens have completed the course since its inception.

During the course, participants heard from veteran representatives of each division of the Sheriff’s Office who spoke on various phases of law enforcement, including patrol work, narcotics enforcement, detective duties, and SWAT team demonstrations. They also visited the Parish Courthouse and Parish Prison.

At the graduation ceremony, Capt. Charles Borchers, who coordinates the program along with Sgt. Eric Eilers, reminded the graduates of their new role in the community.

“As law enforcement professionals, we realize we can’t do this alone. We need your help. We feed off the information that you give us,” Capt. Borchers said. “As you graduate tonight, you become our ambassadors, our spokespersons. You help us create public safety and a better quality of life.”

Sheriff Pohlmann also spoke at the graduation, as did guest speaker James B. Arey, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Training Center director and commander of the SWAT Negotiation Team. Nunez Community College Chancellor Thomas Warner and St. Bernard District Attorney Perry Nicosia also addressed the crowd.

Sheriff Pohlmann praised the graduates for seizing the opportunity to get an intimate look at what goes on behind-the-scenes at the Sheriff’s Office.

“We ask that y’all take the information you have learned through this program out into the community and utilize it,” the Sheriff said.

Arey also commended the graduates for taking time out of their busy schedules to participate in such a worthy program.

“You get to see what we do,” Arey said. “You are now the eyes and ears of the Sheriff’s Office and of the community. Now you know more about the Sheriff’s Office than others who haven’t taken this course.”

During Uchello’s speech, he mentioned the fact that he and his wife, Gretchen, who also is a graduate of this year’s Academy, aren’t originally from St. Bernard. He was raised in the Irish Channel, and later Metairie, and Gretchen is from River Ridge.

“We lived all over the city – Uptown, Bucktown, East Bank, West Bank, even Slidell, but we had never lived in St. Bernard before,” Uchello said.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the couple evacuated to Houston where they lived for five years. When they were ready to come back home, Uchello said they started looking for a place to live when they quickly realized how much things had changed.

“The traffic was different. The restaurants were different. The neighborhoods were different. The people were different. The schools were different. The crime was different,” he said. “We realized we had to re-learn our city.”

During their search for a place to call home, Uchello said he and his wife realized St. Bernard seemed to stand out.

“We liked who we met, and what we saw. The schools were nice. The people were friendly. And the crime was very low compared to the rest of the GNO area,” Uchello said. “Why was that? That was the question we had.”

After completing the Citizens Police Academy, the Uchellos, who live in Meraux, said the answer to that question became obvious to them, and everyone else in their class.

“It’s so obvious how much your department truly cares about the people it serves,” Uchello said to Sheriff Pohlmann. “Thank you for building a department that is passionate about their profession and their community.”

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Nearly 80 pounds of medication collected at St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Drug Take-Back Day

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann accepts unwanted medication being dropped off by Mary Grabert of Violet during the Drug Take-Back Day held Oct. 28 at the Arabi substation.	St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force, helps Violet residents Linda and Armond Lindsey Jr. as they were dropping off unwanted medication at the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Take-Back Day held Oct. 28 in Arabi.
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force, hangs a Drug Take-Back day poster on the door to the Sheriff’s Office substation located at 7001 W. Judge Perez Drive in Arabi. Also pictured is Lt. Chip Englande.	St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force, left, and Lt. Chip Englande prepare drop boxes for the Sheriff’s Office Drug Take-Back Day held Oct. 28 in Arabi.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said nearly 80 pounds of unwanted drugs were collected at the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Take-Back Day held Oct. 28 in Arabi.

In just four hours, narcotics agents at the Sheriff’s Office substation located at 7001 W. Judge Perez Drive accepted 78.5 pounds of unwanted or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from residents. The purpose of the Drug Take-Back is to ensure the medication doesn’t fall into the wrong hands and also so it can be disposed of properly.

“This program has been a very useful tool for us in ensuring unused medications don’t end up being misused by someone or sold illegally on the street,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “It also helps prevent residents from throwing unwanted medications in the garbage or down the toilet where it can end up negatively impacting our environment.’’

The Drug Take-Back initiative, part of a national effort spearheaded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, has seen more than 4.8 million pounds of prescription drugs collected since its inception in 2010. The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office began its own program prior to the DEA starting the national program.

St. Bernard residents who were unable to attend the local take-back event can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-DOPE or 3673 at any time to speak with a deputy about surrendering unwanted medications, Sheriff Pohlmann said. A narcotics officer will return the call and make arrangements to collect and destroy the drugs.

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St. Bernard Sheriff speaks at United Way Domestic Violence Awareness panel discussion

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann was among several panelists who participated in a domestic violence awareness discussion hosted by the United Way of Southeast Louisiana on Oct. 25 in the Nunez Community College Auditorium in Chalmette.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks with United Way of Southeast Louisiana Chief Operating Officer Charmaine Caccioppi following at domestic violence awareness discussion hosted by the United Way of Southeast Louisiana on Oct. 25 in the Nunez Community College Auditorium in Chalmette.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann was among several panelists who participated in a domestic violence awareness discussion hosted by the United Way of Southeast Louisiana on Oct. 25 in the Nunez Community College Auditorium in Chalmette.

Other panelists included: St. Bernard District Attorney Perry Nicosia, Activist Donna Dees, United Way of Southeast Louisiana Chief Operating Officer Charmaine Caccioppi, Attorney and United Way of Southeast Louisiana Public Policy Chair Kim Sport, Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Executive Director Mariah Wineski, and United Way of Southeast Louisiana Public Information Officer Kirby Jane Nagle.

Others in attendance included: Col. Chad Clark, chief of detectives of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Crime Investigations Bureau; Capt. Mark Jackson, assistant chief of detectives of CIB; Lt. Ray Whitfield of CIB; and Gail Gowland, St. Bernard Battered Women’s Shelter executive director.

In addition to the panel discussion, the event also featured a screening of a documentary short “Five Awake,” which follows five women who are tirelessly working to strengthen Louisiana’s domestic violence laws, including information on how they successfully pushed several bills through the 2014 legislative session. These bills have given increased protection to domestic abuse victims, including granting immediate divorce to victims, prohibiting firearms for offenders and increasing the penalties for domestic abuse.

The film, co-directed by Dees, featured the five women whose efforts helped successfully pass the legislative bills: Caccioppi and Sport, along with New Orleans Family Justice Center Director Mary Claire Landry; Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Executive Director Beth Meeks; and State Rep. Helena Moreno.

Two local women who recently passed as a result of domestic violence, Kim Penney and Rose Blake, were both recognized at the event and participants shared in a moment of silence in their memory.

The event was sponsored by Chalmette Refining.

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Authorities Looking for Missing Boater in St. Bernard Parish

The body of Haskin Payne, 44, of Zachary, was recovered around 6 p.m. on Oct. 27.

Search and rescue crews with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) Marine Division and the U.S. Coast Guard are searching for a missing boater in St. Bernard Parish.

The search and rescue crews are looking for Haskin Payne, 44, of Zachary, after he fell overboard from his 24-foot-vessel while fishing on Bayou Bienvenue near Chalmette on Oct. 26.

LDWF enforcement agents received a call about a man who fell overboard around 5 p.m. on Oct. 26. The SBSO Marine Division was the first agency on scene and found Payne’s wife in the boat on the banks of the bayou. The SBSO was able to transport the wife to an ambulance and then the ambulance transported her to University Hospital in New Orleans where she got treated for hypothermia.

According to the wife, they were fishing when her husband slipped and fell into the water. Payne’s wife then jumped in the water and was unsuccessful in trying to get him back in the vessel.

LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident. Both Payne and his wife were not wearing personal flotation devices at the time of the incident.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office assisting in search to locate missing boater

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division is assisting Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agents and the U.S. Coast Guard in the search for a missing boater who fell from his boat on Thursday, Oct. 26 while fishing on the water in Bayou Bienvenue, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The Zachary man, who was fishing with his wife, fell from the bow of the boat around 4 p.m. and has not been seen since. Officials searched Bayou Bienvenue until around 10 p.m. last night and resumed their search at daybreak this morning.

The investigation is ongoing and is being led by Wildlife and Fisheries.

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St. Bernard deputies speak to students about the dangers of cyberbullying and using drugs and alcohol

Charles Cassar, cultural arts program coordinator for the St. Bernard Parish Public School System, left, introduces St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann to the students at N.P. Trist Middle School during a presentation held Oct. 20. Also pictured is a group of Chalmette High School sophomores who visited the middle school students to present a skit about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann spends time talking with N.P. Trist Middle School students about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol.
Several deputies with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office are facilitating talks with St. Bernard Parish middle and high school students about the dangers of using social media, as well as the risks involved with the consumption of drugs and alcohol. Participants in the lectures include, from left: St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Det. Donald Shreve, Lt. Michelle Canepa and Det. Joe Warren.	Lt. Michelle Canepa, commander of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detective Bureau, spoke to students at Andrew Jackson Middle School on Oct. 19 during a presentation about the risks involved with social media and cyberbullying, as well as the dangers of using drugs and alcohol.

Several deputies with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office are facilitating talks with St. Bernard Parish middle and high school students about the dangers of using social media, as well as the risks involved with the consumption of drugs and alcohol, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

During the lectures, which are being held at Andrew Jackson, N.P. Trist and St. Bernard middle schools, Lynn Oaks School and Chalmette High School, Capt. Mark Jackson, Lt. Michelle Canepa, Det. Donald Shreve and Det. Joe Warren are being accompanied by an agent from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Bureau of Investigations Cyber Crime Unit.

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

Sheriff Pohlmann also is visiting with students to warn them of the dangers associated with the use of drugs and alcohol.

Charles Cassar, cultural arts program coordinator for the St. Bernard Parish Public School System, is speaking to students about how drugs and alcohol can affect their brain development and lead them down the wrong path.

During a recent lecture at N.P. Trist Middle School in Meraux, Cassar brought with him a group of Chalmette High School sophomores, many of whom are former Trist students, who performed a skit they wrote and developed to sixth through eighth graders, warning them about making the right choices and not giving into peer pressure.

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 Sheriff’s Office deputy graduates from FBI National Academy in Virginia

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt. Adrian Chalona recently graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The 10-week professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers provides instruction in intelligence theory, terrorism and terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science.

According to Capt. Chalona, the course is broken down into six blocks of instruction taught by University of Virginia instructors, some of whom are FBI agents. There’s a physical aspect of the course that includes weekly challenges that need to be met, and forums are held with fellow law enforcement officers who have participated in various national tragic events, including the Pulse nightclub shootings in Orlando, Florida.

Capt. Chalona, who attended the course July 10 through Sept. 15, said he feels privileged to have had the opportunity to represent the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at the National Academy. It’s been a long-time goal of his and he feels it will be a key advancement in his law enforcement career.

“It’s helped me gain confidence and have a deeper understanding and appreciation on how law enforcement works on a national level, not just locally,” Capt. Chalona said. “It has opened up the possibility of communicating with a vast variety of people and I feel it will benefit me throughout my career.”

Capt. Chalona, who has been with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office since 1998, works in corrections at the Parish Prison.

A St. Bernard native and 1992 graduate of Chalmette High School, Capt. Chalona is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Upper Iowa University. He is a graduate of Peace Officers Standards and Training police academy, and is a master instructor for the Sheriff’s Office Corrections Emergency Response Team. He also is a CERT commander at the parish jail and a former Post Corrections instructor.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office offers Halloween safety tips

It’s that time of year again: time for some tricks and some treats. With that in mind, the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is working hard to ensure residents have a spook-tacular time this Halloween by stepping up patrols and offering some safety tips as well.

As it has for years, the Sheriff’s Office will step up DWI and traffic enforcement on highways and in neighborhoods the weekend prior to Halloween, leading up to and on Oct. 31, for the protection of trick-or-treating children and adult party-goers, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“Motorists are asked to slow down, be extra cautious and be especially watchful for pedestrians,’’ the Sheriff said.

Drivers should also look for possible roadblocks or barricades in neighborhoods, and are urged not to go around them.

Capt. Charles Borchers, director of community relations and the Neighborhood Watch programs for the Sheriff’s Office, adds that parents should be vigilant about where they allow their children to venture.

“Children and their parents who are trick-or-treating should be especially careful in areas where there are still vacant properties,” he said.

Here are some other Halloween safety tips offered by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office:

• Make sure children understand to never enter a stranger’s home, and when trick-or-treating is over no goodies should be eaten until they are taken home and sorted out to check that they are safe.

• Plan to wear costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure shoes fit well and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flames. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.

• Also, when shopping for costumes, wigs or accessories, purchase only those with a label indicating they are flame-resistant.

• Secure emergency identification, such as your child’s name, address, and phone number, discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet. Consider using makeup rather than masks since masks can limit or block visibility.

• Provide each child with a flashlight or battery-powered lantern with fresh batteries.

• Always travel in groups and make sure a parent or responsible adult accompanies young children on their neighborhood rounds.

• Make sure children know their home phone number or a parent’s cell phone number and know to call 911 if they have an emergency or become lost.

• Only trick-or-treat in well-known neighborhoods at homes that have a lit porch light.

• Secure pets at home so they don’t get excited or run away when children come to your residence looking for treats.

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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office attends Night Out Against Crime gatherings

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks at First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette’s Night Out Against Crime gathering held Oct. 17.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks with First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette Pastor Otto Martin, right, and his wife, Danita Martin, during the church’s Night Out Against Crime celebration.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, center, with First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette Pastor Otto Martin, right, and Thomas Rome, outreach director, left, during the church’s annual Night Out Against Crime event.	Capt. Charles Borchers, director of community relations and the Neighborhood Watch programs for the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, speaks to the crowd at the Night Out Against Crime party held at First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette.
Stanley Simeon, coordinator of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Addiction Resource Program, speaks to those in attendance at First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette’s Night Out Against Crime gathering.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, right, and Lt. Chip Englande, left, speak with Anthony Fernandez during a Night Out Against Crime party held on St. Matthew Circle in Violet.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann with Sophie Dominick, center, and Oliver Banks during St. Matthew Circle’s Night Out Against Crime gathering in Violet.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann visited several Night Out Against Crime gatherings Oct. 17, including this one on St. Matthew Circle in Violet.
Sgt. Chris Scheeler, left, and Lt. Robert Broadhead celebrate Night Out Against Crime with Violet residents Russell Banks and Latrika Shaw on St. Matthew Circle in Violet.	St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office deputies who visited various Night Out Against Crime celebrations included, from left: Det. Donald Shreve, Sgt. Jesse Gernados, Sgt. Ryan Melerine, Det. Daniel Carreras, Det. Joe Warren and Lt. Robert Broadhead.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, Lt. Robert Broadhead and Dep. Clayten Burns were among the members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office who visited with residents of Old Arabi during the Old Arabi Neighborhood Association’s Night Out Against Crime party held at Arabi Food Store on Friscoville Avenue.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, center, and Lt. Robert Broadhead visits with residents during a Night Out Against Crime party held on St. Matthew Circle in Violet.
St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann with some of the children who participated in a Night Out Against Crime gathering held at First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann with Violet resident Latrika Shaw during a Night Out Against Crime celebration held on St. Matthew Circle.
Dep. Clayten Burns played some football with his son, Liam, right, and his friend Max during the Old Arabi Neighborhood Association’s Night Out Against Crime celebration held at Arabi Food Store.	St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann shares a meal with residents of Jumonville North subdivision in Meraux during a Night Out Against Crime celebration.

Det. Joe Warren hangs out with Night Out Against Crime party-goers, from left: Hunter, Justin and Landon.

Celebrating Night Out Against Crime at Arabi Food Store on Friscoville Avenue in Old Arabi are, from left: St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann, Max Landry, Dep. Mitch Perkins, and Lt. Robert Broadhead. Also pictured is Landry’s son, Max.

On Tuesday night, Oct. 17, several hundred St. Bernard Parish residents from Arabi to the eastern end of the parish gathered to celebrate the National Night Out Against Crime.

Some were at homes, one was on the grounds of a Chalmette church, and another at a business in Old Arabi. More than 20 parties were held in Arabi, Chalmette, Meraux and Violet. St. Bernard Sheriff’s deputies attended each event to give crime prevention tips and answer questions.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann visited a number of gatherings, conveying the message that it’s the people of St. Bernard Parish who keep it a safe place by backing law enforcement and by being willing to call the Sheriff’s Office if they see something suspicious in their neighborhood.

For the eighth year, the First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette has put out a bounce center for kids on their church grounds, opened their community room and thrown a party for members and neighbors of the church to get together.

Pastor Otto Martin said the goal is to get people together to support one another and let them know they have something in common – wanting to live safely.

“It helps introduce our neighborhood to the police officers and the police officers to us, and it also gives us a chance to intermingle and get to know each other better,” Pastor Martin said.

At the church on Palmisano Boulevard and East St. Bernard Highway, Sheriff Pohlmann spoke to parents and children, congratulating the group for having such large participation each year.

The Sheriff said National Night Out Against Crime is a way for people with something in common – the desire to protect their neighborhood against crime – to get together and pledge to look out for each other’s property and safety.

Sheriff Pohlmann said if something doesn’t look right to you, call the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501. It could help prevent a crime.

Capt. Charles Borchers, director of community relations and the Neighborhood Watch programs for the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, also spoke to the crowd about the importance of locking their doors to deter criminals.

St. Bernard Constable Hillary Miller and Doug Cheramie, a representative from Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office, also were in attendance.

The Old Arabi Neighborhood Association held this year’s Night Out party at Arabi Food Store on Friscoville Avenue.

Event organizer and OANA President Barry Lemoine said it was “an opportunity for the community to get together and do a little getting-to-know their neighbors.’’

“We felt this is a venue that would better celebrate the neighborhood,” Lemoine said of this year’s location choice. “It’s in the heart of the neighborhood and we felt it would draw more people rather than having it at an individual’s home.”

Lemoine said the event drew nearly 100 people.

National Night Out has been celebrated more than 30 years around the nation in August. Several local leaders in Southeast Louisiana opted in 2011 to move the event to October to escape the summer heat.

Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out Against Crime was introduced in 1984 to strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts. The annual campaign involves more than 30 million participants, including residents, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses and members of the military.

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