St. Bernard residents hold Night Out Against Crime gatherings at homes, churches, school

Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks to an audience at the recreation center at the Pentecostal Church in Chalmette.	Rosetta Santiago, seated bottom left, with friends at her National Night Out Against Crime party on Guerra Drive in Violet. At right is Sheriff’s Det. Sgt. Donald Johnson, assigned to answer any questions and give crime prevention tips.
Col. John Doran talks with Allen Bienvenu, a guest at a Night Out party.	Chris and Mary San Marco at their party on Terry Drive in Arabi.

Rosetta Santiago has lived in the 2400 block of Guerra Drive in Violet for about 37 years.

She said she began holding gatherings with friends and neighbors to celebrate the National Night Out Against Crime prior to Hurricane Katrina because she thought she needed to.

“It was bad around here then’’ because of criminal elements hanging in the area, Santiago said. “But we cleaned it up over the years. Now we want to keep it that way.’’

And that’s why she continues hosting get-togethers for National Night Out Against Crime, which was celebrated in St. Bernard Parish and neighboring parishes on Tuesday, Oct. 16.

Several hundred St. Bernard residents turned out at homes, on the grounds of a Pentecostal church and at Nunez Community College in communities including Arabi, Chalmette, Meraux, Violet and Poydras.

Sheriff’s deputies attended each event to give crime prevention tips and answer questions.

Chris San Marco and his wife, Mary, who live on Terry Drive in Arabi, said they usually host a party for neighbors and friends as a sign that they care about the area.

“This is a quiet place,’’ Chris San Marco said. “The Sheriff’s Office has a good handle on things.’’ Mary San Marco added, “And we like to see our neighbors.’’

Sheriff James Pohlmann, attending many gatherings, said at one, “We have a great, safe community,” and added that fortunately there are low numbers of violent incidents – especially random ones involving people who don’t know one another.

An emphasis on combating drugs is a reason “you don’t see the same level of violence here there is in other places,” Sheriff Pohlmann said.

But the sheriff said that like everywhere in the nation, drugs are a problem. He told a crowd at the Pentecostal Church on West St. Bernard Highway at Palmisano Drive, where a party for youngsters and adults is held each year to celebrate National Night Out, that most crime today is driven by people looking to steal to support their drug abuse problem.

He encouraged people to always call the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 if they see anything suspicious in their neighborhoods.

The sheriff drew a round of applause when he told the group the Sheriff’s Office rounded up more than 40 drug-dealers in a sweep on Sept. 20 following months of investigation.

Such arrests mean criminals aren’t on the streets to commit burglaries and thefts to get money, Sheriff Pohlmann said, adding if you put a dent in the drug trade you stop property crimes.

Pohlmann also said he believes, “Drug dealers need to go to jail. Users need help,’’ saying he supports drug prevention education in schools as part of a curriculum, beyond just the D.A.R.E. dug prevention measures taught by sheriff’s deputies at parish schools.

This was the 6th year since the hurricane that the Sheriff’s Office has participated in the National Night Out Against Crime celebration.

Capt. Charles Borchers, director of Community Relations for the Sheriff’s Office and head of the Neighborhood Watch program, said the parish continues to see residents having parties for the Night Out Against Crime.

“People are focusing on neighborhood safety,’’ Borchers said. “We at the Sheriff’s Office want to work hand-in-hand with the people and we think participation by the public in such things as National Night Out Against Crime, Neighborhood Watch and the free Citizens Police Academy offered by the Sheriff’s Office is a show of their support to work with us.’’

St. Bernard residents should call Borchers at (504) 278-7628 if interested in forming a Neighborhood Watch group in their area, or in signing up for the next free sessions of the Refuse to be a Victim series and the Citizens Police Academy. Borchers also can give tips about upcoming holiday shopping safety.