Sheriff’s Office holds Appreciation Dinner for its Reserve Division and receives a donation from the Meraux Foundation for helping with their public events

Sheriff Pohlman, at left, with Reserve Division officers at their Appreciation Dinner on Dec. 4.

Reserve Division Sgt. Albert Loar, left, and Reserve Division Capt. Joe Ricca, right, with Sheriff James Pohlmann after they were honored for more than 20 years service to the division.

The Reserve Division of the Sheriff’s Office, a volunteer officer group that continues to build back up, was the beneficiary of a donation from the Meraux Foundation at an Appreciation Dinner for the 24 officers involved.

“We appreciate it when others want to help us protect St. Bernard Parish and our men and women deputies who do the job each day,’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann said, adding the Reserve Division is special because the officers volunteer without pay and help supplement department manpower.

At a Dec. 4 Appreciation Dinner for Reserve Division members, Floyd and Rita Gue of the Meraux Foundation were guests and announced they were making a cash donation to the Reserves for the work the division does at their events held for the public. They also gave a donation in 2013.

Mrs. Gue told Reserve Division officers, as well as Sheriff Pohlmann and Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy, that, “I am proud to be a part’’ of helping the Reserves re-build.

Reserve Division officers have worked many public events held on their property, she said, including the Sugar Festival in Arabi, the Jambalya Festival and the Blues in the Parish Festival, both held at Docville in Violet. “I think of all the hours they have worked,’’ Mrs. Gue said of the volunteer officers.

Centurion Arms and Vinson Uniforms donated gift certificates given to Reserve officers at the Appreciation Dinner. The Knights of Columbus Council in Chalmette also contributed to the Appreciation Dinner, which was held at their hall on Paris Road in Chalmette.

At the dinner, Reserve Division Capt. Joe Ricca and Reserve Division Sgt. Albert Loar both received plaques presented by Sheriff Pohlmann honoring them for 20 years of dedicated service to the Reserve Division.

Sheriff Pohlmann also said he is grateful to the Reserve Division members who donate their time, saying their standard for qualifying is the same as for full-time deputies and noted several members recently were hired to be regular deputies.

“I would like to get the Reserve Division up to about 40 or even 50 members,’’ the sheriff said. “We could use that many.’’

Any St. Bernard Parish resident interested in applying to be a member of the Reserve Division can contact its coordinator, Capt. Charles Borchers, at (504) 278-7628 for more information.

Applicants must have a clean police record, be a high school graduate who is 21 or older and would like to serve their community.