Members of the class of the Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy got up-close look at equipment and weapons the department has for fighting crime

Lt. Ray Theriot, seated, discusses weapons used by the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team to members of the current class of the Citizens Police Academy while Det. Sgt. Donald Johnson, standing, holds a gun used for firing gas canisters.	Gladys Thickstun of Meraux tries on a bomb suit helmet and behind her are Bomb Squad officers Capt. Daniel Doucet, at left, and Det. Ryan Melerine.
Several members of the class look at the department’s bomb robot, used to examine suspicious items at a distance from officers.	Class members pick up Bomb Squad equipment.
Capt. Bret Bowen discusses the department’s mobile command post with class members before they go inside.	Joni Schultz of Chalmette stands in the hatch of the SWAT armored truck.

Several people attending the Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy said they had no idea the amount of resources, including equipment and weapons, the department has in its fight against crime.

The class of more than 35 parish residents got an up-close look at various department resources on Wednesday night. It included a bomb robot for checking out suspicious items, the bomb suit used by the Bomb Squad, SWAT emergency team equipment and its armored truck, the department’s mobile command post and a chemical weapon gun.

“I loved it,’’ said Lola Adams of Violet. She said she didn’t know the Sheriff’s Office had the type of equipment it demonstrated at the Citizens Police Academy class.

She was interested in the guns that were displayed. “I hunt and I liked that a lot.’’

Joni Schultz of Chalmette said she liked the bomb robot the Bomb Squad uses to inspect suspicious items that are found.

Much of the expensive equipment has come to the Sheriff’s office through grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The free Police Citizens Academy, which began in late August, runs through October and is geared toward residents learning about various aspects of law enforcement in the parish, allowing them to get answers to questions about how and why things are done.

More than 600 residents have taken the Citizens Police Academy course since its introduction in the late 1990s.

Sheriff James Pohlmann encourages residents to take part in the class or register for other free programs offered by the Sheriff’s Office by calling Capt. Charles Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Dep. Eric Eilers at (504) 278-7799.