St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office signs protocol to foster child advocacy

Posted: December 5th, 2017 | Filed under: News Releases

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann and District Attorney Perry Nicosia recently met at the St. Bernard Parish Courthouse with representatives from various local organizations to sign a protocol establishing a partnership between a multidisciplinary team of professionals whose mission it is to advocate for children who have been abused or neglected. First row, from left, are: Elizabeth Lincoln, Department of Children and Family Services bureau of general counsel; Lorrie Brennan, New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center and the Audrey Hepburn Care Center within Children’s Hospital program director; Stacie LeBlanc, New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center and the Audrey Hepburn Care Center within Children’s Hospital executive director; St. Bernard District Attorney Perry Nicosia; St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann; and Lt. Michelle Canepa, St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detective Bureau commander. Second row, from left: Jacque Touzet, St. Bernard Assistant District Attorney; Larry Aisola, St. Bernard Assistant District Attorney; LaShawn Fernandez, St. Bernard District Attorney’s Office victims assistance coordinator; Amber De Los Reyes, St. Bernard District Attorney’s Office victims legal assistant; Danielle Gauthier, Metropolitan Center for Community Advocacy at Children’s Hospital case manager; St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Detective Joe Warren; 34th Judicial District Judge Jacques Sandborn; St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Detective Donald Shreve; and Tim Farrelly, St. Bernard Assistant District Attorney.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann recently met with a panel of professionals who are joining forces to foster child advocacy efforts in St. Bernard Parish.

On a recent November afternoon at the St. Bernard Parish Courthouse, Sheriff Pohlmann met with St. Bernard District Attorney Perry Nicosia and representatives from various local organizations to sign a protocol establishing a partnership between a multidisciplinary team of professionals whose mission it is to advocate for children who have been abused or neglected.

Joining Sheriff Pohlmann and District Attorney Nicosia were Lt. Michelle Canepa, commander of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detective Bureau, Detectives Donald Shreve and Joe Warren, and representatives from the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center and the Audrey Hepburn Care Center within Children’s Hospital, the Department of Children and Family Services and the Metropolitan Center for Community Advocacy.

The agreement signed will help continue the partnership already established between the Sheriff’s Office and the New Orleans Advocacy Center and the Audrey Hepburn Care Center within Children’s Hospital for providing forensic interviews and medical examinations for children who have been abused or neglected, and it also will help implement new procedures for a team of professionals who will work together in reviewing all child abuse cases.