St. Bernard has new sheriff for first time since 1984; Office passes from Jack Stephens to James Pohlmann

St. Bernard Parish sheriffs deputies take their oath of office. Photo by Errol Schultz.

James Pohlmann, with wife, Monique next to him, as sworn in by Louisiana Supreme Court Justice John Weimer. At left is the sheriff’s son, Justin and Justin’s fiancée Alison Ancalade.

New Clerk of Court Randy Nunez, left, is surrounded by family members as he is sworn in by attorney Lance Licciardi.	The sheriff’s daughter, Victoria, celebrates her 8th birthday with a cake at the reception after her father is sworn in.
New Chief Deputy Richard Baumy, with his wife, Kim next to him, is sworn in by Justice John Weimer.	James Pohlmann, with wife, Monique next to him, as sworn in by Louisiana Supreme Court Justice John Weimer.

The sheriff cuts the cake at the reception following the swearing-in. With him are daughters Victoria and Olivia, wife, Monique, son Justin and Justin’s fiancée Alison Ancalade.

St. Bernard Parish has a new sheriff for the first time since 1984, with James Pohlmann accepting the reins July 1 from Jack A. Stephens and telling a crowd at his ceremonial swearing-in, “We are committed to fighting the problems of this parish.’’

“I am very proud to be sheriff of such a great Sheriff’s Office,’’ Pohlmann said after he was sworn in by Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice John Weimer of Thibodeaux in the Frederick Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette. Pohlmann’s wife, Monique, stood next to him for the swearing-in and children Justin, Victoria and Olivia were present.

The ceremony also included the swearing-in of new Clerk of Court Randy Nunez, which brings to an end 56 consecutive years in which the clerk’s office was run by the Torres family. Former Clerk Lena Torres was defeated last fall by Nunez and her husband, Sidney Torres Jr., was Clerk of Court from 1956 until his death in 1988, when Mrs. Torres took his place.

Pohlmann said he could barely wait for “all this (transition period) to be over and we can just go to work tomorrow.’’

He also said it’s no secret that like most cities in the nation the No. 1 crime problem in St. Bernard is illegal drugs, which lays waste lives and fuels other crimes such as burglary and theft as addicts look for anything to turn into cash to feed a habit.

“I challenge the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office’’ to be vigilant and suppress the specter of crime.

Pohlmann, a 29-year veteran of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office who began working there at 18 in 1983, noted, “It has been a long road to get us here.’’

Reflecting on the election to succeed Sheriff Stephens after his decision to retire, Pohlmann conceded politics can be an ugly process to go through. But he drew applause from supporters in the crowd when he added, “But we got it right.’’

The event Sunday was largely ceremonial because Weimer had already sworn in Pohlmann on Thursday, June 28, to avoid any break in service because Sheriff Stephens’ tenure was to end at midnight June 30.

Weimer on Sunday also gave the oath of office to new St. Bernard Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy, a veteran senior commander at the Sheriff’s Office and former New Orleans police homicide detective who was appointed by Pohlmann to be second-in-command. Baumy’s wife, Kim, stood next to him as he was administered his oath.

Also, dozens of sheriff’s deputies in the audience, wearing new khaki and Navy blue uniforms – replacing the black and grey uniforms worn since Stephens took over July 1, 1984 – were administered their oath en masse by Weimer. The judge’s Supreme Court district includes St. Bernard.

Early Sunday morning before their day shift began, patrol deputies, corrections officers, communications division employees and others were administered their oaths by Joann Lane of the Sheriff’s Office. Also, deputies working after midnight June 30 received their oaths Saturday night so there would be no break in their ability to carry out law enforcement functions.

New Clerk of Court Randy Nunez was sworn in Sunday at the Civic Center by attorney Lance Licciardi and Nunez’s deputy clerks were also sworn in.

Terms for sheriff and clerk of court run concurrent with the state’s fiscal year which begins July 1.

Weimer said from the stage he was honored to give the oath, saying he knows parish residents to be “resilient and tenacious,’’ as evidenced by the rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

Sheriff Stephens, retiring as the longest current serving sheriff in Louisiana and was master of ceremonies on Sunday, said he was proud to see Pohlmann sworn in.

“I know in my heart it will be a good thing for this parish because he will be a good sheriff,’’ Stephens said, and will have the interests of St. Bernard uppermost in his mind. Pohlmann was Chief Deputy Sheriff under Stephens for four years and five months.

Stephens was sworn into office July 1, 1984, after winning election in October 1983, and served seven terms in office. He is the second-longest serving sheriff in St. Bernard Parish history.