St. Bernard S.O. is no Mayberry P.D., Sheriff Pohlmann tells new class of Citizens Police Academy; 40 residents taking 14th course on police work since 1999

Sheriff James Pohlmann addresses the opening night of the Citizens Police Academy class, being held for the 14th year in St. Bernard Parish.

Capt. Charles Borchers, who conducts the classes, speaks to its members.

Maj. David DiMaggio, head of Training for the department, also spoke at the opening session.

“We are not Mayberry’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann told a new session of the sheriff’s Citizens Police Academy, in describing how St. Bernard Parish may have a small-town feel to it but its law enforcement officers are well-trained and the department has top-notch equipment.

His reference was to the fictional sleepy town of Mayberry, N.C., and its two-man police force, Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife, as depicted in the old “Andy Griffith Show’’ that ran on television for a decade in the 1960s and ‘70s.

“We still have a little Mayberry feel’’ in St. Bernard, a relatively small parish now in which the Sheriff’s Office enjoys good cooperation with parish residents, the sheriff said.

“You may be surprised at how professional our operation is,’’ Pohlmann told the Citizens Police Academy group at its first session the night of Sept. 5. The group will meet once a week at Nunez Community College through graduation night in November.

He said all but one of the sheriff’s top command staff, including Sheriff Pohlmann, are graduates of the FBI National Training Academy, “something I’m very proud of.’’
Sheriff’s Office equipment, most of it obtained with money from grants from Homeland Security or the Justice Department, is top-of-the –line, including a crime scene van, a bomb robot for investigating suspicious items, a mobile tower to look over crowd scenes such as parades or fairs, and Marine Division boats and sonar.

Training is a top priority for the department, Sheriff Pohlmann said. Maj. David DiMaggio, who heads training for the Sheriff’s Office, spoke to the academy class on its first session.

Sheriff Pohlmann also discussed what he has done since taking office, July 1, including reorganizing the department’s rank structure to make it more efficient, chopping away at a deficit through a combination of a hiring freeze which has resulted in fewer employees as some have retired or left.

Also budget cuts were achieved by cuts in the budget in many ways including not allowing department vehicles to be taken home by any employee who lives outside the parish.

The sheriff also said, “We as a society will never be rid of crime but we think we can stay one step ahead of it and you can have a better understanding of law enforcement and what needs to be done to suppress crime.’’

This is the 14th session of Citizens Police Academy since it began in 1999 as a mechanism for the public to learn about police work in St. Bernard, interact with officers and ask questions about any concerns. Some 550 residents have participated since its inception.

More than 60 residents registered to take part in the latest Police Citizens Academy class, conducted by Capt. Charles Borchers, head of Community Relations, Neighborhood Watch and the Reserve Division of the Sheriff’s Office.

The public can reach Borchers at (504) 278-7628 to start a Neighborhood Watch group or register for free classes given by the Sheriff’s Office, including the “Refuse to be a Victim’’ series.

There are numerous features to the Citizens Police Academy such as: hearing from sheriff’s commanders on various phases of law enforcement including patrol work, narcotics enforcement; detective duties; SWAT team demonstrations; receiving boating safety tips; hearing from law enforcement agencies from outside St. Bernard; touring Parish Prison.