Perry Nicosia sworn in as District Attorney; Pledges to work with the Sheriff’s Office to keep St. Bernard safe

Perry Nicosia is sworn in as St. Bernard Parish District Attorney Sunday night by Clerk of Court Randy Nunez as Nicosia’s wife, Nicole, his parents and others surround him in the large courtroom in the Parish Courthouse.

The cake on display for the reception in the lobby of the Courthouse.

Nicosia with Sheriff James Pohlmann after the swearing-in. Nicosia pledged to work with the Sheriff;s Office to keep the parish safe.

Perry Nicosia was sworn in Sunday night as only the second District Attorney in the history of the 34th Judicial District in St. Bernard Parish and he pledged to work with the Sheriff’s Office to keep the parish safe.

“I am committed to this job and am so excited’’ to begin his six-year term of District Attorney, Nicosia said after he was sworn in by friend and Clerk of Court Randy Nunez as Nicosia’s wife, Nicole, his parents and others surrounded him in the large courtroom in the Parish Courthouse.

He said he will work closely with the Sheriff’s Office to prosecute cases that have been brought to his office.

Nicosia ran to succeed John F. “Jack’’ Rowley who was the only person to serve as District Attorney of St. Bernard since the 34th Judicial District was created in 1978. Rowley, who won the first election for the office in 1978 and was re-elected five more times, retired last year rather than seek a new term.

Rowley died in November after Nicosia was elected to succeed him and Nicosia was appointed by the Parish Council to serve out the remainder of Rowley’s term before beginning his own term.

Nicosia thanked his parents and supporters after he was sworn in and said that while serving as a district judge since 2010 he had become concerned about crime in general and the amount of guns he saw were being found in arrests in St. Bernard Parish. He said he ran for district attorney to help keep the parish safe.

“I am forever grateful’’ to the people who helped him attain the office he won last fall, Nicosia said.

Numerous elected officials, including all the district judges, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Assessor Jaylynn Bergeron Turner and several Council members attended the ceremony.