Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy allows 10-13 year-olds to view weaponry, equipment and vehicles used by SWAT team members, bomb squad and department in general

A group looks over the Sheriff’s Office bomb robot, used to check out suspicious items.	Members of the bomb squad, including, from left, Sgt. Chris Scheeler and Lt. Steve Ingargiola, second from right Capt. Daniel Doucet and at right Sgt. Ryan Melerine, with SWAT commander Lt. Robert Norton at center.
Some of the members of the SWAT team answer questions from the academy participants.	Lt. Raymond Theriot discusses some of the weapons the Sheriff’s Office uses, as well as smoke bombs and other items.
Lt. Robert Norton, commander of the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team talks to the Junior Deputy Academy about the responsibilities of the SWAT team.	Preslie Jarman, 10, tries on the gas mask.

Children taking the Sheriff’s Office free Junior Deputy Academy got to view weaponry, equipment and vehicles used by SWAT team members, the bomb squad and the department in general.

Under a program started by Sheriff James Pohlmann, participants ages 10-13 are taking a twice-a-week course that runs through graduation on July 20. They are hearing from various divisions of the Sheriff’s Office and being introduced to functions that impact the parish.

But on June 14 the group of more than 30 boys and girls got an inside look at the state-of-the-art weapons, vehicles and equipment used by the SWAT team, the department’s bomb squad and other officers in general.

SWAT team commander Lt. Bobby Norton explained to the kids the SWAT team is used in special circumstances such as when a troubled person is holding others against their will or is threatening to harm himself. “We want things to end peacefully,’’ Norton said, and SWAT team members are trained to work toward that.

Capt. Charles Borchers spoke to the group about what it entails to be a negotiator in a SWAT situation, such as when he has had talked to individuals in an effort to get them to come outside

Members of the SWAT team also answered questions from Junior Deoputy Academy participants.

The kids were shown guns and equipment, bomb squad members showed a bomb robot used to check suspicious items and equipment members wear, and the department’s mobile command post and a truck were displayed.

In further sessions, there will be field trips to the Parish Prison and firearms safety taught at a shooting range, as well as lessons in basic first aid and CPR.

The academy, coordinated by Capt. Borchers and Dep. Sheriff Eric Eilers is patterned after the Sheriff’s Office free Citizens Police Academy for adults, which begins in late August. Register for the adult version by calling Capt. Borchers at (504) 278-7628.