St. Bernard Sheriff to be inducted into Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann will be one of a select group of people inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame on July 6 in Baton Rouge.

Founded in 2004, the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum Foundation, a non-profit organization that administers the second largest museum complex of its kind in the nation devoted to the study and preservation of judicial and correctional activities.

Each year, the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame honors about a half-dozen great leaders in areas of law enforcement, the judiciary system and the armed forces, as well as those involved in civil rights initiatives.

According to Michael D. Wynne, chairman and director of the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame, the Induction Award is considered by many to be the top award that can be bestowed upon an individual in these arenas.

“The nominees come from federal, state, parish and municipal governmental organizations, as well as private citizens. They are people from all walks of life who have helped better the great state of Louisiana,” Wynne said. “We have honored some remarkable people over the years, and now we are delighted that Sheriff Pohlmann will be among them.”

The induction ceremony will take place at the Louisiana Hall of Fame Museum, located at the gates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. A special gala honoring Sheriff Pohlmann and the other inductees also will be held at the Lod Cook Conference Center located on the grounds of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

A special exhibit depicting Sheriff Pohlmann’s professional and personal accomplishments throughout his life, along with exhibits for the other inductees, will be unveiled during the event and will remain on display in the museum throughout 2018.

Sheriff Pohlmann is delighted to receive such a prestigious honor.

“I’m deeply pleased and humbled to be given such an amazing acknowledgment,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “I’m honored to be among the other inductees, both past and present, who are so admired and respected.”

In addition to Sheriff Pohlmann, other 2018 inductees will include Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.

Wynne said Sheriff Pohlmann and the other inductees were selected from more than 100 nominations. The Sheriff’s accomplishments impressed the nomination committee, he said.

“We not only looked at the Sheriff’s personal and professional accomplishments, but we also took into consideration the great department and the officers and staff members he has assembled,” Wynne said. “The people of St. Bernard Parish should be very proud and feel blessed to have such a great sheriff.”

A native of St. Bernard Parish, Sheriff Pohlmann began his career with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office in 1983 at the age of 18.

Sheriff Pohlmann has served in virtually all areas of the department, including Communications, Corrections, Patrol, Traffic, Criminal Investigations and SWAT.

The Sheriff has also held various commands throughout his career, including SWAT Commanding Officer and Chief of Field Operations.

After serving as chief deputy for former St. Bernard Sheriff Jack A. Stephens for nearly four years, overseeing all law enforcement operations, he was elected sheriff in November 2011. Sheriff Pohlmann was re-elected without opposition to another four-year term in 2015.

He has received numerous hours of law enforcement training and is a graduate of the 181st session of the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation National Training Academy.

The Sheriff has also received several commendations throughout his career, from the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, as well as outside law enforcement agencies and civic organizations.

In 2009, he was selected by Crimestoppers as the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, and in 2010 the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce named him Citizen of the Year.

Sheriff Pohlmann has also represented the department on numerous boards and committees, including the board of the St. Bernard Parish 911 Communications District, as well as the St. Bernard Housing Redevelopment and Quality of Life Commission.

He also has served on the Louisiana Crime Victims Reparations Board, which awards payments to help victims of violent crimes, and in 2016 Sheriff Pohlmann was appointed by Gov. Edwards to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, representing the 1st Congressional District.

The Sheriff also is an active member of many professional and civic organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association and the Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard Parish.

Sheriff Pohlmann oversees several community outreach programs offered by the Sheriff’s Office, including a Citizens Police Academy, a free, 10-week program for residents to learn about police work, and a Junior Deputy Program for children. The department also holds a Refuse to be a Victim class, giving residents crime prevention advice such as what types of locks and lighting are recommended for homes and businesses.

Each year, Sheriff Pohlmann offers a free Holiday Ride Home program where residents who have had too much to drink during the holiday season can call a deputy for a safe ride home.

In 2017, Sheriff Pohlmann created an Addiction Resource Program designed to help residents struggling with an addiction, whether it be substance abuse, or even gambling related, find resources they need to better cope with their situation, such as rehabilitation programs, detox centers, therapeutic plans of action and faith-based assistance.

Under Sheriff Pohlmann’s leadership, the men and women of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office do an exemplary job of protecting its residents. St. Bernard Parish’s low crime rate makes it one of the safest communities around the New Orleans metropolitan area in which to work, live and raise a family.

Sheriff Pohlmann resides in Meraux with his wife, Monique, and their children.