Lt. Eric Eilers, of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Divisio
Lt. Eric Eilers, of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Division, recently visited with and read to Arabi Elementary School students in Ashley Nation’s class for Literacy Week.
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TROOP B NEWS RELEASE
TROOP B NEWS RELEASE
March 5, 2020
Is Your Child Safe in the Vehicle?
Free Car Seat Check Event
Jefferson Parish – The Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force will be conducting a free Car Seat check event on Saturday, March 7, 2020 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. The event will take place at Clearview Mall in the Target parking lot, 4500 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, LA 70006. No appointment is necessary.
It is a proven fact that car seats and booster seats save lives. Child safety seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash. However, approximately 3 out of 4 car seats are not used correctly. This misuse rate can be attributed to the wide variety of car seats available, the range of children’s weights and heights, and the vast array of vehicles in today’s market. These misuses span all races, educational levels, and socioeconomic status.
During the past 30 years, nearly 9,000 lives have been saved by the correct use of car seats according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is important that caregivers ensure children are properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt anytime they are traveling in a vehicle.
Every Louisiana State Police Troop is recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a child safety seat “Fitting Station”. Technicians are available every Wednesday from 1 pm to 4 pm at Troop B to assist caregivers in the proper installation of their car seats. For a comprehensive list of all fitting stations across the state, please visit the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s website at:
http://www.lahighwaysafety.org/…/All%20Fitting%20Stations%2…
Contact Information:
TFC. Monroe Dillon
Louisiana State Police
Public Affairs Section
Office: (504) 471-2780
monroe.dillon@la.gov
www.lsp.org
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Sgt. Robert Garofalo named Deputy of the Year by Knights of Columbus
Sgt. Robert Garofalo named Deputy of the Year by Knights of Columbus
Each year, the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Rummel Council 5747 in Chalmette recognizes a local sheriff’s deputy, firefighter and paramedic of the year for their service to the residents of St. Bernard Parish.
Sgt. Robert Garofalo, a 20-year veteran of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office was named 2020 Deputy of the Year. Engineer Justin Sager, an 11-year veteran of the St. Bernard Fire Department, was named Firefighter of the Year; and Acadian Ambulance Paramedic Jay Authement, whose career spans 40 years, was named Paramedic of the Year.
The three first responders were honored during the St. Bernard Parish Council meeting held March 3 in the St. Bernard Parish Government Complex council chambers in Chalmette.
In addition to presenting the honorees with plaques, the Knights of Columbus and its Ladies Auxiliary also presented them with monetary donations.
Sgt. Robert Garofalo, a detective with the Criminal Investigations Bureau, began his career in law enforcement in 2000 as a member of the Corrections Division at the Parish Prison.
He graduated in 2002 from the Peace Officers Standards and Training police academy, and in 2003 he moved to the Field Operations Bureau’s Patrol Division. In 2009, Sgt. Garofalo became a detective with CIB where he has worked for the past 11 years.
Sgt. Garofalo’s daily duties as a full-time detective with CIB include being the primary investigator on crimes such as homicides, rapes, robberies and burglaries. In addition, he also takes on several added responsibilities for the department.
During the course of his career, Sgt. Garofalo has been awarded certifications in various fields of expertise, including interviewing and interrogation, crime scene investigations, radar, standardized field sobriety testing and crash reconstruction.
Sgt. Garofalo is a four-year member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, and serves as a certified crisis negotiator.
He is the only Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) drone pilot for the department. He maintains all of the software and equipment and keeps possession of the drone, which has assisted with the apprehension of several wanted individuals.
He recently completed a three-week course through the United States Secret Service's National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama which included network intrusion training and computer forensics.
Sgt. Garofalo also is currently assigned part time to two federal task forces, the FBI Joint Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team (JCARD) which responds to missing children anywhere in the metro New Orleans area, and the United States Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force which provides local agencies with technological assistance with crimes involving computers and cellular devices.
He also has surpassed any other detective in the department in the number of search and arrest warrants he has written. From January through November 2019, Sgt. Garofalo was responsible for writing and securing 52 warrants, many of which led to arrests.
Sgt. Garofalo’s dedication to public service is a family affair. His wife of five years, Sgt. Jennifer Dassau Garofalo, has worked for the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. She is a supervisor in the 911 Communications Center. They are expecting their first child in July.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrest two Violet men
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrest two Violet men
in connection with undercover narcotics investigation
Two Violet men were arrested Feb. 10 on narcotics charges following an undercover investigation conducted by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division Narcotics Unit, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Denair Riley, 26, of the 2500 block of Edgar Drive in Violet, was booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Desmin Enclarde, 25, of the 2500 block of Caluda Lane in Violet, was booked with possession of heroin and possession of marijuana.
After obtaining information through an anonymous source that Riley was involved in illegal drug activity in St. Bernard, Narcotics Unit agents conducted an investigation during which they witnessed Riley make several hand-to-hand transactions, Sheriff Pohlmann said.
Based on their findings, agents obtained search warrants for Riley’s residence and vehicle.
As they were preparing to serve the search warrant on his residence, agents observed Riley leaving his home in his vehicle, along with another male, later identified as Enclarde.
When agents conducted a stop on Riley’s vehicle, they noticed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle. Following a search of the vehicle, deputies recovered marijuana and two clear plastic bags containing heroin.
Agents then executed the search warrant on Riley’s residence, where they recovered more than 20 grams of heroin and drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Pohlmann said the heroin recovered during this investigation has an approximate street value of $2,000.
Riley and Enclarde were transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison to be booked on the above charges.
Sheriff Pohlmann reminds residents to call the Sheriff's Office narcotics hotline at (504) 271-DOPE or 3673 to report suspected illegal drug activity in St. Bernard Parish. Callers can remain anonymous, and all calls will be acted upon.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office to lead Knights of Nemesis parade,
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office to lead Knights of Nemesis parade,
with updates on social media and live streaming on YouTube
Thanks to the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, parade-goers will have access to parade updates for the Knights of Nemesis’ 15th annual parade set to roll Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. in Chalmette.
For the seventh consecutive year, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said the department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center will lead the parade, posting regular location updates on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook and Twitter pages along the way. The parade also will be streamed live on the Sheriff’s Office YouTube Channel. A link to the YouTube Channel will be posted on the SBSO Facebook page the day of the parade.
Manned each year by Maj. Angela Huff and Capt. Bret Bowen, the department’s mobile command unit essentially controls the running of the parade by coordinating closures of main cross streets as the parade approaches and making adjustments in the speed of the procession.
Capt. Bowen, who maintains and operates the mobile command unit, said throughout the duration of the parade they communicate with deputies along the route who keep them informed of any circumstances that may affect the parade’s flow, including tractor breakdowns or any other mishaps.
While Capt. Bowen is driving, Maj. Huff will take care of the social media updates, including posting information about delays and photos from along the route. A camera mounted to the mobile command unit will provide the live YouTube streaming.
Capt. Bowen said utilizing the unit and technology helps provide relief for the Sheriff’s Office Radio Room, or 911 Center, during parades.
“The main reason we started this was if you wanted to know where the parade was before you would call the Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “So now, thanks to the use of social media, we can post information on our Facebook and Twitter accounts to help alleviate the number of calls we get that tie up our lines and prevent more important calls from coming through.”
This year’s Nemesis parade, featuring more than 13 floats, several marching units and more than 200 riders, will follow the traditional route, beginning and ending at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center, 8245 W. Judge Perez Drive, with U-turns at the intersections near Dr. Meraux Boulevard and Campagna Drive.
Parade-goers wishing to donate the throws they catch during the parade can do so at the end of the parade by handing off their throws to the ARC of St. Bernard’s float. Beads collected by the ARC will be recycled and used for upcoming parades. The ARC of St. Bernard is a center in Chalmette that provides activities and programs for adults with intellectual and developmental challenges.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office investigating a fatal shooting in Chalmette
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office investigating a fatal shooting in Chalmette
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old male victim that occurred shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9 in the 70 block of Thornton Drive in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
No one else was injured in the incident which appears to be accidental.
The investigation is ongoing.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participates in Rotary Club Spelling Bee
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participates in Rotary Club Spelling Bee
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office participated in the 19th annual Rotary Club Corporate Spelling Bee held Feb. 6 in the Chalmette High School cafeteria, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
The Sheriff’s Office team, comprised of Dep. Michelle Waites and Dep. Keith St. Germain, of the Corrections Division Juvenile Detention Center, and Chaplain Aaron Johnson, of the Community Relations Division, competed against 18 other teams for best speller bragging rights.
Ironically, the Sheriff’s Office team’s first word to spell was ‘guilty.’ They managed to stay in the game for several more rounds, but were eventually taken out when they struggled to spell the word pangolin, an African and Asian mammal that has a body covered with horny overlapping scales, a small head with elongated snout, a long sticky tongue used for catching ants and termites, and a thick, tapering tail.
A team from the Bayou Buccaneers/Dominique You Lodge took home bragging rights as this year’s best spellers and first place winners. Second place went to Mel Malone’s State Farm Insurance Agency, and Ochsner’s St. Bernard Parish Hospital took home third place.
Each year, for $300, teams of three people from local businesses, organizations and public offices are invited by the Rotary Club to participate in a fun competition and help raise money for a worthy cause. Refreshments are sold, and there are raffles and door prizes.
Proceeds from the event are used by the Rotary Club to promote community literacy programs, to equip area third-graders with their own dictionaries, and provide scholarships to Nunez Community College students.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office looking for Reserve Division deputies
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office looking for Reserve Division deputies
Have you ever felt a calling to do something positive for your community that will make a difference? Are you looking for something to do in your spare time that you will find rewarding? If this sounds appealing, you may want to consider becoming a Reserve Division deputy with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office.
Reserve Division deputies are unpaid, volunteer officers who donate thousands of hours of community service each year by supplementing the department’s paid police force in specific situations. They are fully-commissioned officers who have the same responsibilities and duties as paid patrol deputies and receive the same level of training.
Sheriff James Pohlmann said Reserve deputies play a vital role in the success of the Sheriff’s Office.
“We couldn’t do what we do so efficiently without the help of our Reserve Division deputies,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “They help us promote the safety and security of the residents of the parish.”
According to Lt. Eric Eilers, director of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Division who oversees the Reserve Division, Reserve deputies provide extra support for the Sheriff’s Office at various large-scale events such as festivals, parades and athletic events throughout the parish. They also perform extra patrols at local businesses during the busy holiday shopping season.
“In 2019, our Reserve Division deputies donated nearly 1,700 hours of their time to help keep St. Bernard safe,” Lt. Eilers said.
There are currently about two dozen Reserve Division deputies, and the department is looking for new applicants to expand the program.
To apply, a person must meet the following criteria:
-Live in St. Bernard Parish.
-Be at least 21 years old.
-Have earned a high school diploma or GED.
-Have a clean police record; background checks will be conducted.
If you are interested in finding out more information about the Reserve Division, or to obtain an application, contact Lt. Eilers at (504) 278-7628 or [email protected].
Reserve deputies are not required to have a background in law enforcement; training is provided.
“Reserve deputies attend an 80-hour basic law enforcement in-service training course, twice a week for 10 weeks,” Lt. Eilers said. “They have the same authority as their regularly employed counterparts.”
Since the Reserve Division was formed more than 40 years ago, many Reserve deputies have found the work so rewarding they left private sector jobs to establish a career in law enforcement.
“Many have gone on to become full-time, paid officers, including me,” said Lt. Eilers, who began his career in law enforcement as a St. Bernard Reserve deputy in 1999 and was hired as a full-time paid deputy in 2010.
Fred Schmiderer, a Reserve deputy since 2015, works full-time as a restaurant manager, but said he enjoys being able to do something positive for his hometown in his spare time. He recommends it to anyone looking to make a difference.
“It’s a great way to meet a lot of interesting people and be involved in the community,” said Schmiderer, 52, a lifelong resident of St. Bernard. “I’ve had several family members who have worked in law enforcement over the years and it’s also a way I feel I can help them do what they do.”
If you’d like to join St. Bernard’s finest in “Keeping St. Bernard Safe,” give Lt. Eilers a call.
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrests Mississippi man for rash of car burglaries
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrests Mississippi man for rash of car burglaries
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrested a Mississippi man in connection with a rash of car burglaries that occurred recently in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Cody Cuevas, 24, a resident of Carriere, Mississippi who has been staying at an address in the 400 block of East St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette, was booked Jan. 17 with simple burglary and possession of stolen property in connection with nearly a dozen car burglaries in Chalmette.
On Jan. 17, shortly after 5 a.m., Sheriff Pohlmann said, deputies in the Field Operations Bureau responded to a call about multiple car burglaries on Fazzio Road and Culotta Street in Chalmette.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they were met with a victim who said he witnessed a white male take numerous items from his pickup truck while it was parked in his driveway. The victim also said he saw the suspect rummage through another vehicle nearby and then flee in a 2000’s model Chevy single cab pickup truck.
As deputies were speaking with the first victim, they received another call about additional vehicle burglaries on Pirate Drive and Colonel Drive in Chalmette.
During the course of the investigation, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Bureau were able to positively identify Cuevas through eyewitness accounts and video surveillance.
Detectives were able to locate Cuevas sitting in his Chevy pickup, parked in front of a business in the 3500 block of Paris Road in Chalmette. Several of the stolen items were seen in plain view inside of Cuevas’ vehicle. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison to be booked on the above charges.
Sheriff Pohlmann said some of the stolen items found in Cuevas’ possession were returned to their rightful owners, but there is still some unclaimed property.
Anyone who has had items stolen recently that are similar to those in the attached photographs can call Detective Jessie Gernados at (504) 278-7731 to inquire about the items.
Sheriff Pohlmann urges residents to keep their vehicles locked at all times in an effort to deter criminals from committing a “crime of opportunity.”
“This is why it’s very important to make sure your vehicles are locked at all times,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Locking your vehicle and not leaving items of value, especially guns, in plain sight can greatly reduce your chances of being a victim of theft.”
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St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrests Alabama man wanted for armed robberies in multiple states
St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrests Alabama man wanted
for armed robberies in multiple states
An Alabama man wanted for multiple armed robberies in three states was arrested by St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office deputies Jan. 30 after he was located in a Chalmette business parking lot, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Julien Hardin, 33, of the 4100 block of North Seabreeze Road in Mobile, Alabama, was booked on two fugitive warrants for robbery in Alabama, one out of Mobile County and the other out of Baldwin County.
On Jan. 30, Sheriff Pohlmann said, deputies in the Field Operations Bureau were dispatched near the 8700 block of West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette to locate a 2017 Dodge Journey believed to be used in multiple armed robberies committed by Hardin in Mississippi and Alabama.
Deputies located Hardin and the vehicle based on information provided by the Criminal Intelligence Center in Jefferson Parish.
“The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office often works with the Criminal Intelligence Center, and various surrounding law enforcement agencies to gather and share information to combat crime throughout the entire state of Louisiana,” Sheriff Pohlmann said.
Sheriff Pohlmann said Hardin, who was known to make statements about luring law enforcement officials into a gun fight, was taken into custody without incident.
During the course of the investigation, detectives with the St. Bernard Criminal Investigations Bureau, working along with the New Orleans Police Department, were able to obtain a confession from Hardin, which also led to his arrest in connection with a robbery that occurred in New Orleans.
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