Sep 30, 2011 - St. Bernard sheriff’s detectives are trying to identify the owners of property believed stolen including three bicycles, a treadmill, a small saxophone and other items that were found when three men were booked in two burglaries, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The property was recovered at the home of a relative of one of the arrested suspects after they were booked with burglaries in mid-September, Pohlmann said.

“We believe the property was stolen but it hasn’t been matched to any reported burglaries or thefts,’’ Pohlmann said.

The items are being held at the sheriff’s detective bureau in Arabi, including two bicycles and the frame of a third, all with the serial numbers obliterated. There’s a girl’s pink BMX bicycle, a blue cruiser-style Huffy bike and a silver-framed bike.

There’s also a small saxophone, a treadmill and an older style video recorder.

Pohlmann said anyone who believes an item is theirs, and they can provide proof of ownership such as a sales receipt or a police report in which they reported one of the items stolen, can call the sheriff’s detective bureau at (504) 278-7630 and make arranagements to see the property.

Booked with two counts of burglary on Sept. 13 were three Chalmette men: Brandon Johnston, 22; Nathan Reese, 32; and Steve Benbow, 19. The recovered property was found after their arrests at the home of a relative of Johnson who allowed a search.

Johnson and Benbow are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bonds set at $30,000 each, while Reese is jailed in lieu of $28,500 bond.

Kathy and Tommy Nunez, left, at their home in Chalmette, held a neighborhood party in August 2010 for the National Night Out Against Crime, which is moving this year to Oct. 11. At right is St. Bernard Det. Sgt. Paul Miller. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO.

Sep 27, 2011 - Exchanging the heat of August for cooler temperatures in the fall, St. Bernard and several near-by parishes will move their annual celebration of the National Night Out Against Crime to Tuesday evening, Oct. 11, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

St. Bernard Parish residents can call the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 278-7628 to register a neighborhood event and have a deputy come out to give crime prevention tips and answer questions from participants.

Pohlmann said, “We have been enjoying good participation by our residents in National Night Out Against Crime activities and had more than 40 groups hold parties last year, our highest number since before Hurricane Katrina.”

This year about 50 groups have registered in advance to hold Night Out parties and more are welcome.

But Pohlmann said extremely hot weather often detracted from the event when it was held the first Tuesday of August. It was particularly hot in 2010, he said.

St. Bernard and law enforcement agencies including the Sheriff’s Offices in Jefferson, St. Charles, St. John and St. James and police departments in New Orleans, Kenner, Westwego and Harahan decided cooler weather in October – and less likelihood of rain – might be a better idea for National Night Out.

“We hope to encourage even more participation by moving it to Oct. 11 this year,’’ Pohlmann said, “because it has to be slightly cooler. July and August were so hot this year.’’

Plus, children are back in school, it’s still Daylight Saving Time and it wouldn’t get dark very early.

Pohlmann said he encourages St. Bernard residents to take part in the 28th annual celebration of the National Night Out Against Crime as a good way to promote neighborhood spirit and help remind people to look out for suspicious activity in their area.

Neighorhood gatherings and, in recent years, get-togethers at churches, playgounds and shopping centers in which food and beverages are served have become popular ways to show people want to band together against the threat of crime.

Pohlmann said “In St. Bernard, we basically keep the celebration specific to neighborhoods and like to see people get together as neighbors because it sends a message you care about your neighborhood.’’

“I feel we are winning the fight against crime’’ in St. Bernard, Pohlmann said, evidenced by extremely low numbers of violent incidents – especially random incidents involving people who don’t know one another.

St. Bernard residents should call Crime Prevention Director Capt. Charles Borchers at (504) 278-7628 if they are holding a neighborhood gathering for the National Night Out observance and deputies will be available to come out to meet with them and discuss any concerns they have and answer all questions.

Borchers also heads the Neighborhood Watch programs for the Sheriff’s Office and coordinates the free classes held for Citizens Police Academy and the Refuse to be a Victim program that will be held again early in 2012, Pohlmann said. Anyone interested in any of those programs should call him.

“St. Bernard is still left with some neighborhoods only partially recovered from Hurricane Katrina,’’ and needs everyone to pull together, Borchers said. He said taking part in a neighborhood gathering is a great way to resolve to keep your eyes open for anything suspicious in their neighborhood. Always call the Sheriff’s Office at 271-2501 if you see suspicious activity.

“I was very encouraged last year by the amount of people who turned out and we seem to be adding more groups each year,’’ Borchers said.

The National Night Out Against Crime is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and was introduced in 1984 to strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts.

Last year's National Night Out campaign involved more than 30 million nationally, including residents, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses and at military bases.

Sep 26, 2011 - A New Orleans man was arrested early Monday and booked with the Sept. 22 robbery of an Arabi convenience store after he was spotted in a car whose license plate matched the getaway vehicle from the heist, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Leonard Jasper, 33, was stopped about 6:15 a.m.based on the plate number and type of car he was driving while going through St. Bernard on his way to a job in Plaquemines Parish, Pohlmann said.

A sheriff’s deputy spotted the vehicle and stopped Jasper, who said he was on his way to work.

Pohlmann said Jasper confessed to the robbery under questioning by sheriff’s detectives commanded by Chief of Detectives Col. John Doran. Both the store employee who was robbed about 7:15 p.m. Sept. 22 and a witness who saw the robber leave and drive away in a Chevrolet Impala both identified Jasper as the robber, Pohlmann said.

No one was injured in the incident in which a man, implying he had a weapon, robbed the store in Arabi.

Jasper was booked with first-degree robbery and is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison pending bond being set in his case, Pohlmann said.

After the license plate number of the getaway car was identified, St. Bernard detectives traced it to Jasper, who was also seen on a store surveillance system, but couldn’t find him for questioning because they didn’t have an accurate address for him, Pohlmann said.

Jasper has no previous felony convictions as an adult.

Ten St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies graduated the Peace Officers Standards and Training school at the Slidell Police Department’s Regional Police Academy on Sept. 24, after completing more than 400 hours of training. Shown outside Slidell High School where the graduating ceremonies were held are: from left in front row, Deputy Chief Richard Baumy, graduates Dep. Chantel Nunez, Lt. Jamie Penton, Dep. Jamie Mayer, Dep. Duong Nguyen, Dep. Dustin Gould, Dep. Darlene Langsford. Back Row: Major David DiMaggio, graduates Cpl. Theodore Guerin, Dep. Pam Bartholomew, Dep. Brad Alfonso, Dep. Greg Renz, and Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann. Also shown are Pohlmann and Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith. Photos by Errol Schultz.

Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Encardes, third from left, holds the Kiwanis Life-Saver Award he received Sept. 20 for saving a woman whose boyfriend had beaten and choked her unconscious in her apartment. With him are, from left, Patrice Cusimano, president of the St. Bernard/Arabi Kiwanis Club; Sam Catalanotto, chairman for the Life-Saver Award; Encardes’ wife, Jennifer; Capt. Chip Englande and Lt. Chris Cousins, superiors of Encardes; and Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO.

Sep 23, 2011 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Encardes, who saved a woman who was unconscious and being choked by her boyfriend inside their Chalmette apartment in June, received the Life-Saver Award by the St. Bernard-Arabi Kiwanis Club on Sept. 20.

“We have a lot of good officers at the Sheriff’s Office and any one of us in the same situation would have done what I did,’’ Encardes, an agent with the sheriff’s Special investigations Division, told Kiwanis Club members.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said, “Chris is deserving of this. There is no doubt in my mind of the liklihood the victim would have been dead’’ without a timely call by a neighbor who reported seeing a man dragging a woman by the hair into a Chalmette apartment and the quick response by the department triggered by the call.

Capt. Chip Englande and Lt. Chris Cousins, superiors of Encardes, also attended the ceremony, as did Encardes’ wife, Jennifer.

“We want to thank you for what you do’’ in recognizing the efforts of sheriff’s deputies and other first-responders in St. Bernard, Englande told the Kiwanis Club. Englande added that Encardes often leads the SID in arrests, mostly for narcotics violations.

The award is “in recognition of courageous service to our community,’’ said Chalmette businessman Sam Catalanotto, chairman for the Life- Saver Award. Kiwanis Club President Patrice Cusimano also participated in the award presentation. “We thank you for kicking those doors in when necessary and taking the chances you do for this community,’’ Catalanotto said.

Encardes, whose division is commanded by Chief of Detectives Col. John Doran, had gone to the residence when dispatched there after the phone call about domestic violence. The deputy approached an open door, saw what was happening, then pulled awawy the man, who struggled with Encardes.

The victim, who had also been beaten and threatened before she was choked, regained consciousness and said her boyfriend had come home drunk, started an argument and began beating her for a long duration and threatened to kill her, Pohlmann said at the time of the incident.

She said he dragged her outside, punched her and dragged her back inside as she screamed for help. “I was praying someone heard me,’’ the woman told officers afterward. She also said she lost consciousness while he choked her.

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Sep 20, 2011 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Clayten Burns, his wife, Michelle, and friends will host the first annual Brogan’s Run – in honor of the Burns’ 8-year-old son, Brogan Burns of Arabi - at 8 a.m., Oct. 9, in Val Riess Park in Chalmette to help fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Sponsors, participants for the run and volunteers to help at the event are being sought. For more information, call Heather Lyons at (504) 874-0840 or Michelle Burns at (504) 758-5154.

Proceeds from the event will go to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research and raising awareness for the effort to end Duchenne, which occurs in about one of every 3,600 male infants.

“It’s all about trying to find a cure,’’ said Clayten Burns, an 11-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. “People are being very supportive. We want to make this an annual event.’’

Brogan’s Run will be a morning of races, followed by a party which will include music, food, drinks and entertainment for children.

At 8 a.m. on Oct. 9, at Val Riess Park, 809 E. Magistrate St., there will be a two-mile walk/run for adults and young people. At 9 a.m., a one-mile walk will be held for kids ages 5-12.

Registrations fees are $25 the day of the races and $15 for early registration.

To register online, visit www.parentprojectmd.org.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the fight against Duchenne MD can visit www.parentprojectmd.org.brogransrun.

Clayten and Michelle Burns’ son, Brogran, who is in the third-grade at Arabi Elementary School, was diagnosed at the age of four with Duchenne Myscular Dystrophy, an inherited disorder that involves rapidly worsening muscle weakness. Because of the way the disease is inherited, males are more likely to develop symptoms than are women.

There is no known cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Treatment aims to control symptoms to maximize quality of life.

By age 10, the person may need braces for walking. By age 12, most patients are confined to a wheelchair.
 

Sep 20, 2011 - A Chalmette woman has been booked with aggravated battery and cruelty to a juvenile for beating her 10-year-old daughter with a belt and buckle and also punching and slapping her, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Chanda Reddick, 37, 3524 Lyndell Drive, was arrested Sept. 14 by detectives in the sheriff’s Juvenile Division, Pohlmann said. Reddick is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $35,000 bond.

Authorities at a public school told the Sheriff’s Office the girl had reported the abuse to them and had bruising.

When detectives investigated, they learned the incident had taken place during an argument over the girl’s homework from school, Pohlmann said.

He said the mother beat her with a belt and buckle, leaving impressions on her body and also punched and slapped the girl.

The 10-year-old now lives with her father.

As visitors to Kids Safety Day watch in October 2010, Maj. John Vickers of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office demonstrates a bomb robot used by the department to investigate suspicious items. The robot and other items will be on display Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Home Depot Kids Safety Day. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO

Sep 16, 2011- Special items will be on display for children at a Kids’ Safety Day on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Home Depot Store in Chalmette, including a bomb robot, McGruff the Crime Dog, a SWAT team truck, boats and motorcycles from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office and a Fire Department smokehouse to show how to escape a burning building.

From 9 a.m. to noon, children of all ages, accompanied by parents or guardians, can participate in the free annual event, said Tammy Hentze, operations manager of the Home Depot store on West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette.

The session includes workshops, face-painting and cupcake-decorating for youngsters and demonstrations of equipment by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, the Louisiana National Guard, State Police and Acadian Ambulance.

McDonald’s, Winn-Dixie and Coca-Cola will also participate, Hentze said.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said McGruff the Crime Dog, portrayed by Greer Cuccia of the Sheriff’s Office, will be there to entertain children and equipment on display will include what is called a bomb robot used to investigate suspicious items; the department’s SWAT truck, boats and motorcycles.

The smoke house, used to teach children how to drop and roll from a building in case of fire, will be there from the Fire Department, along with a fire truck.

A half-ounce of cocaine wrapped in numerous plastic bags, a digital scale and unused bags found in cocaine seizure in Chalmette. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO

Sep 15, 2011- A half-ounce of powdered cocaine worth $1,300 was seized in one arrest by agents in the St. Bernard sheriff’s Special Investigations Division while 31 pills of the drug MDMA, or Ecstasy, were found in another arrest, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Christopher McGee, 19, 2924 East St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette, was booked Sept. 14 with possession with intent to distribute the powdered cocaine after he was stopped for defective brake lights on a vehicle.

McDonald’s, Winn-Dixie and Coca-Cola will also participate, Hentze said.

Some 17 bags of cocaine were found in the vehicle after McGee consented to a search, Pohlmann said, and he acknowledged he intended to sell it.

A search at his home granted by his mother, officers found more cocaine outside the residence and inside found a digitial scale with an off-white powder residue and plastic baggies they believed were being used to bag up the drug for sale, Pohlmann said.

McGee, also booked with traffic offenses, was being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $27,500.

In an unrelated case, Pohlmann said SID agents arrested Mitchell Smith, 28, 2314 Stander Place, Chalmette, on Sept. 7, booking him with possession of 31 tablets of MDMA, or Ecstasy. He was also booked with possession of a small amount of marijuana, criminal trespassing, criminal damage to a building during an escape attempt and resisting an officer during his arrest.

Smith was seen by SID agents sitting under a tree in an empty lot in the 2100 block of Stander Place and when they attempted to question him he fled on foot, throwing to the ground a plastic bag containing the pills, which were later tested positive for MDMA, Pohlmann said.

While fleeing, Smith was seen breaking into a building on nearly West Morales Street, where he was followed and arrested after a struggle. The marijuana was found on him.

Smith was jailed but no bond information was available.

Dwayne James of Holden, arrested in $50,000 copper       Reuben Albin of Springfield, also arrested in burglary burglary in St. Bernard

Sep 14, 2011 - Two men wanted in a $50,000 copper burglary at a St. Bernard Parish wastewater plant have been caught by authorities near Houston and will be picked up by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office for prosecution, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

A woman also wanted in the July burglary surrendered in late August.

Dwayne James, 25, of Holden and James’ half-brother, Reuben Albin, 30, of Springfield were arrested Sept. 12 and 13, respectively, on warrants from St. Bernard Parish alleging they burglarized a construction site at the Munster Drive wastewater plant in Meraux where the copper was taken, Pohlmann said. They also stole a utility trailer from the site that was used to haul away the wiring, he said.

Christy Smith, 28, of Hammond, also named as a suspect in the burglary, surrendered to St. Bernard sheriff’s detectives on Aug. 26, saying she saw a TV newscast indicating there was a warrant for her arrest.

Smith, who maintained she was innocent, was released from jail Aug. 28 after posting bond set at $15,000.

James had worked for a roofing company at the burglary site and is believed to have set up the scheme to steal the copper, Pohlmann said.

None of the copper wire has been found but authorities in Livingston Parish, where James lived, received information about the suspects and found several pounds of stripped insulation in a wooded area which had markings consistent with the wire stolen in St. Bernard, Pohlmann said.

The markings were later identified as being from wire at the burglarized job site.

St. Bernard authorities, who had sought the arrest warrants from a judge, were notified of the arrests of James and Albin in Anderson, Texas, but have no further details, Pohlmann said.

He said St. Bernard deputies will bring them back for prosecution when they are cleared for extradition.

Sep 12, 2011 - A registered sex offender from Gretna with a lenthy history of arrests for offenses on minors was booked in Jefferson Parish on Sunday, the 11th, for sex crimes on a 14-year-old Chalmette boy he offered money to clean and detail his car.

St. Bernard Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said Byron Johnson, 43, who worked in Chalmette and met the teen-ager on Saturday, will also be booked in St. Bernard with seond-degree kidnapping of the youth, if he is released on bond in Jefferson Parish.

Pohlmann said Johnson was arrested in Avondale on the West Bank and booked with sexual battery and indecent behavior with a juvenile after a Union Pacific Railroad poice officer saw Johsnon and the boy in Johnson’s car, parked near the entrance of a railroad yard.

The officer called the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office after the youth told him Johnson had brought him from Chalmette to do work on his car but had stopped the vehicle and asked him to perform a sex act, then tried to prevent him from fleeing the car, Pohlmann said.

He said Jefferson authorities jailed Johnson and learned he was a registered sex offender.

The teen said he first saw Johnson on Saturday at a benefit car wash on Paris Road where the boy was helping out. It turned out where Johnson worked was near where the boy lives in Chalmette, Pohlmann said.

On Sunday, the teen-ager was walking to a store near his home and Johnson pulled up and gave him a ride, then waited for him to come out of the store and brought him home, Pohlmann said. In the process, Johnson offered to pay him to clean and detail his vehicle in St. Bernard.

Johnson then drove the boy to the Chalmette-Algiers ferry and said he’d rather go to the West Bank, where he lived.

Once over the river, Johnson drove to Avondale before stopping and asked him to perform a sexl act, the teen told police. He said when he tried to leave Johnson wouldn’t let him.

Pohlmann said detectives with the Sheriff’s Juvenile Division in St. Bernard interviewed the teen-ager and decided to seek an arrest warrant from a judge to charge Johnson with seond-degree kidnapping, on grounds he got the boy to go with him by lying to him.

Johnson, if released on bond in Jefferson Parish, would be booked in St. Bernard Parish on the kidnapping charge, Pohlmann said.

Several St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputies attended a memorial Mass on Sunday at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church on the 10th anniversary of the deaths of 3,000 victims in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the crash of a hijacked airplane in Pennsylvania. Some of those attending included, from left in front, Maj. Wayne Babin and Maj. John Vickers, and in back, Sgt. Chris Scheeler, Col. Jerry Rathburn and Col. John Doran. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO.

Glenn Hampton, 31, wanted for aggravated burglary of estranged wife’s Chalmette home and battery on her

Sep 10, 2011 - A man who has served prison time is wanted in St. Bernard Parish for aggravated burglary of his estranged wife’s home and with battery on her in an incident where he struck her and stole her purse before fleeing, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Glenn Hampton, 31, no known address, last served a 5-year prison term for possession of a firearm by a felon, Pohlmann said.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111 and they could be eligible for a reward.

Sheriff’s detectives obtained an arrest warrant from a judge alleging Hampton kicked in the door of his estranged wife’s home in Chalmette early Sept. 8, struck her to the face and body, then stole her purse and car keys. She had a swollen eye from the attack.

Pohlmann said when the woman begged for the items back, Hampton threw the keys inside and re-entered, again striking her before leaving on foot, still with the purse. She followed him in her vehicle until she lost sight of him.

Their young son witnessed the incident, Pohlmann said.

He said the couple had benn separated more than two months and his name isn’t on the lease agreement.

Sep 8, 2011 - “We are not Mayberry,’’ Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann told a new session of the sheriff’s Citizens Police Academy, which deals with showing residents what police work entails in St. Bernard Parish.

The reference was to the fictional sleepy town of Mayberry, N.C., and its two-man police force, as depicted in the old “Andy Grifith Show’’ that ran for a decade on television.

“We may not be a big parish but we have depth of training among our deputies and depth in equipment,’’ Pohlmann told the group that will meet once a week at Nunez Community College through graduation night on Nov. 9.

“You may be surpised at how professional our operation is.’’

Pohlmann 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.’’

As for the department, Pohlmann said, the Sheriff’s Ofice is particularly proud of having 17 deputies who are graduates of the FBI National Training Academy, something most police forces the size of St. Bernard’s 300 employees can’t boast.

This is the 13th 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. More than 500 residents have participated since its inception.

It’s the best way to learn about law enforcement short of attending an actual training academy. Pohlmann said residents appreciate the frank discussions of things specific to the parish and having a chance for input.

Capt. Charles Borchers, head of Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Watch programs for the Sheriff’s Office, handles Citizens Police Academy. The public can reach him at (504) 278-7628 to register for the free sessions, to organize a Neighborhood Watch group, to hold a Night Out Against Crime party or learn about other crime prevention programs the Sheriff’s Office has.

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 and experiencing a firearms simulator. Hands-on use of equipment is a part of the program.

Sheriff's deputies talk with motorists at a checkpoint set up at Verret after water                 Seth and Sara Braniff play in a boat in a flooded yard on Bayou Road, just
began rising outside the levee system in eastern St. Bernard.                                                   off Delacroix  Highway after water receded.                        

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann talks with some of the prison workers who passed out sandbags to more than 400 residents. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTOS.

The parish received some damage, including a tornado that destroyed several sheds and damaged houses at Verret on Saturday night, scattered downed trees and power failures, and street flooding of several feet outside the levee system, Parish President Craig Taffaro Jr. and Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

But there were no injuries reported and except for some heavy rains and winds, the parish was spared to a large degree.

"It was a good drill to brush up on our storm prep,’’ Parish President Craig Taffaro Jr. said. “Most of our emergency operations are in place and working as they are supposed to.’’

Taffaro added, "I want to give a big thanks to all of our Public Works and Office of Emergency Preparedness staff and the members of our Fire Department."

Pohlmann said, “We were grateful our parish was spared any injuries or devastating damage. Having gone to the area where the tornado struck on Pilate Lane at Verret, I know residents were shaken by what happened but were glad no one was hurt. We can all be thankful it wasn’t worse.’’

“From the Sheriff’s Office point of view,’’ Pohlmann said, “we gave away more than 10,000 sandbags to some 400 residents concerned water might come into their homes or businesses and we had all deputies on alert,’’ Pohlmann said. We had 45,000 andbags that were pre-made and stockpiled in case of water events such as the one we experienced,’’ Pohlmann said.

“We also maintained a checkpoint in the eastern part of the parish when water rose outside the levee protection system and were available to help anyone evacuate that area if they wanted.’’

Roads outside the levee system in eastern St. Bernard Parish became impassable because of tidal flooding and the Sheriff’s Office closed the junction at Louisiana 46 and Louisiana 400 on the Louisiana 39 Extension at Verret, except to locals with large trucks. Some residents evacuated and some parked vehicles inside the levee system.

Places including Florrissant, Shell Beach, Hopedale and Delacroix Island were affected, Pohlmann said.

The upper areas of St. Bernard, those inside the levee protection system including Arabi, Chalmette, Violet and Poydras weren’t nearly so affected, Pohlmann said. Water wasn’t reported to be high on streets inside the levee system.

Roads were mostly cleared of water on Sunday but Tropical Storm conditions remained in effect for all of St. Bernard Parish after the storm came ashore and brought winds and rain Sunday night as it stayed on a North East track. The storm was downgraded on Monday but winds gusted to 30-40 mph.

In an effort to alleviate the flooding in eastern areas, Parish Government crews made cuts in the levees at Woodlake and Delacroix to help the areas drain, Taffaro said.

He said parish crews also placed sandbags on roadways outside the levee system to try to keep water from rising on private property.

Conditions had the potential to spawn tornadoes with little warning, so residents were asked to limit travel.

An apparent tornado touched down about 9 p.m. Saturday night in the 1900 block of Pilate Lane, a street just off the La. 39 Extension at Verret, near the Sheriff’s sub-station and a parish fire station.

No was hurt but three residences were damaged and at least two sheds were destroyed as well as trees knocked down. People who lived there said they heard high winds and then loud noise as destuction took place.

Sep 3, 2011 - Sheriff’s deputies made two recent arrests and State Police one in which a variety of drugs were seized, including home-made tablets made from bath salts, amphetamine, three grams of crack cocaine and 25 Oxycodone tablets, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Two Chalmette men and a Violet man were arrested in the separate cases.

Marse Livingston, 42, 2812 Lyndell Drive, Chalmette, was stopped early Sept. 2 by State Police for driving while intoxicated. Sheriff’s Deputy James Norsworthy, assisting in the case, found Livingston had numerous capsules Livingston said were made from bath salts he bought on the Internet.

Recovered, Pohlmann said, were more than 20 tablets, in which Livingston admitted some had effects similar to the drug Ecstasy and others he said had LSD-like effects. He said he filled the capsules from bath salts he bought. Two other tablets of amphetamine and Alprazolam were also found.

Livingston was booked with possession of the drugs and was later released from jail on bond of $15,000.

Separately, Jerry Jacques, 27, 514 E. Liberaux St., Chalmette, was booked Aug. 26 with distribution of heroin, possession with intent to distribute about three grams of crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 13 pills of the pain-killer Lortab, Pohlmann said. In the same case, Kevin Toups, 33, of Chalmette, was booked with acessory to heroin distribution, obstruction of justice and resisting an officer.

Agents of the sheriff’s Special Investigations Division arrested Jacques and Toups. No bond information was available.

Also separately, Erick Ozouna, 32, 2413 Cora Ann Drive, Violet, was booked Aug. 22 with possession with intent to distribute 25 tablets of the drug Oxycodone after he was seen trying to enter his vehicle while intoxicated.

Ozouna has been released on bond but the amount wasn’t available.

Sep 3, 2011 - Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said roads outside the hurricane protection levee system in eastern St. Bernard Parish are becoming impassable because of tidal flooding and the Sheriff’s Office has closed the junction at Louisiana 46 and Louisiana on the Louisiana 39 Extension at Reggio except to locals with large trucks.

Roads in places including Florrissant, Shell Beach, Hopedale and Delacroix Island are affected, Pohlmann said.

Residents who need help getting out should call 911 for assistance from the Sheriff’s Office, Pohlmann said. Anyone who wants to check on boats in those areas will need a large truck to be allowed in, Pohlmann said.

The upper areas of St. Bernard, those inside the levee protection system including Arabi, Chalmette, Violet and Poydras aren’t affected, Pohlmann said.

Water has been rising because of rains associated with Tropical Depression Lee.

Pohlmann continues to advise people to stay off streets and highways unless necessary.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann talks with inmate workers, thanking them for helping parish residents who wanted sandbags to protect their homes or businesses. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTOS.

“Many people wanted the sandbags because they are trying to prevent rain water from affecting their residence or business,’’ said Pohlmann, who was present much of the day at the department’s sandbag barn in the old Kaiser facility at the rear of the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette.

“We have had a good response,’’ Pohlmann said. “I hope we have helped people.’’

A decision will be made early Saturday on whether the sandbag distriution is still needed, Pohlmann said.

“We have 45,000 sandbags that were pre-made and are stockpiled in case of water events such as the one we are expecting,’’ Pohlmann said. Parish prisoners make the sandbags throughout the year in preparation for the next hurricane season.

Motorists can enter the road to the port off West St. Bernard Highway at Keane Drive, next to the old Kaiser smokestack, and follow the road to the rear of the port, near the Mississippi River levee.

Sheriff’s deputies will be there to assist people, Pohlmann said.

Rain is expected for days and Parish President Craig Taffaro Jr. and Pohlmann advised people to stay off roads if they can to avoid dangers of traveling in the rain brought by a Tropical Depression.

The Sheriff’s Office has positioned barricades at places where water collects in heavy rainfall and deputies will be out to deter traffic if roads are closed, Pohlmann said.

Also, motorists must be careful on streets where repair work has recently been done. There might be barricades or cones placed out to show where there are missing sections of street but those could be blown down or knocked over in heavy rains, Pohlmann said.

“Think safety at all times if you must be out,’’ Pohlmann said.

Sep 2, 2011 - Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office is giving out free sandbags to parish residents at its sandbag barn in the old Kaiser facility at the rear of the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette.

“We have 45,000 sandbags that have been pre-made and are stockpiled in case of water events such as the one we are expecting,’’ Pohlmann said. Parish prisoners make the sandbags throughout the year in preparation for the next hurricane season.

Motorists can enter the road to the port off West St. Bernard Highway at Keane Drive, next to the old Kaiser smokestack, and follow the road to the rear of the port, near the Mississippi River levee.

Sheriff’s deputies will be there to assist people, Pohlmann said.

The giveaway began at 10 a.m. Friday and will continue indefinitely.

Sep 1, 2011 - St. Bernard Parish officials said at a Thursday news conference that current weather projections indicate a slow-moving storm system that potentially will bring up to 11 inches of rainfall through the weekend and that residents should pay attention to weather broadcasts.

“Rainfall may be accompanied by some gusty wind conditions of up to 30 mph. We expect that conditions will deteriorate as the weekend approaches,” Parish President Craig Taffaro Jr. said at an afternoon press conference also attended by Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann, Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier, Parish Chief Administrative Officer and Homeland Security Director Dave Dysart and Stu Williamson, executive director of the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District.
 
Chief Deputy Pohlmann said the department is pre-staging barricades at points where there might be standing water. “Sheriff’s deputies will be on hand to help direct traffic where there may be street flooding,’’ Pohlmann said.

Also, Pohlmann said, “The Sheriff’s Office will likely begin giving out sandbags Friday morning to residents who want them.’’ The media will be advised when sandbags are to be given out, he said.

They would be available at the sheriff’s sandbag barn at the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette, near the river levee. Follow the road to the port, off West St. Bernard Highway, to the old Kaiser facility, where more than 45,000 sandbags stand ready to be handed out, Pohlmann said.

Superintendent of Schools Doris Voitier said schools are scheduled to remain open Friday, but parents may contact their children’s schools to find out whether extra-curricular activities will still happen. Additionally, she reminded parents the system has an emergency contact system that will be able to reach every parent if the School Board needs to get them further information.

“While we do not expect this event to bring hurricane conditions, significant rainfall is expected. There could be localized street flooding,” Taffaro said. “This system underscores the current conditions of the gulf which are favorable for tropical activity.

Currently, St. Bernard Parish is operating at full drainage and pumping capacity and drainage canals have been pumped down to add additional storage capacity, Taffaro said. Public works crews are in the field making any necessary preparations and pre-staging additional pumps for trouble areas. “We are activating our emergency operations center as of 9 a.m. tomorrow morning and will remain on partial activation into the weekend, pending the course of the weather.”
 
Taffaro said residents may contact the parish Emergency Operations Center with any specific concerns regarding a construction or road site at 278-4268.
 
“With the significant amount of construction projects underway, all contractors have been instructed to secure their respective sites. Residents are reminded to use caution on streets with any standing water and be aware of potentially open panels,” Taffaro said.
 
 “We continue to monitor and review all pumping stations and coordinate with Lake Borgne. Personnel are in place for the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District, and they will work through the weekend.”
 
The gates at Bayou Dupre and Bayou Bienvenue are closed, Taffaro said. However, the gate at the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at the storm surge barrier will remain open for vessels seeking safe harbor.
 
Regular garbage pick-up will be in place, and government operations will work its normal schedule tomorrow. Entergy is on standby and has manpower prepared to respond to any power outages which may occur throughout the course of this weekend.
 
 Taffaro said that the parish also has a system where residents can get weather updates and emergency alerts to their email, home phone or cell phone by registering for FirstCall on the parish website at www.sbpg.net and going to the Homeland Security page.