[StBernard] Race for St. Bernard sheriff already heating up

[Westley Annis]

Race for St. Bernard sheriff already heating up

wwltv.com

Posted on August 17, 2011 at 6:22 PM

Updated yesterday at 6:42 PM

Scott Satchfield / Eyewitness News

ST. BERNARD, La. -- Driving through St. Bernard Parish, you'll notice
quickly the race for sheriff is already heating up.

Longtime Sheriff Jack Stephens has said he won't seek reelection, leaving
the door open for someone new to take over the parish's top law enforcement
position.

Weeks before qualifying, campaign signs have been popping up in all
directions, and four candidates are already hitting the streets, pushing for
votes.

Parish Councilman At-Large Wayne Landry is one of them.

"The number one reason why the people are gonna elect me is because they
know what my beliefs are, and my belief is that public servants should serve
the public and not themselves," he said.

Landry said he wants to trim the fat and beef up manpower in the office.

"I can go through that budget, make it more fiscally conservative. We can
put more deputies on the street and we can pay the hard-working men and
women more money," Landry said.

He's up against a veteran with the sheriff's office, Jimmy Pohlmann.

"My 28 years of experience, in particular the three and a half years as
chief deputy, second in command and running the day to day operations of the
sheriff's department, makes me the clear choice for sheriff," he said.

Pohlmann, who said he wants to focus on the parish's drug problems, has to
balance campaigning with his current job.

"I'll make sure I fill all my obligations as chief deputy, and then in the
spare time that I have, I'll go out there and campaign," he said.

Another veteran within the office, Chad Clark, took a leave of absence to
focus on the race.

"I'm at the right age. I feel I'm at the point of my career when I can take
the sheriff's office over and do what's right and I want to be a full-time,
active sheriff, out on the street every single day," Clark said. "Overall,
my plan is just to be consistent throughout the whole, entire sheriff's
department, and that's from take-home vehicles all the way to paid security
details."

A 23 year veteran with the FBI, Barry Bernadas said he wants to modernize
the office and bring in an emphasis on intelligence gathering.

"I have a broad background when it comes to law enforcement, plus I'm a
business owner. So, I think all of that taken into play, makes me the most
qualified candidate," he said.

While his opponents have more visibility through billboards and yard signs
at the moment, Bernadas vows to catch up.

"This Saturday, it will be legal to put up signs and we will do so and
you're gonna see our presence then, but this election is gonna be won in the
street," Bernadas said.

Candidates will qualify early next month, while the election is set for Oct.
22.