[StBernard] St. Bernard Sheriff's Office and NOPD help with shooter training at Jackson Barracks

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Sheriff's Office and NOPD help with shooter training at Jackson
Barracks
Print NOLA Community Submission By NOLA Community Submission 
on August 28, 2014 at 8:15 AM, updated August 28, 2014 at 8:22 AM

If an active shooter situation took place on the National Guard base at
Jackson Barracks, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office and the New
Orleans Police Department would both be responding as the nearest police
agencies.

So, on Aug. 27, both agencies helped facilitate training by Guardsmen for
such a possible situation.

The men and women of the base, which is on the boundary of New Orleans and
St. Bernard, practiced making entry into a building under simulated attack
by armed intruders and taking necessary action.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann wanted the Sheriff's Office to be part of
such training in case an active shooter situation did occur at the base,
said Maj. Mark Poche, who heads the department's Special Operations
Division. Poche was on the base for the session, along with Lt. Raymond
Theriot, deputy director of training for the Sheriff's Office.

"They (the National Guard base) are a neighbor and we want to have a working
relationship with them,'' Poche said.

Because the base is so close to St. Bernard, the Sheriff's Office would
definitely respond to any active shooter situation that happened there, he
said, so it is important the department be involved in training for such a
possibility. "You have to make sure you are on the same page,'' Poche said.

New Orleans police also took part in the drill at Jackson Barracks,
represented by Capt. Jimmy Scott, head of the NOPD SWAT team, along with
other police officers.

Sheriff's deputies have been involved recently in several active shooter
drills in St. Bernard, simulating responding to intruders in schools or
other public buildings, under the direction of Maj. David DiMaggio, training
director for the Sheriff's Office.

The SWAT team has also trained in school buildings and public buildings
including the parish Courthouse.

Pohlmann has stressed that while hoping an active shooter situation doesn't
occur it is necessary to be prepared for worst case situations.

The information in this article and pictures were provided by the St.
Bernard Sheriff's Office Director of Public Information Steve Cannizaro.