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SBSO PARTNERS WITH NUNEZ FOR INMATE SKILLS PROGRAM
The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office has expanded its ongoing partnership with Nunez Community College to provide inmates at the St. Bernard Parish Prison with meaningful rehabilitation opportunities through education and workforce training, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
“This partnership is about giving people the tools they need to succeed once they return to the community,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “By helping inmates develop real, marketable skills, we’re creating opportunities for employment, personal accountability and a fresh start — and ultimately making our entire parish safer and stronger.”
Through this collaboration, eligible non-violent offenders are able to participate in industry-based certification courses which are taught at the jail, allowing them to invest in their future through educational and vocational training.
Available certifications include Fiber Optics; Powered Industrial Truck (Forklift, Manlift, Scissorlift and Telehandler); NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) Core; HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response); OSHA-10 (Occupational Safety and Health Administration); and Basic Life Support, including CPR and First Aid.
In addition, Nunez’s Adult Education Division has been offering high school equivalency (GED) courses to inmates since August 2025, providing year-round access to an alternative to a traditional high school diploma with GED instructor Darrel Creecy.
Most recently, eight trustees from the parish prison completed fiber optic certification training through the NCCER Core Construction Program.
Classes are held Monday through Friday in the Parish Prison Chapel for approximately four hours each day. Instruction is provided by Nunez’s Workforce and STEAM Divisions and is funded through a Rapid Response Corrections Grant and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
The program is coordinated in partnership with Nunez Director of Adult Education Bradley Narcisse and Capt. Adrian Chalona of the Corrections Division.
Col. Kevin Sensebe, commander of the Corrections Division who serves as warden of the Parish Prison, said providing educational opportunities within the jail plays a vital role in the rehabilitation of inmates.
“It is through these programs that we hope to instill a sense of self-worth and a desire to become a productive member of society,” Col. Sensebe said.
Dr. Tina Tinney, Nunez Chancellor, said the college is also partnering with the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office to provide similar educational and workforce training opportunities within its detention center in an effort to serve all people with accessible, transformative education.
“We are proud to deliver targeted programs that equip individuals with both skills and a sense of purpose to reduce recidivism and pave a clear path toward becoming contributing citizens who are able to enjoy a high quality of life,” Dr. Tinney said.
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