The badge of the Louisiana State Police has been tarnished and the rank and file—the road troopers, especially those in Troop D—don’t like it.
From reports of gift cards to troopers for making ticket quotas to an unwritten policy of giving time off for DWI arrests to padding of fees for escorting oversized loads, the picture emerging from Troop D presents a negative reflection on the entire Department of Public Safety.
And those troopers who are trying to uphold the integrity of the LSP motto of “Courtesy, Loyalty, Service” believe that is an unfair representation. They have privately expressed their collective dismay—particularly at a time when it appears that open season has been declared on law enforcement officials by seemingly anyone with a grudge.
LouisianaVoice has learned from sources within the Department of Public Safety that Trooper Ronald Picou of Beauregard Parish has been suspected of committing payroll chicanery for years. His fellow troopers say Picou gets his recommended number of citations (read quota) within the first couple of hours after coming on duty and then abandons his patrol duties for the remainder of the shift.
LouisianaVoice has learned that Picou habitually works the first two or three hours of his 12-hour night shift or four-to-six hours of his 12-hour shift when working days. All activities during a shift are logged on the State Police radio but there were some shifts that Picou supposedly worked which showed zero radio activity.
Other Troop D troopers questioned whether Picou is writing the tickets he did write because the driver deserved a citation or so that the trooper can take off early but still get paid. Picou is assigned to patrol Beauregard Parish.
When troopers took it upon themselves to determine where Picou was spending his shift, the answer came almost too easily, they said. His patrol vehicle was parked at his home while taxpayers’ investment in protection was being ignored. Some troopers said that Picou even bragged about sleeping at home.
Why would a trooper need to spend so much time at home? It might be because he has been too busy running a construction company during the day.
Louisiana Secretary of State corporate records show that Ronald Picou runs TRP Construction at 1870 Granberry Road in Deridder in Beauregard Parish. That also is the address of his residence.
Our sources indicate that Picou would work only a couple of hours of his night shift and then go home to rest so he could work at his construction job the following day.
TRP’s corporate papers were filed with the Secretary of State on April 23 of this year. Prior to that, he was active in Bois Clair, LLC, a right-of-way construction company whose previous address was also 1870 Granberry Board. Bois Clair is no longer affiliated with Picou and now has a Leesville address, effective April 23, the same date his current company was registered with the Secretary of State.
His co-workers at Troop D say they are fed up that he is not available to back up other troopers or other law enforcement agencies by choosing instead to pursue private business interests during his off hours and resting during his shift hours.
State Police Investigation of the Payroll Abuse
So how could a law enforcement officer go silent for up to 12 hours at a time without attracting the attention of supervision? It seems reasonable to think a supervisor, not hearing from a road trooper, would check on the officer to make sure he was safe. There is no legitimate explanation for this other than to speculate that the supervisor was aware and allowed it to happen.
Picou’s activities, or lack thereof, were reported to State Police Internal Affairs more than three years ago through an anonymous letter after troopers audited the radio logs confirming the reports. It was not reported directly for fear of retaliation (a wise decision in retrospect). Internal Affairs passed the investigation on to the Troop D commander Capt. Harlan Chris Guillory.
The investigation, instead of attempting to halt payroll abuse, however, was instead focused on discovering those involved with reporting the conduct. It seems to be an apparent pattern with the State Police to go after the messenger as evidenced by the 80-page report in our previous post which sought to discredit—and demote—officers who initiated a prescription monitoring program on Guillory. Guillory, Picou’s supervisor (Lt. Jim Jacobsen), and Picou were reported to be close friends.
Picou was placed on Jacobsen’s shift every year—something rarely, if ever, done. State police sources say shifts rotate each year and it is uncommon for a trooper to stay with the same lieutenant. Jacobsen subsequently retired but since his retirement, Picou has been on Lt. Paul Brady’s shift who is also said to be good friends with Jacobsen and has reportedly allowed the practice to continue.
The conduct was reported to state police at least three times. LSP finally appears to be taking the allegations seriously in response to LouisianaVoice’s public records request for Picou’s radio logs for the past six months. We intended to confirm the allegations with the documents but were denied because they are reportedly a part of an investigation. This despite LSP’s having been notified of this years ago. Nothing was done until we began asking questions.
When LouisianaVoice again made a public records request on Monday of this week (Sept. 6) for the State Police investigation file on Picou, we received the following response from LSP Attorney Supervisor Michele Giroir:
“…in response to your below public records request, I have been advised that the information that you seek is related to an ongoing administrative investigation. Therefore, the records are not subject to release to you at this time pursuant to R.S. 40:2532 and Article 1 Section 5 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974.”
Bear in mind that Picou was first reported three years ago and those were the investigative records we were seeking. So three years have gone by with no action on the complaints but now the file is suddenly part of an “ongoing administrative investigation.”
We have but one question: Why has it taken three years to conduct the investigation, an investigation which conveniently places the records beyond the reach of the public?
The annual estimated payroll abuse based on current salary at the average rate of radio silence based on 180 shifts per year is more $30,000 per year, according to figures provided LouisianaVoice. If the allegations are confirmed, this one trooper is responsible to the taxpayers of over $100,000, sources tell us.
The citizens of Beauregard Parish and Louisiana deserve better. The procedure of getting citations as quickly as possible and taking the rest of the shift off has begun to spread, officers said. Other troopers and new hires are being trained on how to do this. It does not stop there.
Brady Days, Drunk Driving Arrest for Paid Time Off
Brady days are an unwritten policy of time off for arresting a drunk driver. The practice got its name from the person who came up with the idea: Lt. Paul Brady. His idea was approved by Guillory.
Once a trooper arrests a drunk driver, he is allowed to take off for the remainder of the shift in violation of quota and payroll fraud laws. This in turn has led to claims that some motorists get arrested who are not impaired. Our sources tell us that supervisors order troopers to charge people who are not impaired (below the legal limit of blood alcohol content).
The supervisor demands the trooper offer a urine test and if it came back without drugs, it will not matter because by then, the trooper has received credit for the arrest even though the DA will simply drop the charges. Again, this raises an important question: Are motorists getting arrested because they made the mistake of driving drunk or because the trooper has the incentive of getting to go home early, with pay?
Prizes
There is a popular joke in law enforcement. Whenever a motorist accuses an officer of issuing a citation because the officer needs to meet his quota, officers jokingly respond that if he gives one more (ticket) he gets a toaster. Well in the case of Troop D, some troopers really are being awarded with gift cards monthly for getting enough arrests or citations. One source said the gift cards generally are awarded in denominations of $50.
Suspected Bribery
One report said a trooper was caught taking extra money for an oversized load escort. The extra payment appeared to be in exchange for the trooper to violate the restrictions of the state issued permit. The company tried to pay another trooper to do the same thing resulting in the discovery of a suspected bribe. The company made the mistake of filing a complaint against the second trooper who refused to take the extra payment. The original trooper had to give the money back. There was no investigation according to LSP Internal Affairs and therefore no information was available for a public records request.
They are not all bad
This information was brought forward by troopers who do not condone these actions. They tried reporting it through proper channels. Private citizens also reported Picou to troopers and asked that the information be passed on to supervisors. “They are embarrassed by these actions,” one trooper said. “Releasing this to LouisianaVoice was a last resort.”
Because of the unspoken policy of going after the whistleblowers, troopers who talked to us understandably found it necessary to conceal their identities.
Troopers now earn nearly $100,000 per year. Sergeants and above are well above six figures. The widespread payroll abuse is overt. New troopers are being trained that this is okay and it is becoming ingrained in the culture at Troop D. We can only hope this is not the case in other troops throughout the state.
LouisianaVoice stands behind and supports law enforcement at all levels. Without dedicated police officers, society would be reduced to anarchy. No one wants that. There has to be order and there must be laws and rules to live by. But these rules must be evenly applied both to the enforcers and to those on whom the rules are enforced.
When there is a double standard, we all suffer the consequences.
Administration’s attacking those who report abuse is not the answer and certainly not conducive to high morale.
Louisiana Voice 
Okay Mainstream Media. You’re always (supposedly) looking for stories with reader interest. Now you’ve got one. Let’s see you take what Tom has written and stay with it until change comes to LSP Troop D and more importantly, Edmonson is dismissed from the force.
What else would you expect out of a Colonel whose only qualification to be Colonel was that he escorted the LSU football team and promised the Louisiana Sheriff’s Assn. to be their prostitute? What else would you expect out of a Colonel who recently spent the night before the funeral of one of his men gunned down in the line of duty drunk in the Martini Bar then put up a front of concern before the T.V. cameras the next day? What is really sickening is that Bobby Jindal does not care.
This is scary, and as I was reading it, I thought how much danger you could be in for exposing this corruption. I hope somebody has your back! These guys sound pretty sinister, and they could get desperate. You are brave to pursue this. Please be careful! Maria Huckaby
Wow, again. I’m practically speechless. The mainstream media are not doing their job by letting such corruption go unreported. God bless you, Tom.
These days, local mainstream media are nothing but tabloids dumbing down the masses with sensational & emotional stories of little value. Even the most revered investigative journalists on local news shows must carefully select their targets under the guidance of their editors so as not to enrage the little bully in (not really) the governor’s office. It is essential that our next governor is not beholden to the masters who maintain this silence & status quo. It’s been a long time coming, but change is going to come if we make it so.
This report leaves me almost speechless. When law enforcement is so blatantly guilty of theft (payroll fraud), payola, collusion, etc., public trust is gone – we cannot trust any of these people to properly and safely enforce the law. This corruption goes all the way to the top – no question about it. THERE MUST BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR WHAT TOM HAS REVEALED. Growing up in a law enforcement and public service extended family, I was taught that people in such positions must be like Caesar’s wife – above reproach.
This story needs to be published in the Troop D area media – this is essential – so that people who have been wrongly cited for DWI can sue for their expenses, defamation, etc. Newspapers often publish the names of people arrested for DWI. DWI arrests generally require legal counsel, regardless of whether the charges are dropped or pursued. Charges are not dropped in a matter of minutes or hours, the case has to be proven or not with blood alcohol tests. Which begs the question – if a lot of suspected DWI cases are routinely dismissed, is the DA’s office aware and complicit it in this terrible abuse of innocent members of the public???
My agency is administratively a part of Public Safety and Corrections, like State Police. When payroll fraud is suspected, the employee is carefully monitored and investigated and if the abuse is substantiated, the person is arrested and termination proceedings begin. Sometimes the amount is as little as several hundred dollars. Public payroll fraud of any amount is a felony in Louisiana. It is not tolerated whatever in this agency.
This situation must not be allowed to languish any longer. Thank you, Tom, for having the courage to make this public.
Good old Beauregard Parish business practices. My neck of the woods – so proud. Seriously, a shout out to Tom & the clean cops for exposing the internal parasites who give the agency a black eye.
How about the Sheriff dept. And the DAS scandal. If u know them u can get away with whatever . And they have the right to lie on search warrants, and exploit people to make someone look bad in the media! But are not required to get on TV and apologize for lieing about what actually happened. And you can’t print an article about them because the local newspaper says we can’t print anything about Law enforcement in the paper. Don’t misunderstand me I have no vendetta against Law enforcement, because there are thousands of great officers. But I personally was affected by a corrupt enforcement and noone has the kahunas to ever talk about it !
Tom,
Another great article. Please keep up the good work on behalf of the citizens of Louisiana. How can the state move forward when seemingly every state agency is mired in corruption. Voters must critically evaluate the options this fall and not going for the familiar.
@ earthmother, please be careful that your agency does not try to sniff you out and retaliate for your comments.
Thanks you so much for your concern, Denarys- I assure you I am in no danger. Being silenced would be no fun at all.
Excellent post once again Tom. And as others here asked: Where are the other media, print and television on this? Why aren’t the “big boys and girls” on this? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
I tried to leave a blank post as in no words but it would not let me……
Sometimes our host page gets a little cantankerous. Any time you have a problem, simply email your comment to LouisianaVoice@cox.net and I will take care of it.
du chicot is a friend of mine. I think he was trying to say mere words were inadequate to express his feelings and this piece left him speechless. I could be wrong. Du chicot?
Palm to forehead. I completely missed the subtlety of that. Good one. (Probably explains why I no longer do stand up comedy.)
That is it my friend….i could find none adequate to express my ???!!!
Thanks Tom
“…violation of quota….laws.”
They get only a wink and a nod. Anyone who has spent any time in a Parish courtroom can attest to hearing “X municipality or X Parish really made some money today.” Indeed, one need only see, on any court day, the number of people lined up like cattle for processing. The DPS would be more fittingly labeled the Dept. of Revenue Generation.
With the offshoring of jobs and the unnecessary promulgation of balanced Federal budget ideology, states have found their revenues drastically reduced due to reduced income taxes and and reduced Federal outlays to the states. Take a look at Kansas, New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois as worst case examples. As a result, states have resorted to generating revenues by radically increasing enforcement, increasing fines and reducing prosecutable thresholds. Reduced prosecutable thresholds are readily illustrated by the decrease in blood alcohol levels from .012 to .008 for drunken driving, a violation of which can now be reached with as little as one beer. Increased enforcement was more readily apparent prior to NAFTA during economic turn-downs. Now, it’s an ongoing activity.
Law enforcement officers of all stripes are quite aware of the increase in revenues required by the criminal justice system as evidenced by the willingness of many to falsify affadavits and lie in court to get their target convicted. Courts, dependent upon revenues other than state funding, turn a blind eye to much of this chicanery unless it’s obviously blatant.
State legislatures, aware of the Constitutionally mandated need for funding of the judiciary are not overwhelmingly reluctant to pass legislation in support. Hence, state judiciaries are more concerned with “The Business Model” as opposed to justice.
May you be reminded of this every time you pass one of our modern “highwaymen,” as descriptive now as it was to the bandits in a long past era, which even in a small municipality will reach several times a day. What you see in Troop D is only the tip of the iceberg.
What we need in this country is a return to Constitutional law where even a minor misdemeanor requires at least a petit jury. That and a return of jobs to this country will cure many ills.
I’m guessing these quotas aren’t limited to Troop D. I got pulled over one morning at 230a by a Troop G patrolman. I was obeying all speed limits and laws. I asked him what I did and after thinking for about 10 seconds, he managed to finally come up with “failure to signal”. There wasn’t a car around for miles, but I’m fairly certain I signaled so I asked to see the video. He wouldn’t show it to me. And yes I got a ticket. I know there are some good guys involved, but the bad guys have them overshadowed.
No, quotas aren’t limited to any particular troop. The law that prohibits them is statewide and was passed to limit the scenario you’ve just described. I guarantee you that the judge will take the officer’s testimony over yours should you decide to contest it. I would guess that if the officer’s video doesn’t support his issuing the ticket, he will have erased it and won’t be an issue in a contested case unless you raise it. Note that it doesn’t matter whether any other vehicles were in sight. Traffic law requires signaling when changing lanes.
Personally, I find this to be a very irresponsible piece with little more than speculation to back up the claims. I hope that Picou files a libel suit against Louisiana Voice. Over several years I worked with Louisiana LE agencies and have a very high degree of respect for them all, including LSP. Troop D recently lost a Trooper and this is insult to injury. Why do the mainstream media not attach themselves to this story? Most likely because there is no substance to back it up. We all know they have been shining the light heavy on cops for the past year in a negative way so I have to believe that if there was truth behind it they would have jumped on it. Practice better journalism with honesty and integrity!
I would refer you to the third paragraph from the bottom in which we say we support law enforcement and that without it, there would be anarchy. You may call it irresponsible, but we possess records that back up our story. You can be upset with us if you like but that does not change the fact that things sometimes are not done in the manner in which they should be.
We are acutely aware of the murder of the trooper in Troop D just as we are acutely aware of the murder of a state trooper in Kentucky just today (Monday, Sept. 14). You are trying to link the two issues and they are completely unrelated.
In your objections to our story, keep one thing uppermost in mind: We did our stories because state troopers from Troop D approached us with the information. If you have a problem, take it up with them.
Your response is laughable at best, embarrassing to say the least. When 9/11 happened both parties came together to heal, putting their swords down. So, yes the loss of a trooper and the timing of your article is poor. I have been reading your dribble for a while now and seeing your unprofessional response to criticism it is no wonder another reporter would not loan a camera to you. If I may suggest, perhaps to mature your sophomoric journalism would be finer tuned by remedial training. I cannot imagine a publisher of a main stream news outlet having such a hissy fit as your have shown. I hear the Manship school at LSU is very good, perhaps you should explore some training.
Mr. Mayeux, please respond to Mr .Aswell’s question to you asking why we should forgive bad policing because a policeman tragically lost his life in a totally and completely unrelated incident.
PWM – the word you are looking for is not dribble (done with a ball). Drivel, the word is drivel. Unlike your own prose, which lacks the writing skill of a grade school student, Tom’s writing is clear and journalistically sound. He is a degreed, trained, professional journalist. As an LSU Journalism School graduate (well before it was named “Manship”), I recognize good writing and journalism when I read it. Yours is a disaster.
Expose’ of corruption and abuse as described in this post are vital to maintaining the integrity of governmental entities. I come from a long line of respected law enforcement officials and have spent decades in public service. I know how police can operate outside the bounds of propriety and the practices Tom describes ring true. People who work in areas of public trust should be called to account when they breach that trust. Isn’t that a dear tenet of both progressive and conservative thought about government employees?
earthmother, I think Mr. Mayeaux’s meaning was “to let saliva or another liquid drip or trickle from your mouth.” Just kidding 🙂
Phillip,
The irregularities at Troop D have been known about in Calcasieu parish for years.
Had you worked there long enough you too would know this,
Tom’s E-Mail to me…
I normally do not get into personal exchanges with readers. I allow all comments, pro and con, as long as they do not contain vulgarities and as long as they are not libelous because I do not believe in censorship.
Having said that, I have to point out a few things to you.
Rather than addressing the problem that obviously exists in Troop D, you have chosen to attack me and my credentials.
I can assure you that my credentials are solid, backed by 40 years as an award-winning reporter and editor for several Louisiana newspapers, beginning in Ruston and culminating at the Baton Rouge Advocate. I am retired now but I remain active covering Louisiana politics and writing books (My latest will be out in February).
My degree is in journalism, is yours?
My stories about Troop D are supported by public documents I obtained from the Louisiana State Police in Baton Rouge pursuant to public records requests. Those don’t lie. I repeat: the documents were provided by Louisiana State Police Headquarters in Baton Rouge; they are not innuendo or rumor. They are factual and come from investigations by Internal Affairs. You may call that laughable or embarrassing if you like, but it does not lessen the accuracy of the story.
The public records requests were made as a result of my having been contacted by state police officers in Troop D who were legitimately concerned about their profession. I spoke with them but never wrote a word until I obtained verification via the public records.
On what do you base your allegations of irresponsibility and reckless journalism? If you have factual evidence that I am wrong, I would be more than happy to see that evidence and, if you are correct, print a retraction. Fair enough?
As for why the “mainstream media” have not jumped on this story, I can only shrug and say I don’t know. But historically, the MSM have been slow to offer anything more than sound bites on any number of stories. It took quite a while for them to pick up the pension story on Col. Mike Edmonson that I broke in July of 2014, but when they did, the pension increase was killed. I have heard, however, that Trooper Picou was reassigned to days yesterday and placed under a different supervisor. That would indicate there was more than a little substance to my story.
I would invite you to provide me with your motivation. My guess is one of the people I wrote about is a personal friend of yours and you are defending him. If true, that is commendable. It’s great to have friends who go to bat for you and I would never discourage that. But in the interest of full disclosure, I think you should say that’s what you are doing if that indeed is the case.
Finally, I would ask what your background is. You say you have worked closely with law enforcement. In what capacity? And did that give you an insight that I may have missed?
***-My response… My motivation is simple, to encourage irresponsible “journalists” to present evidence rather than simply state they have evidence. Bloggers have done little more than muddy the water for ignorant readers. I have worked with LE through crime prevention districts and understand some of the inner workings. No, I do not possess a journalism degree but recognize tabloid fodder when I see it. To clear that up for some of these readers, I am not a chef but I know a bad meal when I taste it. I don’t know any Troop D personnel but I know the professionalism displayed by LSP. Tom, I guess your lucky to have someone come to your defense as you are guessing I am doing the same for Troop D. Earthmother has come to save you, my guess she is your wife or some other family member. I hope in the future when correcting others she will consult a dictionary first.***
There is no doubt SOME bloggers muddy the water, usually in furtherance of ideological agendas not based on fact. I think I know Tom well enough to know he did not intend for his personal correspondence with you to be published, but that he also said nothing in that email of which he is, or should be, ashamed. But it was personal correspondence he took the time to send you and, unless I am missing something in your response, left you unimpressed. That is your prerogative, but he clearly stated his case.
Earthmother is really getting a bad rap these days. One person thinks I am Earthmother and now you believe she is my wife. Earthmother’s husband might take offense at that. And he’s a big ol’ boy.
Now, I am going to address your opening statement: Did you not see the attachments on my posts? I provided reams of evidence–straight from LSP. What else do you want?
You have every right to defend Troop D and that’s why I allow your comments (I can block anyone’s comment but I choose not to). But, sir, I also have the right to expose wrongdoing such as prescription drug abuse and troopers not working full shifts but being paid for full shifts. Whether or not you like my particular writing style is immaterial to the facts so long as what I write is accurate—and it is. You do not have the information that I have, much of which, as I noted, was included in previous posts.
And as I said in my email to you, you present evidence that demonstrates anything I wrote is in error and I will print a retraction. And I don’t need Earthmother or anyone else to stand on that promise. Now provide me with that evidence without going off on another of your tirades of accusations of irresponsible journalism because if you don’t do so, you become the irresponsible one.
Oh, and being the leader of a Neighborhood Watch hardly qualifies you as an expert.
Hello, Y’all, earthmother here, to set the record straight. Imagine my surprise at hearing who people imagine me to be.
First, who I am not:
• Tom Aswell
• Tom Aswell’s wife
• Any relative of Tom Aswell’s through blood or marriage
• A personal friend of Tom Aswell
• Anyone whose name you have ever heard, in all probability
Who I am:
• nobody special
• A fellow journalism graduate and practitioner with similar interests and abilities as Tom’s.
• any other information not previously volunteered will have to wait until January 2016
Relationship with Tom Aswell: professional acquaintanceship between reporter and public information representative dating back to when we both wore young people’s clothes. We never saw each others’ faces until a couple of years ago at a seminar. We have mutual respect for one another’s work.
My husband really IS a big ol’ guy. But is not Tom Aswell.
Hope this sets your mind at ease, “Mr. Mayeux.”
“…Manship…”? Puhleez! We’re dealing with a child.
????
[…] Gift cards for tickets, payroll chicanery, quotas, short … – Gift cards for tickets, payroll chicanery, quotas, short shifts the norm in Troop D; troopers express dismay at problems. September 11, 2015 by tomaswell […]