Does systematic racial discrimination as an unspoken policy exist on a widespread basis within the Louisiana Department of Public Safety (DPS)?
If claims contained in a LAWSUIT filed against Louisiana State Police (LSP) in Baton Rouge State District Court are borne out, allegations that include a claim that job openings were not properly posted so as to allow the promotion of pre-selected applicants, the answer would be an unqualified yes.
And what’s more, the silent policy of excluding blacks from promotional opportunities originates in the highest administrative offices of LSP, i.e. those of State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson, according to the petition filed by 21-year law enforcement veteran Kevin Sulcer.
Sulcer, a Senior Trooper/Detective, who has been with LSP for the past 12 years, is “the only black Detective at headquarters in the Baton Rouge area,” his petition says. Moreover, he says, there is only one black LSP Detective in New Orleans and the LSP Narcotics and Intelligence Divisions have no black Troopers or Investigators.
“Every black Detective has either left the department or (has) been transferred,” his petition says.
Sulcer is represented by Baton Rouge attorneys Jill Craft and Crystal Bounds.
The claims laid out in Sulcer’s lawsuit, if true, would appear to be yet another in an ever-growing number of allegations of favoritism, mismanagement and poor morale among rank and file State Troopers.
Sulcer claims he and other black Troopers have been subjected to harsher penalties for minor offenses than have their white counterparts.
As an example, he singled out Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy (Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Staff) who he said forced him to write a 3,000-word essay (reminiscent of Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control former director Troy Hebert who is currently polling 0% in his bid to succeed U.S. Sen. David Vitter) when he was attending LSP training academy but never required white Cadets to do so.
Besides Dupuy, Sulcer also specifically names Col. Mike Edmonson, his brother and Command Inspector Maj. Paul Edmonson, Dupuy’s wife, Commander Kelly Dupuy (can you say nepotism?), Head of Internal Affairs Maj. Catherine Flinchum, Internal Affairs Commander David McClendon, Internal Affairs Executive Officer Lt. Aaron Marcelle, Master Trooper Kevin Ducote, and Lt. Chris Holmes as being part of a pattern of discriminatory policy within LSP.
Sulcer said in his lawsuit that Holmes berated him because of his race for leaving his vehicle running while he interviewed an inmate. As he left the interview, Sulcer said he noticed another Trooper’s unoccupied vehicle idling. “Col. Edmonson was parked in front of this officer’s unit and did nothing to reprimand him,” the petition says.
The incident prompted an Internal Affairs investigation of what Sulcer says was a “minor infraction” that should have been handled by Sulcer’s supervisor. (This the same Internal Affairs Division that refused to investigate a Trooper’s harassment of a citizen in Lake Charles and which refused to conduct a thorough investigation of a Trooper habitually leaving his shift after only a couple of hours to go home to sleep—until LouisianaVoice drew so much attention to the two cases that IT finally was forced to conduct a superficial investigation.)
Sulcer received a letter of reprimand for leaving his vehicle running and for the encounter with Holmes on Oct. 30, 2015. He filed an official appeal of the letter to Mike Edmonson on Nov. 6, 2015. Edmonson has yet to respond to that appeal, the petition says.
But the most egregious act of discrimination, the petition says, concerns an opening for a polygraph position.
“LSP handpicked a white employee, Donnie Guitreau, to fill the polygraph position,” Sulcer said. But manner in which it was done, if Sulcer is correct, would appear to be a blatant violation of State Civil Service procedures.
“Mr. Guitreau was not qualified for the position (so) LSP sent him to polygraph school before the position opening was posted or formally announced,” the petition says. “After Mr. Guitreau completed the school, LSP then posted the position, leaving him the only ‘qualified’ applicant.”
Sulcer says he has more law enforcement experience than Guitreau. Moreover, he says, Guitreau “has a disciplinary history whereas (Sulcer) does not.”
He also claims that LSP failed to have in force an effective policy regarding racial discrimination/harassment and reprisal/retaliation in the workplace and that LSP has refused to address his complaints.
If LSP’s past history is any indication, reprisals against Sulcer have only just begun (with apologies to Karen and Richard Carpenter).
Louisiana Voice 
As the old saying goes: “Document, document, document”.
Well, we certainly have an interesting lawsuit on the fine folks over at LSP, don’t we?
Now, let me make sure I have this straight. Here we have Gov. John Bel “Honor Code” Edwards standing by and permitting this SINGLE black detective at headquarters to endure this treatment and force this man to sue while on Edwards’ watch.
Next, we have him appointing the ONLY black auctioneer in the HISTORY of the State of Louisiana to the Auctioneer Licensing Board on April 20, 2016, only to rescind that appointment only 15 days later after hearing from some of the strongest racist elements from within the aucion industry in Louisiana. Next, he LIES THROUGH HIS TEETH (West Point Honor Code notwithstanding) when confronted head-on with his action: http://www.soundoffla.com/?p=333. Yes, I have possession of the FLOOD of emails calling for Phillips’ head and even emails of auctioneers bragging of the accomplishment (yes, public record requests can be QUITE revealing), so IGNORE the “we accidentally overcommitted” B/S that comes out his mouth! In the words of Clarence Thomas, “This was a high-tech lynching, and Edwards kick the plank out from under Phillips to let him hang!!
I’m truly sorry for the many readers on this blog who got deceived by this whole, “I don’t lie, cheat, or tolerate those who do” line of crap! You got sold a bill of goods. i don’t know how much simpler I can state it!
Tom, I’ve refrained from placing direct links to my blog out of respect to you even though I’m routinely F/B sharing numerous posts you’ve made (and am doing so with this one as well), and I do understand if you opt to remove this comment (or the reference to the previous link). If, however, you’re inclined to leave it up, I want to issue a challenge to ANY of your readers, and that is to simply watch the ENTIRE video on this one Sound Off feature: http://www.soundoffla.com/?p=395. The video has ACTUAL historical video clips of Rev. Phillips (along with supporting documents beneth for anyone to click on), and they are embarassing beyond words in terms of the racism on full display. Sadly, Edwards caved to that racist element andtheir desires to remove Phillips from the Auctioneer Licensing Board.
In terms of the present case in this article, discrimination obviously has to be proven, but I don’t envy the akward position that Jeff Landry has now been placed in entailing having to defend this matter.
To be completely fair, the lawsuit occurred on Edwards’s watch but the events that precipitated the lawsuit had apparently been going on for years before Edwards came on the scene. Also, a lawsuit is not in and of itself proof of anything and the allegations of the plaintiff will not necessarily be upheld (as we both well know).
This is not the first report we have heard of racism at the highest levels of LSP but it is the first time anyone has been brave enough to file a legal claim because of the very real probability that it will be detrimental to his career.
You’re totally correct on that, Tom, and as I point out on the video on the last link above, every episode with Rev. Phillips happened while Jindal was Governor.
I just feel bad that he sought my advice on applying to serve again (he’d declined to serve for Jindal’s second term). I encouraged him to apply believing that Edwards simply would not tolerate what Jindal was so willing to let happen at will. I was wrong and have apologized to him for my misguided advice.
It was a humiliating and embarrassing episode for him to gleefully tell the members of his congregation, his friends, fellow pastors (heck, I even made a public announcement to a large crowd of auction attendees for a St. Jude benefit auction in Plaquemine when I introduced him), only to have the rug pulled out from under him days later.
Thanks for a great post, Tom. I spend a TON of time in courtrooms, and I’ve added this case to my list to monitor. I’ll be happy to report to you the results of any and all court hearings so you can keep all your readers informed..
Well, looks like JBE is combining the WORST of BOTH words: Bobby Jindal AND Buddy Caldwell:
http://www.wwltv.com/news/investigations/critics-say-gov-edwards-is-running-his-own-buddy-system/312078675.
This good ‘ole boy from Amite, Louisiana is sinking faster than I EVER could have imagined!!!!!
Racism with LSP pre-dates the JBE’s administration. I’m sure any non-white who didn’t fear reprisal could certainly attest to being passed over for well deserved promotions in the Jindal years. Maybe our esteemed Col. is trying to balance the scales for the years he had to work under Cols. Landry, Whitehorn and Griffon when he was forced to doing what he was capable of doing – public speaking and looking pretty – not actual police work. Oh, and in those days, he was actually accountable for his performance, as I recall. Or, at least to the best that they could keep tabs on him. Oh, the stories that could be told. . . What an embarrassment! What a joke for LSP! He and his band of brothers will be the ruination of JBE. How much will this Governor or the Feds allow?