Gov. John Bel Edwards has ordered an investigation of that Las Vegas trip by four State Troopers.
The Trooper Underground has commissioned a poll of State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson’s job performance.
Louisiana State Police (LSP) insiders confide that Edmonson is more nervous than he’s been since that attempt in 2014 to slide a bill amendment through the legislature that would have given him a $55,000 per year increase in his retirement income.
Want a good laugh in the meantime? When asked about his signature on the expense forms submitted by Derrell Williams, one of the four who drove the vehicle, Edmonson said (are you ready for this?) he allows his assistant to approve/look over this stuff and use his signature stamp.
And yet….and yet, no one has addressed that tacky action of yanking the nomination of a highly respected former Trooper of the Year so that Edmonson could stand in for the award in the company of a gaggle of his inner circle who made the trip to San Diego with him for the ceremony.
And while there has been plenty focus on the overtime pay claimed by the four who drove an unmarked State Police car to San Diego via Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, little attention has been given the salaries paid the others who attended the conference at which Edmonson was honored. And even less attention has been given to how Michelle Hyatt, wife of Lt. Rodney Hyatt and a civilian, was allowed to ride in the Expedition on that trip in violation of state regulations.
San Diego’s nice this time of year
These five guys on the clock?
Why aren’t they at the IACP conference?
In fact, it appears that officials at LSP have circled the wagons as records promised by Public Information Officer Maj. Doug Cain have not been forthcoming.
Gov. Edwards Monday ordered an INVESTIGATION by the Division of Administration (DOA) into (you know someone was going to say it) LSP Travelgate. The investigation will be conducted by DOA auditors.
While the investigation will begin with the San Diego trip, Richard Carbo, a spokesman for the governor’s office, said auditors would look for patterns and “keep going further back if they find additional information.”
It could, however evolve into a good news-bad news scenario:
In what has to be encouraging to Edmonson’s critics, Carbo said the DOA investigation would be conducted apart from an internal investigation ordered by Edmonson, who has opposed efforts to bring in outside investigators to review the Las Vegas trip for possible criminal wrongdoing.
Auditors may also look into presence a fifth passenger, a civilian, who also made the trip in the Ford Expedition permanently assigned to Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy. Michelle Hyatt posted photos of her and husband, Lt. Rodney Hyatt (one of the four who drive the Ford Expedition) at the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam on Facebook but has since taken them down. Those photos raised speculation, since confirmed by Edmonson, that she may have been a passenger in the vehicle, a violation of state policy.
The results of that nine-question SURVEY are certain to be interesting and will be published later this week.
Each question provides five possible answers. Without listing the answer choices, the questions include:
- How effectively does Colonel Edmonson use company (agency) resources?
- How much integrity does Colonel Edmonson have?
- How consistently does Colonel Edmonson reward employees for good work?
- How consistently does Colonel Edmonson punish employees for bad work?
- How much trust to you have in Colonel Edmonson’s ability to make the right decisions?
- How well do Colonel Edmonson’s priorities match up with the goals of your company (agency)?
- How comfortable do you feel voicing your disagreement with Colonel Edmonson’s opinions?
- How knowledgeable is Colonel Edmonson about the laws that matter to your company’s (agency’s) industry (field)?
- Is Colonel Edmonson fit to lead the Louisiana State Police?
Optional: So that those taking the survey may verify that respondents are state employees, please provide your name. Names will remain strictly confidential, but if you are uncomfortable doing so, it is not required.
Optional: Provide any comments you wish to be provided to the media and the governor.
Louisiana Voice 
Roast his ass, or hang him from an oak tree! I worked for him, I know he’s a low life crook!
Been a few that weren’t fit to lead over last few years.
Make certain that Charlie Dupy’s involvement is investigated. He is Edmonson’s “brain.” Edmonson is too dimwitted to come up with all of these devious plans and actions. Dupy became Assistant Superintendent by figuring out ways to glorify or benefit Edmonson. Dupy pulls ALL of the strings at LSP. Edmonson is a “little man” that wants to be a “tough guy” but is too timid. So he befriends real tough guys and by association feels that he too is a tough guy. Dupy is the devious brain that plans, organizes and controls all the acts meant to make Edmonson look heroic – and a tough guy.
Edmonson has got to be unhappy about a separate, outside investigation This is going to be interesting, to say the least.
Edmonson refuses to enforce rules concerning slow drivers in the passing lane. Citizens footed billions of dollars over the years to construct 4-lane U.S. and La.highways—only to have slow drivers blocking passing lane.
Sad. Gov Edwards is to blame.
Tom,
If they continue to stall your public records request, we need to seek court action. Let us know so we can support your legal fees.
It’s about to come to that.
Oh, boy!!! JBE is REALLY showing some backbone now!! Look, Honor Code, this is a man who has been disciplined for payroll irregularities in the past, crashed a car (totaled it) becuase he was “not aware of his condition and cognizant of the requirements to operate a vehicle safely,” had another wreck at a Whitney Bank on Government with his son (illegally) in the ca (which “reachinig for a CHECK on the front seat”), snuck in a $55,000/year boost for his pension for which a sitting State Senator, Dan Claitor, had to file a lawsuit to have declared unconstittional (and for which you said you were “duped,” and much more. Show some damn backbone, Governor!! FIre this guy IMMEDIATELY!! What the hell else to you need to uphold even a small fraction of your so-called “Honor Code?”:http://www.jbefraud.com/appoint_edmonson_LSP.htm
This guy and his underlings should all be fired to bring back the integrity of this department, which there are good men and women doing their job correctly, every day.
Yep, and a dissolving of the LSPC and place its function with State Civil Service. As Mr. Grafton said entailing integrity on the Commission: “There is none. There is none.”
They don’t refer to Edmonson, and his HQ Staff as the “Louisiana State Mafia” for nothing. He, and his inner circle of have been crooked as a barrel of snakes for years. Edmonson, and his entire staff should be charged if found guilty, and new leadership put in place.
I’m constantly amazed how sloppy Edmonton seems to be. People that have gotten to his asserted place of power need to dot their “i’s” and cross their “t’s”. He seems to be a product of hubris, which I believe will lead so his ultimate downfall.
Claiming time that was not actually worked has been a common practice for years. I know this to be true since I retired from LSP. I am embarrassed to admit I worked there.
I wrote to Edwards, and I’m sure that’s what got him to order the investigation.
😀 Tom, I’m joking, but your reporting on the LSP was most effective in calling the attention of the major media to the many problems in the leadership there.
My heart sank when I heard Edwards had reappointed Edmonson, because I knew he was unlikely to change his ways and would bring trouble on the Edwards administration.
Charlie Dupuy is no stranger to unauthorized use of LSP Vehicles. When he was married to Amy Richardson, he routinely took his State Police Vehicle from Baton Rouge to College Station to watch his then brother-in-law John “Bucky” Richardson play quarterback for Texas A&M from 1989 – 1991.
The 2014 debacle was bad enough. At what point does the Governor finally stop this? Hold them accountable for their actions.
Demand to see the IACP workshop attendance records. Attendees log in at every session and provide a record of attendance after the conference.