In what may turn out to be one of her last official acts, Louisiana State Police (LSP) Executive Officer Rhonda Fogleman, has issued official notice of the transfer, albeit illegal, of Major Derrell Williams from head of Internal Affairs to Technical Support Services “on authority of Colonel Mike Edmonson.”
Additionally, LouisianaVoice has received information from a person who claims to have witnessed Edmonson and family members taking food and beverages from the State Police cafeteria for their personal use.
Edmonson initially said Williams was being transferred to road patrol as punishment for the side trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon during a drive to San Diego last October.
The move would hardly be considered a demotion—or punishment, for that matter. But it would impossible for Edmonson to actually discipline Williams since there has been no due process for him or any of the other three who rode in the unmarked State Police vehicle assigned to Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy to San Diego.
At the same time, LouisianaVoice has learned that Fogleman, who Edmonson earlier threw under the bus along with the four who drove to California in October, has made inquiry into possible retirement.
Edmonson, shown copies of expense reports for Williams that contained his signature, tantamount to approval of the expenses, laid the blame for that approval on Fogleman. He claimed that she used his signature stamp to approve the expenses, which included hotel invoices from hotels in Vegas and the Grand Canyon.
Fogleman has been employed at LSP for 32 years and currently earns $72,800 per year, Civil Service records show.
A terse comment received today from a Department of Public Safety employee who requested anonymity for obvious reasons said, “I have personally witnessed the illustrious Colonel back his state-owned SUV to the back of the cafeteria and load it up with food and drinks and unload at his residence.”
The comment went on to say, “If that wasn’t enough his kids were allowed to do the same. I witnessed it because I was assigned to HQ as my assigned shift.”
LouisianaVoice contacted Edmonson through Public Information Officer Maj. Doug Cain. He did not deny he had taken food and beverages from the cafeteria but did issue a one-sentence statement through Cain:
“DPS cafeteria services are available for purchase by all DPS employees as well as the general public.”
He did not say whether or not he or members of his family actually purchased the commodities. Nor did it address the claim that he and his family members were taking bulk items from the cafeteria in vehicles.
The question of the legality of the reassignment of Williams is hinges on whether or not LSP followed established RULES for filling vacancies. Rule 8.2 says the technical support major must be advertised as a promotion for anyone interested in applying.
That section says, “When proposing to fill a vacancy by original appointment, the appointing authority (Edmonson) shall request the Director (of the Louisiana State Police Commission) to certify the names of persons eligible for appointment, furnishing such information about the vacancy as may be necessary for the Director to decide those persons eligible for appointment.”
Rule 8.4 (a) says, “The Director…shall certify to the appointing authority the names of the highest ranking eligibles from the appropriate list for the class of the vacant position.”
Paragraph (b) adds, “In specific instances, and pursuant to and in conformity with an order of the State Police Commission, a court, or other commission, or agency of competent jurisdiction, the Director may make, or permit the appointing authority to make, selective certification.”
The transfer of Williams and the assignment of Maj. Cathy Flinchum to head of Internal Affairs was Edmonson’s way of addressing the flak over the trip taken by him and 15 other LSP personnel, each of whom was paid for attending the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference last October to see their boss receive an award from IACP.
To date, Edmonson has only addressed the travel and overtime of the four State Troopers who drove Dupuy’s vehicle to San Diego.
That apparently was insufficient to Gov. John Bel Edwards who has ordered an investigation by auditors from the Division of Administration.
LouisianaVoice, meanwhile, has requested copies of Training and Travel authorizations for each of those who went to San Diego as well as authorization documents for taking the state vehicle out-of-state. We have yet to receive those documents.
Louisiana Voice 
At least he loaded the food supplies himself. It wouldn’t be ethical for him have the inmates do that for him. When Capt. Guillory allowed several supervisors and their subordinates to claim hours they didn’t work he was given a slap on the wrist and transferred to the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division in Baton Rouge at headquarters. Now he supervises twice as many employees statewide. At least Edmondson is not making Williams drive across the state everyday like Guillory does, at our expense I might add. I can promise you he has put more miles on his assigned unit driving back and forth from Sulphur to Baton Rouge daily in a month’s time than those troopers that drove to San Diego. How much is that costing us each week in lost time and vehicle maintenance?
Surely you didn’t expect Edmonson to follow LSP Policy in his “demotion” appointment of Derrell Williams or wait until his Internal Inquiry and Investigation was completed. He is above the law. Just ask him.
And as to taking food from the cafeteria, Edmonson and his extended family appear to be treating it like a commissary. Incidentally, if the LSP cafeteria is open to the public, let’s meet for a meal sometime! Sunday after church sound good to you?
Actually, the general public can—and does—dine at the cafeteria but everyone must (or is supposed to) pay. I’ve eaten there myself.
You survived? They did not know who you were.
And let us not forget, this is the same Chris Guillory involved in a Doctor Shopping investigation by State Police I/A that resulted in the whistle blower receiving more punishment than Guillory, and Guillory got promoted afterwards.
But isn’t that how they handle things? Look at the second Guillory I/A investigation that resulted in the whistle blower receiving retaliation. That retaliation is costing the tax payers not to mention ruining the whistle blowers career.
Time for a Big Change at LSP
Folks—this is Louisiana!
The Cafeteria was loading up Edmonson’s vehicles without questioning it because he made sure the I/A investigation involving the inmates and the Cafeteria staff was covered up.
You see folks that is how he takes care of things. How about the free inmate labor done on the Edmonson’s personal vehicles at State Police Headquarters.
How about the use of State Facilities for his family and friends for personal benefit. Anyone else has to rent such a facility.
This San Diego Trip is just the tip of the iceberg involving the corruption at LSP.
The Public and the Honorable Troopers who work hard everyday deserve better.
If the public through the media doesn’t keep this issue alive without some justice. Justice in the form of prosecutions and terminations and we allow him and his cronies to investigate it will just be another cover up. Then Edmonson will spend more public resources trying to find the whistle blowers and make examples of them.
You are correct. As a matter of fact, rumor running around the various troops across the state is that the witchhunt began days ago in an effort to find these whistleblowers. But, if there was no criminal intent or wrong doing, why the witch hunt?? The patrol troopers are not unhappy as to what’s unfolding. It’s HQ’s and the inner circle who’s acting in crisis mode. Also, rumor among patrol is that more is coming and that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
His second in command (Col. Dupuy) is far from innocent. I personally conducted a traffic stop on a Saturday morning, come to find out it was Col. Dupuy’s brother. His exact words were, “What the f**k are you stopping me for? Do you know who I am?.” I then proceeded to escort him to Fleet Management where Col. Dupuy was waiting to pick him up. Come to find out he was dropping his personal vehicle off for repairs to be conducted by the inmates assigned to Fleet. Red Ford F150 if my memory serves me correctly!
It it fair to say that the place (LSP headquarters) is in a state of disarray?
Yes it is. And they are using scapegoats to try and find the whistleblowers. The goats are in over their heads. But they don’t yet know it.
Rumor is HQ1 is the most nervous and anxious anyone’s seen him. Same goes for Dupuy and Starnes, Hyatt and Williams. Others along for the trip are tight lipped (Barnum, Paul, etc).
Another item to note, in the photo with the whole group at at a restaurant, next to ME and the wife, is Raji. He is the Motorola sales rep closely entwined with the Radio Communications crew, a la guess who. Jeya Selveratnam (spell check me please). HQ1’s ” Heinrich Himmler.” One has to wonder how much of the tab was picked up by Motorola??