Little more than a year ago, on February 15, 2016, Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) case worker Kimberly Lee of Calhoun in Ouachita Parish was ARRESTED and booked into jail with bond set at $25,000.
Her crime? She was accused of falsifying entries in her case records showing she had made home visits to foster children when she hadn’t. Her agency had undergone massive budget cuts and the cuts, combined with more children entering foster care, meant an impossible caseload. That, in turn, had prompted a Shreveport DCFS supervisor to tell caseworkers that they could make “drive-by” visits to foster homes, which meant talking to the foster parents in their driveways. Policy says that workers will see both the child and the foster parent in the home, interviewing each separately.
On Thursday, the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC), showing all the backbone of a jellyfish, accepted an agreement reached between Louisiana State Police (LSP) attorneys and former trooper Ronald Picou’s attorney Jill Craft of Baton Rouge.
That agreement called for LSP to rescind its letter of termination in exchange for Picou’s “resignation” for the same offense as Ms. Lee—except where her time sheet falsification was over a relative short time period, Picou’s went on for years.
And where Ms. Lee’s responsibility called for the oversight of the well-being of foster children (certainly a serious responsibility), Picou’s was for the general safety and protection of Louisiana citizens.
Nor was his caseload overly burdensome. He simply went home and went to bed after only two or three hours on his 12-hour shifts.
Craft, addressing the LSPC as if she were arguing a legal case, complete with the obligatory rhetoric, said her client was making a sacrifice for the benefit of his family and his “brothers in blue,” that he loved working “as a dedicated law enforcement officer for the better part of a decade,” and that a lot of “irresponsible reporting” had been done about Picou.
Funny, but when LouisianaVoice did a story about one of her clients winning a big court case, she never breathed a word about “irresponsible” reporting. Guess it depends on whose ox is being gored, eh counselor?
So, bottom line, Picou was allowed to walk away from his transgressions a free man. Unemployed at least for the time being, but free to accept another job in law enforcement for some city or town—or even another state agency as was the case of one terminated State Trooper who ended up policing for Pinecrest State School in Pineville.
“Irresponsible” are the actions of a man who ran a daytime construction business so he would cut his shift short by eight or nine hours so he could go home and sleep so he would be fresh when he did his day job.
“Irresponsible” are the tacit approvals given his actions by his supervisors at LSP Troop D in Lake Charles—Troop D Commander Capt. Chris Guillory and Picou’s immediate supervisor, Lt. Paul Brady.
“Irresponsible” are the sham investigations conducted first by Guillory and then by LSP Internal Affairs until LouisianaVoice published its “irresponsible” stories—backed up by Picou’s very own radio logs that repeatedly showed no activity after the first few hours of his shift. Only then did LSP conduct any semblance of a real investigation and subsequently gave Picou his walking papers. Of course he appealed his firing, which was the basis of Thursday’s scheduled hearing by LSPC until commissioners were informed of, and asked to approve, the settlement agreement. Commissioners went into executive session all of 12 minutes to discuss the proposed agreement before accepting it unanimously—and without comment.
Asked if the agreement precluded Picou’s ever working again as a police officer for another agency, commission Chairman T.J. Doss said the commission had no authority over that matter. Asked if commissioners, who had the power to accept or reject the agreement, could not have insisted on a clause in the agreement to that effect, member Eulis Simien, an attorney, reiterated the position that the commission had no authority over Picou’s future employment.
But the commission did have the authority to accept or reject the agreement. And while the commission has no enforcement authority, it certainly could have refused to rubber stamp the agreement until that wording was included.
The LSPC has evolved into a running joke with the resignations of five of seven commissioners within the past year and the forced resignation of former Executive Director Cathy Derbonne.
Only last month the commission rejected the appeal—with only member Calvin Braxton voting no—of a State Trooper who provided substantial evidence to back up his claim that he was harassed and ultimately suspended by supervisors in Troop F after he issued a traffic ticket to the teenage driver of a vehicle in which the son of Troop Commander Tommy Lewis was a passenger. For whatever reason, the commission apparently saw no reason to call in witnesses or to take statements from those involved.
The powers that be wanted the trooper punished and that was that.
On Thursday, it was determined that a Trooper who took an oath of office to serve and protect and to uphold the Constitution but who instead committed payroll fraud should be allowed to resign and walk away.
Does the term double standard carry any meaning anymore?
Perhaps it would be irresponsible to ask that.
Louisiana Voice 
Paul Brady’s son just graduated from the academy and is assigned to Troop D.
Ah, yes, irresponsible reporting!! You rank right up there with me, Tom, on issuing (according to Larry S. Bankston) “reports for which there can be no question are false and misleading.”
I want to strongly encourage each reader to watch the following four-minute video I just compiled (two minutes of Craft in all her glory today, and two minutes back at the 9/17/12 LALB meeting) and read the caption below the video.
As C. B. Would say, “You can’t make this stuff up.”
Here’s the caption that is below that YouTube video:
Excerpts from the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) meeting of 4/13/17 and the Louisiana Auctioneer Licensing Board (LALB) meeting of 9/17/12. Both involved payroll fraud. For the LSPC meeting, Jill Craft, attorney for Ronald Picou, a Louisiana State Police Trooper who slept on the job for years, blames Picou’s actions, for which he was TERMINATED, on “irresponsible reporting.” Though she doesn’t mention by whom, everyone knows she’s referring to Tom Aswell of Louisiana Voice.
The LALB meeting, meanwhile, entailed an ACTUAL HEARING conducted on auctioneer Robert Burns for reporting payroll fraud on the part of the LALB’s Executive Director, Sandy Edmonds. That clip entails Burns’ attorney stating there is “no basis” to conduct a hearing on Burns for his role in reporting Edmonds’ payroll fraud (to which Board Member Darlene Jacobs-Levy, herself an attorney, concurs and calls for a “directed verdict” in Burns favor and for the matter to be dismissed). When the Attorney General Administrative Judge, Michael Vallen, declined to do so, convicted felon Larry Bankston stated Burns’ reports (in which Edmonds was caught vacationing at Orange Beach, spending a week in Disneyworld, visiting relatives in Kansas, enjoying another vacation in New York, etc.) were “unquestionably false and misleading.”
Apparently, the Louisiana Inspector General didn’t share Bankston’s sentiments as they issued the following report on December 9, 2013 citing Edmonds as “being paid while performing NO PUBLIC PURPOSE.”: http://www.auctioneer-la.org/IG_LALB_Edmonds_payroll.pdf.
Since there are so many troopers (retired and active) who follow this “irresponsible” blog, here is a link for the entirety of today’s meeting (I’m STUNNED to see 23 folk have already tuned in):
I think it is time to let the Picou matter go away. Being extremely familiar with this incident, and many other State Police matters, I think too much has been of this one man’s choices. Our views are adverse to each other on this, so we won’t check off each complaint to dispute. Let’s just say we will disagree on much of his case file. I say that because it is without question that the former Capt of D should have gone out the door long before Picou. I’ve never been totally comfortable with the process of this site’s info sources where Picou is concerned. Let’s move forward now, leave Picou alone, and attack the vacation of the 4 Horseman on the San Diego trip. Seemingly you’ve been so worried about Picou and what may or may Not have legitimately occurred, that an incident that is apparently indisputable and involved much worse oversight, is being left undisturbed. If the participants on the California trip that claimed ANY TIME IN ERROR, aren’t terminated, then I feel Picou should have been given his job back and this site retract much of its venomous character attacks. This is my opinion that I’m entitled to and one that is not generated from just being on the outside looking in.
I especially appreciate those whose comments are not laced with emotion and vitriol and who instead rely on well-reasoned arguments.
You have made some valid points and you’ve done so in a calm, rational manner. And while we may disagree as to the importance of this one issue (it was my very first foray into Troop D), we do agree on the Troop D commander. That was where the problems originated and it is there they should have been properly addressed.
I am moving on to other matters but that doesn’t mean I won’t be keeping an eye on LSP—Troop D and elsewhere. I do think, however, that I have followed the San Diego fiasco very closely and I continue to do so. I also believe it should not be handled any differently than the Picou matter—up to and including termination. That would include not only those in the vehicle but the one to whom the vehicle was assigned—Maj. Charles Dupuy.
Thanks for your comments.
In the last few days, while in casual conversation with a LEO, I was advised that the info he is receiving thru HQ is that the California trip was to be slowly fazed out. The main violators of timekeeping are to receive reprimands, possibly a short suspension and return to work. Dupuy’s name isn’t even mentioned as being disciplined short of his reassigned status. I personally feel that IF that turns out to be the case, that is a clear signal that nothing will really change. Also in this conversation it was alluded that Dupuy feels he still has the ‘stroke’ to rise from this confusion and fulfill his dream to make Colonel. I can only hope that Reeves makes a true statement and purges the past. Only then can we anticipate a clear path of ethics, integrity, and unbiased leadership being in HQ.
From what I understand, Kimberly Lee was not arrested for falsifying time sheets. She was arrested for falsifying entries in her case records showing she had made home visits to foster children when she hadn’t. I’m wondering if you have any updates on what happened in her situation?
Thanks for your hard work reporting things that few others would delve into!
You are correct and the story has been corrected. That, however, does not change the validity of comparing her case with that of Picou.
To answer your question, I do not know the disposition of her case. I will attempt to learn the outcome and pass it along.
Now isn’t this something! It all depends on which side one is on. I know for a fact how the LSP work, one officer in this parish claimed he investigated a case which he didn’t that resulted in a wrongful decision by the courts!
State Police will not hire you if you have committed a felony, but you can commit a felony as a state trooper and walk away with simply resigning, retiring or being reassigned? Something is wrong with that.
Isn’t it amazing that people think (on the national and local levels) that accusing the media who report wrongdoing are bigger offenders than those who did wrong? Attempting to deflect attention from a crime that has been committed, by accusing the crime reporters of committing a worse offense by making the crime public knowledge, is just foolish. Rooting out the whistleblowers rather than punishing the criminals is disingenuous and never works well in the end.
BTW, I’ve always been amazed at the complete lack of enforcement of public payroll fraud laws in most state agencies. I’ve seen several well-known, egregious examples of people who got away with thousands of dollars in public funds. On the other hand, the small agency I worked for did what was supposed to be done: suspected payroll fraud was investigated, if substantiated, the person was warned, and if the theft continued, they were terminated, arrested on site and transported to local law enforcement. The local DA could choose to prosecute but our agency had no tolerance for payroll fraud and we exercised due diligence.
A law enforcement agency that allows its own to get away with crimes including payroll fraud, while sanctioning ordinary citizens for breaking laws, is the very definition of corrupt. The legislature really should have a look and action should be taken by the parish district attorneys (since the state attorney general has no prosecutorial authority). Sadly, I suspect we will continue to live up to our reputation as a banana republic. Come to think of it, the other 49 states and the federal government aren’t a whole lot better.
Why was Picou always put on shift with supervisors that were Picou’s friend. I would like to check with Troop D troopers if Guillory and Picou supervisor friends had some free construction work done at the any of the supervisors home/camp. I know of a few troopers who have a business and I know first hand of how some supervisor get some free construction work out the deal (not done as close personal friendships either) then suddenly 3 tickets for the month is not a problem.
What does it matter now? Picou is gone
so LSP issues where he is concerned are
irrelevant. Turn your attention to the personnel
we taxpayers still support that slipped
thru the cracks. Trust me, there’s plenty to
keep you busy. Too, IF Picou was assigned to
‘friends’ shifts, ask yourself who placed the
assignments? Therein you will begin to discover the moral of the story. I say again, leave Picou alone, he was a sacrificial lamb, maybe not without some fault, but not as it’s been portrayed in the media.
Don’t forget about the “By the book Lieutenant” at Troop D!!! The one who didn’t do anything Illegal? You know the LT that had Morals and Ethics that the Powers that be at LSP felt the burning desire and did everything possible to make him quit or retire?? Yeah the one they took his marked unit away, made him drive his personal vehicle to work and only let him supervise inmates working around the office? I will Always Believe, He was the REAL Sacrificial Lamb of Troop D. I too feel that Chris, Paul, and anyone else who allowed this to go on should have been fired first!! I’m not saying he was right. No way Picou would have ever went home without express Permission from above.
Hmm? Nothing about this makes sense to me. Could it be that the person who was terminated knew too much on the rest of them? I don’t have a clue but like us cajun folks always say “something ain’t right about this one.”
I’m just too disgusted to care. Picou was a ghost at work; that’s why he worked the night shift.
If there was ever a joke, this is it:
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_13e5e336-1d82-11e7-ac18-87918a92c111.html
Yes indeed.
Yes sir re, Mr. Winham, it is a joke, but a joke is only a joke until it HURTS someone and when that happens somebody has to pay somewhere, someday, somehow.