Bureaucrats always blame the messenger.
Rather than devote productive efforts to cleaning up their act when they are exposed, management of public agencies would always rather go on a hunt to exact reprisals on those who may have blown the whistle.
That’s what took place today as several field personnel were called in and grilled about whether they were the sources for two recent LouisianaVoice stories. You can see those stories HERE and HERE.
And as an update to those stories, WWL-TV has CONFIRMED earlier reports by LouisianaVoice that Nanette Krentel, 49, wife of St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 12 Chief Stephen Krentel, did not die from last Friday’s fire that destroyed the family home, but instead, died of a gunshot wound.
Even when a Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal (LOSFM) inspector attempts to correct problems internally without alerting the media, those inspectors suddenly find themselves “reassigned” and forced to travel 200 miles or more to report to work in, say, Shreveport if the poor guy resides in the Baton Rouge area, or to Houma if he lives in Monroe.
And while these might not be actual cases, LouisianaVoice has learned that such reassignments do occur at LOSFM.
On Friday, field personnel were interrogated and told they would be required to submit to polygraph tests at unspecified times (“whenever we call you in to do so”) and that they would be interrogated further.
Reports out of LOSFM headquarters were that LOSFM Fire Chief Brant Thompson was “livid” over reports that staff are inadequately trained and certified before they are fully prepared to conduct arson investigations. One inspector, Henry Rayborn, highly regarded for his professionalism by nearly a dozen of his co-workers interviewed by LouisianaVoice, resigned following a confrontation with Thompson over the St. Tammany fire investigation.
That’s a strange reaction from Thompson, coming as it does only weeks after he contacted LouisianaVoice after we spent the better part of a week poring over office expenditures.
“We’re really glad you’re taking a look at our operations,” he said. “It’s always good to have someone checking us out and I want you to know I’m here to cooperate with you in every way I can. If you find that we’re doing something wrong, I hope you’ll let us know.”
Actually, Brant, we thought that was your job.
And, Brant, just so you know: When you try strong-arm tactics to keep people from talking, it almost always blows up in your face.
Bureaucrats believe that it’s their world and we’re just living in it.
They really believe it when DADDY is a State Senator!
This reminds me of ATC. Strong arm when things are covered up. Brant had a top position there as well. Good employees always pay the price for higher ups.
Keep up the good work, Louisiana Voice !
State Police did the same thing-go after and punish the troopers they thought were giving LA Voice information. Instead of punishing Capt. Chris Guillory for giving false statements and other criminal offenses, they transfer him to Baton Rouge and give him a bigger section to supervise. He drives almost 300 miles daily from Sulphur to Baton Rouge as a reward, not a punishment. What was it that Governor Edwards said to the news-holding employees to the highest standards? I think he meant the lowest standards because it appears that is what the citizens of Louisiana are getting.