How well did the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement vet the application of Louisiana Fire Marshal Fire Chief Brant Lamar Thompson’s application for a training waiver that qualifies him as a certified homicide investigator for the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM)?
The answer, according to the commission’s Law Enforcement Training Manager Bob Wertz, is it didn’t.
That’s because the only thing the commission goes by is the application submitted by Thompson and signed off on by his supervisor, in this case State Fire Marshal Butch Browning.
While Thompson’s qualifications for certification as a homicide investigator are iffy at best, a little trickeration and massaging of the rules may have slipped him past requirements put in place to ensure qualified personnel occupied top administrative posts at the Office of SFM.
Thompson has worked for the fire marshal’s Office since June 20, 2011, first as Deputy Chief of Investigations until his promotion to Fire Chief on June 16 of last year. Along with his promotion went a 31 percent pay increase, from $95,500 to his current salary of $125,000 (Browning, at the same time, received a 32 percent pay bump, from $104,000 to his current salary of $137,500, without benefit of a promotion.)
Around that same time (June 27), former State Rep. Bryan Adams, a former Terrytown fire chief, left the legislature and began work at the fire marshal’s office for $120,000 per year, an indication of how SFM administrators received pay increases and high salaries while rank and file employees have gone for years without raises. Adams later resigned.
He worked for the Louisiana Department of Revenue (DOR) from February 7, 2005, until June 3, 2011. From January 30, 2006, until August 15, 2010, and from November 23, 2010 until June 3, 2011, as Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC). For the three months between stints at that position, he worked as Assistant Secretary of DOR.
Brant Thompson:
| Begin Date | End Date | Agency | Job Title | Biweekly Pay Rate |
| 06/16/16 | Present | DPS-Office of State Fire Marshal | Fire Chief | $4807.70 (6/16/16 to present) |
| 6/20/11 | 6/15/16 | DPS-Office of State Fire Marshal | Deputy Chief-Investigations | $3672.00 (7/1/15 to 6/15/16)
$3530.40 (10/1/13 to 6/30/15) $3394.40 (6/20/11 to 9/30/13) |
| 6/4/11 | 6/19/11 | RESIGNATION | ||
| 11/23/10 | 6/3/11 |
DOR-Office of Revenue |
ATC Deputy Commissioner | $3394.40 (11/23/10 to 6/3/11) |
| 8/16/10 | 11/22/10 |
DOR-Office of Revenue |
Assistant Secretary | $4148.00 (8/16/10 to 11/22/10) |
| 1/30/06 | 8/15/10 |
DOR-Office of Revenue |
ATC Deputy Commissioner | $3394.40 (8/7/09 to 8/15/10)
$3264.00 (8/7/08 to 8/6/09) $3138.40 (8/7/07 to 8/6/08) $3017.60 (7/1/07 to 8/6/07) $2960.00 (8/7/06 to 6/30/07) $2846.40 (1/30/06 to 8/6/06) |
| 2/7/05 | 1/29/06 |
DOR-Office of Revenue |
Executive Management Officer 2 | $2640.80 (8/7/05 to 1/29/06)
$2538.80 (2/7/05 to 8/6/05) |
In none of those positions did he ever conduct a homicide investigation.
Prior to going to work for DOR, he did work for the Attorney General’s office during the investigation of the Baton Rouge serial killings, an investigation that led to the arrest of Derrick Todd Lee.
Thompson, however, was not the lead investigator for that case. That distinction was held by the late Danny Nixon.
Yet, on his waiver application, he answered “Yes” when asked if he’d worked on a homicide investigation and he entered “20 years” when asked how long he had worked as a homicide investigator.
And while the accuracy of those answers is something of a stretch, the answer to the next question is dubious at best. To the question, “…approximately how many homicide investigations has the officer worked as an investigator,” he indicated more than 100.
On question 4, “Has the above officer worked as the LEAD investigator in a homicide case?” Thompson answered “Yes.”
On the next question, “…how long has the officer worked as a LEAD homicide investigator?” Thompson indicated more than 20 years.
Finally, in pushing the envelope, he again indicated more than 100 as “Lead and/or Supv.” to the question, “…approximately how many homicide investigations has the officer been assign as LEAD investigator?”
He’s has conducted more homicide investigations than Columbo and Kojak combined.
The application was initialed by Butch Browning on December 13, 2016.
Besides the veracity of his answers on the waiver request, Thompson barely qualifies for his position as Browning’s second in command and then only by the process of selective appointment and promotion.
R.S. 40:1561 lists the requirements to hold the position of Fire Marshal, among which are:
A college degree or a minimum of 10 years’ experience in the fire service with five of those years as a district chief or higher position or chief of a fire prevention bureau or equivalent experience;
At least two years’ experience in management and personnel supervision;
Have been continuously engaged in the fire protection field for at least five years.
R.S. 1562 says the fire marshal may appoint a first assistant who “shall have the same qualifications as are required of the state fire marshal.” (Emphasis added.)
While Thompson does not have 10 years in the fire service, he does have a college degree and Browning may have gotten around the requirement of being engaged “in the fire protection field for at least five years” by first appointing Thompson as Deputy Chief-Investigations for (ahem) five years before elevating him to the second highest position at SFM.
But the cold hard facts are he has never worked a homicide. A source at the attorney general’s office said he was assigned only to review cold cases, which is a far cry from investigating a homicide. Nor has he ever even been the lead investigator of a fire, much less a homicide. In fact, he has never worked a fire or testified in court about a fire.
While he may be certified as a fire “investigator,” all that is required for that designation is to sit through a short class presented by the National Association of Fire Investigators and to pass a Certified Fire Investigator exam.
And, of course, there remains that application for the homicide waiver signed by Browning, who by signing, was attesting to the truthfulness of Thompson’s answers…
Governor, are you paying attention? Do you really desire a repeat of the Edmonson debacle? Better yet, can you afford that?
Louisiana Voice 
He the worst fire marshal in history, and Include his b#% buddies Thompson, and Carruth. They have destroyed one of best SFMO in the country.
Well when a public employee files a formal document with a public agency with false information, I think that just might be filing false public records and Malfeasance. Both Criminal charges. Wonder who will investigate? LSP, AG. IG, all have jurisdiction. But don’t count on it, Daddy is in the Legislature!
Good Job Tom!
Not only has Brant Thompson never investigated a fire, but look through old interviews and public information he’s released. All bad information! He doesn’t know how to describe a fire much less the investigation!
He and his corrupt gang with a lieutenant like Carruth have forced deputies to make BS arrests based on little/no evidence so they can throw fake numbers at the legislature and public; this has been instrumental in allowing them to get ridiculous raises, keep their phony titles, and push the “success” of implementing cross training.
But not one single deputy, outside of the blind followers like Heinen, Reed, Robichaux, Santos, and Rand- can actually claim this idiocracy is actually working!
Pull records on how many convictions we’ve made in arson arrests and compare them to when we had specialized divisions. You’ll see more cases, a better response time, and more arrests–but you’ll also see a lack of interest, a lack of follow up, a ridiculous case load, and less convictions.
Thompson needs to be fired ASAP.
FYI- Chris Anderson, if you’re actually doing your job and looking for your leak, get off your butt and stop moonlighting as a reserve and using your state Tahoe to do so. You’ll find me in no time if you put your mind to it! I work out of the Baton Rouge district, moron! Come find me, I spoke to you recently and realized how big of an idiot you really are.
He couldn’t find his a** with both hands and a flashlight!!! He is a JOKE!!!
Will we see some criminal charges filed now? Will they get “suspended pending an investigation”? Will Civil Service go after them like a pack of rabid dogs? Will they be put through HELL like the Deputies who sinned in their eyes? Will they be arrested for their”mistakes”? Will they lose their pension, reputation, and career? Will Lance Carruth threaten them like he did so many others? Or will he be part of another cover up? Now, will the Governors’ office listen and do something?
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement is a branch office of the louisiana sheriff’s association (and a back door to Hell).
And Civil Service is in the same boat.
Thank you very much for sending because I appreciate getting. Some mess. Its lonely at the top.
V.J.
This whole mess is a disgusting embarrassment for the good citizens of the state of Louisiana! When is and why hasn’t the governor’s office looked into this?……….but wait…even if it did, it would probably discover the Fire Marshall’s hand in it’s (the governor’s) own pocket and no doubt, vice-versa. It’s time to appoint a decent, honest and qualified fire Marshall….for a change. And where is Civil Service on this fiasco……somebody….just start doing your job like it’s supposed to be done. We are just fed up with all the corruption!!!!
A disgusting embarrassment to the citizens of our state!! Why hasn’t the Governor’s Office looked into this Fire Marshall’s shenanigans???? …..oh but wait…..they’d have to get the FM’s hand out of their (the governor’s) own pocket before it could be looked at. We are fed up with this office’s corruption as well as all the rest of the corruption in BR. It’s time to finally appoint a honest and qualified FM for a change! Are we tired of the drunks and crooks???…..YES!! And where is Civil Service?? When are all you folks who have the authority to get something done going to actually do your jobs like they ought to be done? Lord have mercy on us!!
on September 2, 2017 at 10:52 am | Replygrammysanamerican
By the way where is our investigative reporter in NOLA he must pick and choose who he reports on. He was quick to jump on the Braxton train but he won’t do a story on this corrupt organization is he afraid of Mr. Browning or Senator Thompson ( Brant’ daddy ). It looks like an online petition may be in order. On the other hand I voted for John Bel Edwards but if he doesn’t can these two people (Browning and Thompson) myself and my entire family from north Louisiana to south Louisiana will vote for someone else and we will campaign for someone else. It’s ridiculous that we cannot get something done with this. Wake up people lives are at stake here. Hey Gov. where is your so called honor code
I wonder how many of you actually know Brant Lamar Thompson? I also am from north la, no I do not normally vote democratic, I most certainly didn’t vote for the current idiot we have for governor! You apparently voted for him deal with it. Btw Brant Thompson prayers hugs and love from home. Read real news folks