A familiar name has surfaced as one of a dozen applicants to be the next Baton Rouge Chief of Police, according to a story in today’s (Friday, Sept. 1) Baton Rouge Advocate (Click HERE for story).
Lt. Col. Murphy J. Paul Jr., who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Loyola University, currently serves as deputy superintendent of the Bureau of Investigations for Louisiana State Police (LSP). His current salary at LSP is $150,750 per year.
Besides being the recipient of several commendations and awards during LSP, he also came under scrutiny last February when it was revealed that he was among 15 or so guests who traveled to San Diego to witness then State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson receive a national award.
HERE is the link to LouisianaVoice’s story about that trip, which ultimately led to the resignation of Edmonson after nine years as Louisiana’s top cop.
Paul was photographed with his girlfriend, Lorre Claiborne, at a party during that San Diego trip. Claiborne is employed as a State Fire Marshal captain at a salary of $52,500.
LSP Lt. Col. Murphy Paul and girlfriend State Fire Marshal Captain
Lorre Claiborne at party in San Diego last October.
Maybe Baton Rouge can get a twofer here with Paul and Claiborne as a team and maybe they could even star in a new reality show with the same title as a very old western, “Have Gun. Will Travel.”.
For those too young to remember, the lyrics to the theme song of the show, one of my all-time favorites from my youth:
“Have gun will travel reads the card of a man
A knight without armor in a savage land
His fast gun for hire heeds the calling wind
A soldier of fortune is a man called Paladin
Paladin Paladin where do you roam Paladin Paladin far far from home
He travels on to wherever he must
A chess knight of silver is his badge of trust
There are campfire legends that the plainsmen sing
Of a man with the gun of the man called Paladin
Paladin Paladin where do you roam Paladin Paladin far far from home
Far far from home far far from home”
Faron Young
Now that is definitely an oldie.
I remember, Stephen. But, “Branded” may be a better title. Who remembers that old western.
Good one, Clifford 🙂
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.
Why won’t Mr. Chris Nakamoto with WBRZ do an investigation into the OSFM
He has bulldogged other investigations that are less serious than this. Come on folks the employees are coming forward with damning information what does it take here. Also where’s the Attorney General, come on Mr. Landry, I voted for you too. The inspector general won’t do anything because his office is funded by the legislature.
I can understand how you all feel because I feel the same. Mr.Landry has so much to look at and take care of . It is so shameful that our State and Parishes are so corrupt. Just take a look at what Mr.Tom has reported and exposed in just the last month. Mr. Tom keeps giving them more and more and that is a good thing but it might take them ten life times to clean it all up.
I am not bashing or defending the AG but I think he needs some major help in that office.There is corruption it seems in every agency. It didn’t just start with Mr.Landry but it should end with him. If that doesn’t happen then I think he can forget about being Governor. It will take more than one person to clean up all this corruption.
Maybe the AG should ask for volunteers to help him if he is under staffed. After all this is our state too.
Are we still talking about the next Chief of Police for Baton Rouge? As far as the AG is concerned there is one thing, and one thing only, that he is concerned with since the day he took office. That is trying to get elected governor. Based on his achievements in his current job I think he’s got his work cut out for him. I’m not by any means saying JBE is doing a good job but IMO Landry is a poor choice for any statewide elected position.
“MY MY MY” What a difference six months can make with Mike Edmonson Gone! No More Protection. The Fire Marshal is now facing the Heat and so are Edmonson’s Minions. Good Job Tom!
Tom, a co-worker just told me about your page and I don’t know how I have missed this (I must live under a rock), but I must say that your work is much appreciated by this fed up civil servant! You seem to be the only reporter around interested in uncovering this madness (or the only one crazy enough to take on the political elite and their kids…). Hopefully the BR Mayor sees this post and considers this information. I could only dream of making $151k a year plus benefits (like a free car, gas, and food on top of health care, paid leave, and retirement) and getting free trips with my significant other on the side…. It sure must be nice to be a part of that crowd!
I wonder if the girlfriend took vacation time (not sick leave) for the trip or if the generous taxpayers footed the bill for a fire marshal captain to attend the police convention as well (highly probable since it seems there has been a strong push since the arrival of Sen. Thompson’s boy to turn the fire marshal’s office into a police force (have you seen the number of large guns inside their units lately – what in the world do building inspectors need assault riffles for????) – probably just so the Senator’s boy and his buddies can get the extra retirement benefits that LEO’s receive).
I wonder if the Lt. Col. or his girlfriend paid for her lodging, transportation, food and drinks on the trip of if the good ole’ taxpayers or LSPTA covered that as well? Who is Captain Claiborne’s supervisor and who signs her time sheets? Is she even qualified to be a captain of the fire marshal’s office?
Were any other state employees from any other agencies on this trip and if so, were they on state time and overtime as well? Do you have any info on this? I like your post, but some of them seem to leave me with more questions than answers… I guess that you will keep me tuning in for more.
Thanks Tom!
She did take annual leave. Murphy Paul’s hotel was paid by Louisiana State Police. Cannot speak for Lorre Claiborne.
Yes, she qualified to be a captain after a couple years of employment with OSFM by driving Browning around the state. At one time you had to work hard for several years, become proficient with the job your agency performs and actually supervise people. Under Browning you just have to drink the koolaid and date a Lt Col of the state police. Then you can be promoted to Capt of fire extinguisher regulations. A promotion that was never posted or interviewed for so other employees that actually work for living could not apply. That is the Browning way, make an end run around civil service, promote and give big pay raises to your buddies.
First, let me say, no disrespect to Trooper Paul, but a state trooper may not be the best choice for BR chief of police(see the tenure of Darrell White). Since we are talking about public safety, I visited OMV Friday, to register a new car and renew registration on another car. Horrible experience. As a former state employee, I do not blame the omv employees. I blame the shortsighted heads of public safety, mind you, not the current commissioner of omv. Can someone tell me what is the purpose of the public safety police? Believe me, many of the people waiting in the omv office would rather see less dps police on the roads and more booths at omv manned. DPS police is just an unnecessary layer of law enforcement. There are already sufficient police, deputy sheriffs, and state police on the job. Some of those DPS police slots could be eliminated and replaced by employees at omv offices.
The man responsible for the birth of LouisianaVoice is also the man who gutted OMV by cutting staff and privatizing the services (for an extra hefty add-on fee, of course). That would be Bobby Jindal.
Jeff Landry screws up so much because he has never taken a criminal or civil case to court. (Platforms he ran on included nixing gay marriage recognition/rights, emplacing barriers to women who choose abortion and firing Buddy Caldwell’s “buddies”.) While many attorney’s make a good living without doing either the AG’s office does both – AND still he was elected!!! As for his not starting corruption in the AG’s office… every attorney employed by the AG is an “at will employee.” He hired or retained each and every one! If corruption is there Jeff Landry most definitely is responsible for it. So we have a demagogue in office that has no idea what he is doing – other than running for governor. Oh yeah, he hired his own “buddies” to work lucrative contracts. We get what we vote for…