Normally, I discount any and all get-rich-quick schemes on the premise if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it.
But now I have to admit I’ve inadvertently stumbled across the perfect path to prosperity that is fraught with few pitfalls other than a harmless disciplinary letter (which can be appealed anyway) and perhaps the scorn of more ethical co-workers. But who cares about that anyway?
And it’s not a pyramid scheme, so go on and put that thought aside.
In fact, in addition to potentially untold riches, there are other benefits—like cross-country vacations, trips to beautiful, historic places, and parties in balmy climates for an entire weekend.
So, here’s my plan and the more readers who participate, the better for all of us:
Find a convention, a seminar or any other such event that can be chalked up to business, preferably halfway across the country, say San Diego, for example. Check out a company vehicle, load up a few co-workers and maybe even a wife if you’re so inclined, and strike out. (Note: it has to be a company vehicle; a personal car would defeat the whole purpose. It would be even better if it is a car normally assigned to a company supervisor.)
As you travel, make it a leisurely drive, complete with side trips to places like Las Vegas, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. It’s okay if you send texts to your bosses along the way but be sure to save them and for goodness sake, put all photos on Facebook. I’ll explain why this is important momentarily.
And here’s where the big money comes in. As you travel, remember: You’re on the clock, even when you sleep. This is crucial! You are never off the clock the entire trip, even when you’re posing for those photos at those lovely landmarks to text to your supervisors (who, by the way, are going to delete their text messages so as not to leave a digital trail). If you work it right, each of you can claim 88 or so straight hours—at the overtime rate of about $53 an hour.
Yes, it’s payroll fraud, but who cares? You company isn’t going to prosecute you for this because you did what you did with the full knowledge and approval of your supervisors—and they’re certainly not talking. It doesn’t matter whether or not you personally knew it was wrong; you’re just following orders.
If you’ve already done the math, you know by now that you’ve pocketed about $4,600 in pay you did not earn but again, you did it with the knowledge and blessings of those up the chain of command. As you make this assertion, you now are thankful you followed my advice and kept those those text messages to prove that you were keeping the brass informed of your every move along the way. That could come in handy later.
When the fecal matter hits the Westinghouse oscillating air manipulation device, everyone of course runs for cover. Your bosses, in a united show of righteous indignation, say you were never authorized to take the scenic route to San Diego and of course their text messages are mysteriously empty.
Wait. What? You didn’t save your text messages? You bonehead! That was your insurance policy, your ace in the hole! Oh, well, if all of you stick together, you can still make this work.
In a classic CYA move, the company honchos conduct an in-house “investigation,” issue a letter of reprimand and make you pay back $1,000 of your ill-gotten gains. And as you file the obligatory appeal, you break out in that Cheshire cat grin in the knowledge that you’re $3,500 to the good with no suspension.
And this is where I come into the picture.
In exchange for my giving you this blueprint to riches, you pay me a finder’s fee of $1,000 and you’re still $2,500 and a nice vacation ahead.
LouisianaVoice has something north of 3,000 subscribers so if I can get just a third of that number to pull off this scam, I’m a millionaire and there are a lot of happy, tanned vacationers out there who are eternally grateful to me for this brilliant plan.
Louisiana Voice 
This is certainly not the agency I worked for… I would have fired those knuckle heads faster than Tom P Bates stripping out of his uniform in Col McCormick office after he was fired then strolling across the hq compound in his boots and bvd’s. This is sickening.. This administration has set a precedent about the type of punishment one will get when they get caught committing payroll fraud.. You political want-a-be’s have put a dagger in the heart of every HONORABLE Trooper who came before you.. Shame on this administration for their POOR handling of this debacle. You have FOREVER tarnished the badge of this once great agency. I am now sad to tell anyone that I once worked for the lsp. I put lsp in small letters because in my view the acronym doesn’t deserve to be capitalized. Col.. quit bowing to the wishes of jbe and the sheriff’s association and become the boss and leader that the rank and file are crying for you to become. I thank the Lord I’m not working there now.. You really have made me and many more like me SICK!!!!
I remember when Tom P Bates did that. At least he had more dignity than these guys, he quit. Not much has changed except for the name plate on the colonel’s door. Thanks Tom for your due diligence, happy to see some people still have that quality, except the state police.
Tom,
Thanks for not letting this go. The ranks within are fed up, they are embarrassed. But after almost 10 years of corruption led by Edmonson, his cronies still occupy the top ranks and out of fear of retribution the good Troopers remain silent. Edmonson has corrupted their voice in the LSTA and the State Police Commission has been bought and paid for. Just look at all the Commission turnover in the last eighteen months behind scandals.
I am afraid that any significant change with the agency will not occur if you and the mainstream media let off this topic.
This man knows something juicy about someone and is holding something over someones head somewhere.
God Bless our good troopers! They deserve better than what they are getting!
He has washed away all the hard work of every decent LSP officer who ever wore the uniform. You gotta learn that in Louisiana it is not who you know but who you blow!
Shameful, very shameful indeed!
Tarnished Badge, you are so correct! I remember years ago Col Grevemburg telling me, “Angelo, “You know it’s easier to go back and do something than to go back and undo something.” That statement is so true today. The shenanigans of the past administration still have pull with the political faction groups, lobbyist, sheriff’s association and black caucus.. It would take a truck load of Boyce Machinery bulldozers to remove that blockade. Hell, I was by the gas pumps just this week on my way through the compound and I heard that the glorified chauffer for murphy paul, a member of the san diego treats, was promoted to captain at internal affairs and another treat, Hyatt, put his name on that list for promotion to captain. Does not any of this crap shame anyone? How can you be proud to serve? Col. I was not much more than you everyday trooper but I know bulls..t when I see it.. I guess my next time through on my way to the cafeteria, I’ll have to wearing brown boots.. I don’t want the standing dung to stain my Sunday Cajun reeboks!
Oh! this is Louisiana. It’s about the same from top to bottom.
The voters are getting just what they elected.—–and do not deserve any better.
It is with profound regret and with heaviness of heart that I must report to you the loss of honor,integrity and respect for the Louisiana State Police. What was once an agency respected nationwide has become an agency that tolerates a culture of corruption under the watchful eyes of Mike Edmonson and Charlie Dupuy. It would appear that this culture will continue under Kevin Reeves and Mike Noel. A review of past disciplinary actions will support this conclusion. State Police officers have in the past—and apparently even now—can commit felony crimes with little or no disciplinary results[They would announce to the world an arrest for the same crimes committed by John Q Public]. If this state ever hopes to clean up corruption we must start with THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE.
Remember the L.S.T.A removed four of their members [who where also military veterans] and charter members of the association for exposing their violations of Federal and State Law. The L.S.T.A was fined by the Ethics Commission after admitting to the violations. Apparently a Federal Grand Jury is still investigating.
It should also be a crime for the Honorable, hard working Troopers to have to wear the Tarnished Badge and uniform that has been disgraced by a few and the “LEADERSHIP”.
The entire Department of Corrections needs an overhaul. Governor needs to appoint an “OUTSIDER” as Secretary and dismantle the department from top to bottom. It is now an incestuous bunch. There is a new scandal reported in The Advocate daily. What is wrong with Governor? Is he blind, or corrupt, or just plain stupid?
Good points. There is nothing wrong with the Governor Zoe he just wants to win re-election again.
I voted for both JBE and Jeff Landry and I hope they turn things around quick, if not we will all need a pair of Angelo’s boots.
Louisiana is sinking fast and not just from erosion. Corruption is playing a very large role too.
Sounds like same thing as Assistant Houma Police Chief Duane Farmer. Prior to being promoted to Asst. Chief he was counseled for not completing job tasks, written up for violating policies and was removed out of the Detective Bureau for unsatisfactory performance. He was recorded calling citizens who filed complaints against officers vulgar names and insulted officers for reporting use of force incidents.
He was investigated by the Houma Civil Service Board for being untruthful, personal conduct, insubordinate, and conduct unbecoming of an officer. At the conclusion of the investigation the investigator commented The vulgar language expressed by Farmer presents as his normal speech expressions. This is based on the ease at which the terms and words flow freely during the conversation.
The civil service board refused to take any action saying Farmer was not guilty of any misconduct. Note: as the Asst Chief of the Houma Police Dept. he now oversees all operations and reviews all citizen and use of force complaints. Houma is not in good hands !! Politics at its worst….
There is no honor and integrity over at LSP anymore. As one trooper put it “LSP is still a sinking ship that just happens to have a new captain on board” What the black caucus doesn’t dictate as far as policy, promotions and discipline the Sheriff’s Assn. does via JBE and Jimmy LeBlanc. Merit, fact and right and wrong doesn’t factor in anymore. All one has to do is look at some of the recent promotions and the results of recent internal affairs investigations to realize that within LSP there are still the “Haves” and the “Have-nots” The State Police Commission is corrupt, the Louisiana State Troopers Assn. is corrupt and the Edmonson frat boy crowd is still in charge via Charlie Dupuy, Murphy Paul and Ronnie Jones. Kevin Reeves and his second in command Mike Noel both had the full support and admiration of the decent people in that department just a few months ago. Now both are referred to by the decent rank & file as “Wet Noodle 1” and “Wet Noodle 2” However, the corruption starts at the governor’s office and trickles on down. All one has to do is take a look at the Sate Fire Marshal’s Office and the Dept. of Corrections to realize that. Adios Louisiana State Police, at one time you were the citadel of honor and integrity but a cancer from within destroyed you. The damage is so deep that even a reform governor and a real Colonel of state police will never be able to fix it.
You only omitted one last point to totally seal the deal, Tom. If by chance some concerned citizen (or even an active Trooper, for that matter) plays a key role in trying to expose the payroll fraud, you must provide the assurance that the agency against which such fraud is being perpetrated will commit to hire a convicted felon to pursue said concerned citizen (or Trooper) for disseminating “false and misleading reports” about the OBVIOUS payroll fraud:
http://www.auctioneer-la.org/problems_robert_burns_91212_payroll.htm
With that, I’d say you have a darn stellar plan here. I think a whole bunch of us are about ready to just join the “if you can’t beat them, join them” camp and say, “To hell with it!”
Like Barbara above, I too voted for Landry (and I would again against Caldwell) but I am prepared to concede he’s nothing more than an opportunist trying to advance his own career and interest and is concerned with little (if any) else. I plan to have a post out on that within the next couple of weeks. I’m not happy about having to post it, but it’s time to recognize reality, and I simply have to acknowledge that fact because I no longer hold out any hope whatsoever for an effective AG’s Office as long as its occupied by Jeff Landry.
One final thought: Lost on all this is that the gentleman in question (Mr. “$1,000 will make it all right”) also serves in a critical position in holding a seat on the lsp (I’ll follow Angelo Tunica’s guidance on small letters) retirement board:
https://wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana.gov/boardsandcommissions/viewMembers.cfm?board=376
Sure looks to me like Miller’s interest on the Retirement Board is to artificially inflate his own earnings in order to fatten his own retirement pension!!
This is just my opinion but I will never give up on our State Police officers. Never! Ever!
These hard working men and women deserve our respect. It is not their fault that the top brass are doing the wrong thing while they have to pay the price for it.
Governor Edwards and Jeff Landry should go and hide their faces and cry in the corner for allowing this to happen on their watch.
Shame, shame on you!
The next election is not the only thing both of you have to worry about because one day you will have to answer to a higher power than yourselves for letting this happen to good, decent, hardworking people.
Just remember this, any man who puts their faith in a man of this world is a fool and my parents didn’t raise a fool. I might not be as smart as some others but I am smart enough to know that God is going to get you sooner or later. You just can’t make others pay while a select few play and party with all taxpayers money.
God Bless all our Troopers!
In any organization, you must have a “chain of command”. The men and women in all of our law enforcement clearly understand this. They all must be qualified to shoot and kill. Any benefit such as attendance at a national convention is deserved. Take “I” out of your vocabulary and think “we”,= teamwork. I agree with Ms. Barbara, except I believe God can forgive, sure as hell hope so. love always ron thompson
Here we go again! The two most corrupt organizations in the state of Louisiana, Office of State Fire Marshal and the Louisiana State Police. Colonel Reeves, we had such high hopes for you in that your honesty and integrity would prevail here but you and Governor JBE are so weak that you refuse to take action on Browning and Thompson (daddy’s boy) for fear of Senator Thompson. Don’t you realize that what’s happening at LSP and OSFM is going to keep coming back up time and time again until time for your election? We can promise you that you are going to see a social media storm like you’ve never seen until you step up and address this situation and we can also tell you that the solution can only be resignations in both of these departments. Mr. Aswell, what is it that we can do to get the biased local media and their so-called investigative reporters who are apparently scared or bought-off by someone to take action here? Our reporter in NOLA was totally energetic in the case of Calvin Braxton who did nothing as compared to what the higher-ups at LSP and OSFM have been getting away with. Where is the Crime Commission? Where is Jeff Landry? Where is the Legislative Auditor? Mr. Tom, please put the information out to all Facebook and again tell us what it’s gonna’ take for JBE and Reeves to quit being afraid.