It remains to be seen if the Senate Select Committee on State Police Oversight will come up with any significant recommendations to rein in an increasingly rogue department when it convenes in its inaugural meeting Monday at 10 a.m. in Senate Committee Room A-B.
The more pressing question, however, is whether or not any forthcoming recommendations will actually be implemented by an agency conditioned to autonomy in its day-to-day operations or if they will be placed on a shelf somewhere to be forgotten, along with countless other efficiency and operational studies.
But former State Police Commission member and retired US Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and ATF agent Lloyd Grafton will offer some pointed recommendations that should be taken under serious consideration by Gov. Edwards and State Police Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis.
An agency that answers only to the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association isn’t likely to be receptive to change – even in the aftermath of national negative headlines about the beatings of black motorists RONALD GREENE and LARRY BOWMAN by troopers assigned to Monroe’s Troop F.
An effort in the legislature to limit the qualified immunity doctrine that shields officers from lawsuits, after all, went down in flames last year after the legislature cobbled together the 25-member Police Training Screening and De-escalation TASK FORCE in the wake of the 2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
As might be expected, it was Senate Republicans who came together to KILL Rep. Edmond Jordan’s House Bill 609 that would have limited immunity enjoyed by out-of-control law enforcement officers.
But that was before all hell broke loose over the killing – and the blatant lies that followed – of Greene at the hands of state troopers. Greene was killed in May 2020 but it took a full 16 months for the details to surface, thanks to desperate attempts by State Police to keep a lid on the facts.
Just as a refresher, the official reason given for Greene’s death was a traffic accident that occurred when he struck a tree during his attempt to flee police (that was a lie: he was very much alive when pulled from his vehicle). Moreover, it was initially claimed that there was no body cam video from the incident (another lie). And only when more accurate details began to leak out did LSP take any official action to suspend and later fire officers.
The official agenda for Monday’s committee meeting calls for Davis to lead off the proceedings with an “agency overview.” Following that, there will be discussions and testimony on:
- Excessive Force Policy and Procedures
- Use of Force Training
- Internal Investigations
- Use of Force Review Board
Somewhere in all that, committee Vice Chair Sen. Cleo Fields (D-Baton Rouge), is expected to enter into the record a scathing two-page list of recommendations submitted by Grafton:
- The Head of the State Police should be selected from a national search and not from the present requirement of a graduate of the Louisiana State Police Academy. A Blue-Ribbon Committee formed by the legislature could select the superintendent.
- Abolish the Louisiana State Police Commission and place the State Police under the Louisiana Civil Service Board. (Required Constitutional Amendment)
- Remove the State Police from the State Capitol Building and allow the Capitol Police to work the Capitol building and grounds.
Anyone who has ever visited the State Capitol during a legislative session could not help observing the presence of uniformed state police who at times appear to rival lobbyists in their numbers. There are Capitol Police who possess the same training as State Police and their job is to police the State Capitol. Grafton is simply suggesting that they be allowed to do their jobs and free up State Police to “work traffic and other functions.”
Simply put, Grafton says State Police “should build a reputation on service to the public, not politicians.”
Perhaps it was just an oversight that he did not also recommend pulling State Troopers from assignments guarding and protecting state college football coaches at both home and out-of-state games. Their presence seems redundant, given the fact that coaches are surrounded by upwards of 100 beefy, well-conditioned football players.
For a complete text of Grafton’s letter, click on the link below:
Louisiana Voice 
And while it may be a minor point to some, perhaps freeing them from the State Capitol Building would give them time to patrol I-10, slow traffic and stop those accidents and crashes that on a daily basis has traffic backed up for miles on end.
“Remove the State Police from the State Capitol Building and allow the Capitol Police to work the Capitol building and grounds.”
No, no. Mr. Grafton doesn’t understand. Who is going to subdue those irate citizens who woke up at 4:00 a.m. to drive from Shreveport to BR for a 9:30 committee meeting. Who after finally finding a seat in the committee room are then told the bill they came to testify for or against has been deferred.
I so wish that Dr. Grafton could serve as LSP Superintendent. He is a man of unquestioned integrity and professionalism in both administrative matters and day-to-day line policing.
I’m not familiar with Dr. Grafton, but his recommendations seem reasonable and well conceived. I would also add that there should be very clear oversight from outside the agency with outcomes reported publicly.
…just my $.02.
I hope they straighten this mess out. No one,Greene or anyone else should be beaten that way. I trust Mr. Lamar Davis to correct this mess once and for all. I do know State Police has the best damn Narcotics dept. ever because I have given them a lot of info and when I do they get busted. I call them ring a ling, ching a ling. Lol. I never gave anything to the Terr. Par. S/O and never will dealing with drug acitivity. I NEVER TRUSTED THEM EVER!!
Don’t you just love the way they bust the users but they NEVER get the suppliers. LOL. I ain’t the brighest blub in that package but my lights are not all the way out, if you know what I mean.LOL.
Happy Holidays to you and your family and I hope Santa is good to you and you are healthy, the biggest gift of all!!
Barb
Grafton’s recommendations. Yes! Sorely needed especially an outsider for superintendent and elimination of the separate LSP civil service system.
Wil, I agree with you. But, there are two high hurdles that have to be cleared. First of all, a legislator will have to put his name on the legislation that will propose such changes. Second, the legislation has to be passed and, as to the civil service issue, the voters have to approve the constitutional amendment. Personally, I don’t believe the second hurdle will ever be approached, because the first hurdle will never be cleared.
I hope they are also considering changes at the state police academy. It is the culture that is imbued in recruits early on that has lead to many of LSP’s problems.