Louisiana Voice

Two separate directives, one from State Police Internal Affairs and the other from the Louisiana State Troopers Association (LSTA), have been sent to state troopers from State Police Troop D in Lake Charles relative to a multi-pronged investigation of reports of a series of irregularities in the troop.

A two-page memorandum from the Louisiana State Troopers Association (LSTA) was sent to Troop D state troopers in Lake Charles informing them that “eight or so” Troop D members have received letters indicating they are the targets of an Internal Affairs administrative investigation.

While the investigation was classified as administrative, it was made clear that the probe could become a criminal investigation.

The main thrust of the investigation appears to be related to time reported in driving to and from Baton Rouge to participate in firearms transition training. In that matter, some troopers reportedly charged more time than others for the same trip to qualify for firing of new weapons earlier this year. LouisianaVoice requested time sheets for those officers but state police attorneys denied our request because the matter was part of an official investigation—an investigation that was not initiated until we made our public records request.

Earlier, a single page communication from State Police Internal Affairs (IA) warning Troop D members to cooperate with the investigation either as witnesses or as targets.

LouisianaVoice was provided a copy of both letters, but is complying with requests that neither be reproduced here for fear that State Police investigators have some method of tracing the source of the leak because of special coloring or encoding on each copy sent out.

LouisianaVoice has learned that troopers in Troop D have been warned not to talk to anyone about the investigation, including LouisianaVoice. “They have put out a directive to intimidate the guys at Troop D so they won’t talk to you,” one source informed us on Saturday.

While neither memo mention LouisianaVoice by name, troopers were warned in the IA memorandum that all aspects of the probe are considered confidential and are to be discussed with no one.

The IA letter said, “As a Louisiana State Trooper, you are hereby advised of your rights related to an administrative investigation…

This administrative investigation is of potential violations of LSP and/or DPS policies and procedures including, but not limited to, irregularities regarding accrual of time, overtime, LACE details, escorts and other details, involving employees currently or formerly assigned to Troop D.

LACE, or Local Area Compensated Enforcement, is a program which is run by some district attorneys in the state to pay for traffic enforcement, including DWIs. District attorneys are willing to pay overtime to have state troopers monitor local traffic when there is insufficient local law enforcement. It became part of state law enforcement in the 1980s after state police suffered from a lack of state funding in an effort to put more troops on the roads when the state could not.

LACE was run sporadically in southwest Louisiana since its inception but has been a full time program only since 2008.

“…Your responsibility in this investigation is to cooperate fully with the investigation and to keep the substance of the investigation and the fact thereof confidential as outlined below.

• Internal Affairs investigators or designated Administrative Investigators shall receive the full cooperation of any employee of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, during the course of an administrative investigation. Employees shall obey any lawful order or directive given by the investigator during the investigation.
• Ongoing administrative investigations are considered confidential and as such, officers shall not violate that confidentiality. Those in violation are subject to disciplinary action.
• You are hereby ordered to refrain from destroying anything which might constitute evidence relevant to this investigation, including, but not limited to, department documents, electronic documents, electronic data, email communications, text message communications, communications on your MDT (mobile data terminals), radio logs, timesheets, and mobile video recordings.

The second, two-page communique from LSTA also said that “virtually other members of Troop D received letters notifying them that they are potential witnesses to one or more ongoing investigations.”

The LSTA memorandum was written in the first person and while the author is not identified, it appears to have originated from LSTA administrative offices.

Besides the time charged for firearms qualifying in Baton Rouge last spring, it specified six areas as possible subjects of investigation, including five previously cited by LouisianaVoice in its recent series of stories about Troop D. Those include:

• Overtime/decline overtime;
• Gift cards/ticket quotas;
• Escort payments;
• Payroll abuse;
• Time off for DWI arrest;
• LACE.

Of the six, only the LACE program was not reported on previously by LouisianaVoice, although allegations of irregularities in the program have recently come to our attention.

LouisianaVoice made public records requests for documents pertaining to overtime charged by certain troopers, excessive escort payments that were allegedly charged by a Troop D trooper, for radio logs and time sheets of yet another trooper, all of which were denied by LSP attorneys because the records were part of “ongoing investigations.”

And while no requests were made for public records involving gift cards, ticket quotas, or time off given troopers for DWI arrests, LouisianaVoice did publish a story about the practices in an earlier post. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/09/11/gift-cards-for-tickets-payroll-chicanery-quotas-short-shifts-the-norm-in-troop-d-troopers-express-dismay-at-problems/

Among other things, the LSTA memorandum said:

• Troopers have a right to counsel and a right to consult with their LSTA representative provided the representative is not involved in the same investigation;
• Eight or so Troop D members have received Target Letters indicating they are the subject of an investigation;
• Virtually all members of Troop D have received letters notifying them that they are potential witnesses to one or more ongoing investigations;
• Other troopers could become targets as the various investigations progress;
• The stated purposed of the investigation relates to the “accrual and/or reporting” of time concerning the 2015 firearm transition training;
• Other potential areas of investigation are ongoing, although few specifics were provided to LSTA;
• All members of Troop D are required to cooperate fully in all investigations;
• Some aspects of the ongoing investigations could have criminal ramifications but so far, the investigation is only an “administrative investigation.”
• The confidentiality warning troopers received separately does not include troopers’ conferring with legal counsel;
• Those cited as the subject of an IA interrogation and those who may be witnesses in an IA interview were cautioned to tell the truth;
• Anyone interviewed is entitled to a copy of the interview upon request;
• Likewise, those who are targets of the investigation are entitled to a copy of any written complaint leading to an interrogation upon request;
• Anyone interviewed or interrogated is obligated to answer question but not obligated to engage in lengthy discussions, i.e. “tell us what you know. IA can ask a question. You should answer the question as directly and concisely as possible (and) then wait for the next question. Do not engage in a friendly conversation.”
• Interview subjects were instructed to answer “I don’t know” to questions they do not know the answer to. “Do not speculate. Do not estimate. Do not just talk—answer the question directly and shut up while waiting for the next question.”
• Interview subjects were told the most important thing they can do “is listen to the question carefully, answer the question as directly and concisely as possible and wait for the next question.”
• Finally, they were told, “Remember, you have a right to counsel and a representative if you feel it necessary.”

The LSTA memorandum’s author said, “If I have learned anything over the last 7-8 years under the Edmonson administration, it is that the Colonel reacts badly if he believes a trooper lies or tries to obstruct an investigation.”

LouisianaVoice currently has additional public records requests pending that involve state troopers in other parts of the state.

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The badge of the Louisiana State Police has been tarnished and the rank and file—the road troopers, especially those in Troop D—don’t like it.

From reports of gift cards to troopers for making ticket quotas to an unwritten policy of giving time off for DWI arrests to padding of fees for escorting oversized loads, the picture emerging from Troop D presents a negative reflection on the entire Department of Public Safety.

And those troopers who are trying to uphold the integrity of the LSP motto of “Courtesy, Loyalty, Service” believe that is an unfair representation. They have privately expressed their collective dismay—particularly at a time when it appears that open season has been declared on law enforcement officials by seemingly anyone with a grudge.

LouisianaVoice has learned from sources within the Department of Public Safety that Trooper Ronald Picou of Beauregard Parish has been suspected of committing payroll chicanery for years. His fellow troopers say Picou gets his recommended number of citations (read quota) within the first couple of hours after coming on duty and then abandons his patrol duties for the remainder of the shift.

LouisianaVoice has learned that Picou habitually works the first two or three hours of his 12-hour night shift or four-to-six hours of his 12-hour shift when working days. All activities during a shift are logged on the State Police radio but there were some shifts that Picou supposedly worked which showed zero radio activity.

Other Troop D troopers questioned whether Picou is writing the tickets he did write because the driver deserved a citation or so that the trooper can take off early but still get paid. Picou is assigned to patrol Beauregard Parish.

When troopers took it upon themselves to determine where Picou was spending his shift, the answer came almost too easily, they said. His patrol vehicle was parked at his home while taxpayers’ investment in protection was being ignored. Some troopers said that Picou even bragged about sleeping at home.

Why would a trooper need to spend so much time at home? It might be because he has been too busy running a construction company during the day.

Louisiana Secretary of State corporate records show that Ronald Picou runs TRP Construction at 1870 Granberry Road in Deridder in Beauregard Parish. That also is the address of his residence.

Our sources indicate that Picou would work only a couple of hours of his night shift and then go home to rest so he could work at his construction job the following day.

TRP’s corporate papers were filed with the Secretary of State on April 23 of this year. Prior to that, he was active in Bois Clair, LLC, a right-of-way construction company whose previous address was also 1870 Granberry Board. Bois Clair is no longer affiliated with Picou and now has a Leesville address, effective April 23, the same date his current company was registered with the Secretary of State.

His co-workers at Troop D say they are fed up that he is not available to back up other troopers or other law enforcement agencies by choosing instead to pursue private business interests during his off hours and resting during his shift hours.

State Police Investigation of the Payroll Abuse

So how could a law enforcement officer go silent for up to 12 hours at a time without attracting the attention of supervision? It seems reasonable to think a supervisor, not hearing from a road trooper, would check on the officer to make sure he was safe. There is no legitimate explanation for this other than to speculate that the supervisor was aware and allowed it to happen.

Picou’s activities, or lack thereof, were reported to State Police Internal Affairs more than three years ago through an anonymous letter after troopers audited the radio logs confirming the reports. It was not reported directly for fear of retaliation (a wise decision in retrospect). Internal Affairs passed the investigation on to the Troop D commander Capt. Harlan Chris Guillory.

The investigation, instead of attempting to halt payroll abuse, however, was instead focused on discovering those involved with reporting the conduct. It seems to be an apparent pattern with the State Police to go after the messenger as evidenced by the 80-page report in our previous post which sought to discredit—and demote—officers who initiated a prescription monitoring program on Guillory. Guillory, Picou’s supervisor (Lt. Jim Jacobsen), and Picou were reported to be close friends.

Picou was placed on Jacobsen’s shift every year—something rarely, if ever, done. State police sources say shifts rotate each year and it is uncommon for a trooper to stay with the same lieutenant. Jacobsen subsequently retired but since his retirement, Picou has been on Lt. Paul Brady’s shift who is also said to be good friends with Jacobsen and has reportedly allowed the practice to continue.

The conduct was reported to state police at least three times. LSP finally appears to be taking the allegations seriously in response to LouisianaVoice’s public records request for Picou’s radio logs for the past six months. We intended to confirm the allegations with the documents but were denied because they are reportedly a part of an investigation. This despite LSP’s having been notified of this years ago. Nothing was done until we began asking questions.

When LouisianaVoice again made a public records request on Monday of this week (Sept. 6) for the State Police investigation file on Picou, we received the following response from LSP Attorney Supervisor Michele Giroir:

“…in response to your below public records request, I have been advised that the information that you seek is related to an ongoing administrative investigation.  Therefore, the records are not subject to release to you at this time pursuant to R.S. 40:2532 and Article 1 Section 5 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974.”

Bear in mind that Picou was first reported three years ago and those were the investigative records we were seeking. So three years have gone by with no action on the complaints but now the file is suddenly part of an “ongoing administrative investigation.”

We have but one question: Why has it taken three years to conduct the investigation, an investigation which conveniently places the records beyond the reach of the public?

The annual estimated payroll abuse based on current salary at the average rate of radio silence based on 180 shifts per year is more $30,000 per year, according to figures provided LouisianaVoice. If the allegations are confirmed, this one trooper is responsible to the taxpayers of over $100,000, sources tell us.

The citizens of Beauregard Parish and Louisiana deserve better. The procedure of getting citations as quickly as possible and taking the rest of the shift off has begun to spread, officers said. Other troopers and new hires are being trained on how to do this. It does not stop there.

Brady Days, Drunk Driving Arrest for Paid Time Off

Brady days are an unwritten policy of time off for arresting a drunk driver. The practice got its name from the person who came up with the idea: Lt. Paul Brady. His idea was approved by Guillory.

Once a trooper arrests a drunk driver, he is allowed to take off for the remainder of the shift in violation of quota and payroll fraud laws. This in turn has led to claims that some motorists get arrested who are not impaired. Our sources tell us that supervisors order troopers to charge people who are not impaired (below the legal limit of blood alcohol content).

The supervisor demands the trooper offer a urine test and if it came back without drugs, it will not matter because by then, the trooper has received credit for the arrest even though the DA will simply drop the charges. Again, this raises an important question: Are motorists getting arrested because they made the mistake of driving drunk or because the trooper has the incentive of getting to go home early, with pay?

Prizes

There is a popular joke in law enforcement. Whenever a motorist accuses an officer of issuing a citation because the officer needs to meet his quota, officers jokingly respond that if he gives one more (ticket) he gets a toaster. Well in the case of Troop D, some troopers really are being awarded with gift cards monthly for getting enough arrests or citations. One source said the gift cards generally are awarded in denominations of $50.

Suspected Bribery

One report said a trooper was caught taking extra money for an oversized load escort. The extra payment appeared to be in exchange for the trooper to violate the restrictions of the state issued permit. The company tried to pay another trooper to do the same thing resulting in the discovery of a suspected bribe. The company made the mistake of filing a complaint against the second trooper who refused to take the extra payment. The original trooper had to give the money back. There was no investigation according to LSP Internal Affairs and therefore no information was available for a public records request.

They are not all bad

This information was brought forward by troopers who do not condone these actions. They tried reporting it through proper channels. Private citizens also reported Picou to troopers and asked that the information be passed on to supervisors. “They are embarrassed by these actions,” one trooper said. “Releasing this to LouisianaVoice was a last resort.”

Because of the unspoken policy of going after the whistleblowers, troopers who talked to us understandably found it necessary to conceal their identities.

Troopers now earn nearly $100,000 per year. Sergeants and above are well above six figures. The widespread payroll abuse is overt. New troopers are being trained that this is okay and it is becoming ingrained in the culture at Troop D. We can only hope this is not the case in other troops throughout the state.

LouisianaVoice stands behind and supports law enforcement at all levels. Without dedicated police officers, society would be reduced to anarchy. No one wants that. There has to be order and there must be laws and rules to live by. But these rules must be evenly applied both to the enforcers and to those on whom the rules are enforced.

When there is a double standard, we all suffer the consequences.

Administration’s attacking those who report abuse is not the answer and certainly not conducive to high morale.

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