Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘State Police’ Category

State police hire investigators with little or no experience at salaries higher than troopers with many years of experience

Posted in Corruption, Ethics, State Police on February 22, 2016| 6 Comments »

Louisiana Voice has discovered some reasons the Louisiana Sheriffs support Colonel Mike Edmonson as LSP commander. LouisianaVoice found cases of hiring and promotion of sheriffs’ relatives.  LSP began hiring investigators after years during which LSP offered no Trooper academies to supplement the ranks because of budgetary cuts. Many were retired Troopers and most were highly qualified to do the same job as the Troopers they worked alongside.

We made identical public records requests of LSP and Louisiana Civil Service for a list of investigators and their salaries. LSP chose to play games because we asked only for “investigators” and did not specify “criminal investigators.” We received prompt records from Civil Service but we are still waiting for a response from LSP. Somehow, we’re beginning to get the feeling we’re being stonewalled by LSP.

Tommy Ambrose, Son in law of former Allen Parish Sheriff Hal Turner (Former LSA President)

Tommy Ambrose was hired as an investigator with LSP on July 29, 2013, at a salary of $40,518, about $5,000 more than a starting Trooper or the same salary as a Trooper with up to six years of experience. He resigned five months later, on Jan. 11, 2014. He was sent to the local regional law enforcement academy in Lake Charles because he was not a peace officer standard and training (POST) certified officer. According to sources, there is no other known instance of an investigator being hired who was not certified to be a police officer. According to other sources, there were applicants competing for the position with law enforcement certification and decades of experience. Public records showed Ambrose was being investigated but resigned before the investigation was complete. LSP denied our public records request for the investigation file. During his short tenure with LSP, sources say the best description was a history of inadequate performance, policy violations, and suspected criminal activity quickly overlooked after making a call to Colonel Edmonson’s cell phone. The situation got so bad Edmonson could not even justify it any longer and he resigned.

Tony Mancuso III, son of Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso (Former LSA President)

Mancuso was hired by LSP as an investigator (Not a Trooper) at an exorbitant salary. Tony Mancuso III was hired on June 23, 2014, at a salary of $61,100. He got his first raise three months later to $63,564.80. He was given another raise and a promotion 8 months later in 2015 to $68,016. We compared that salary with other LSP Troopers and LSP Investigators.

  • Mancuso was hired at a salary $22,587.76 higher than a new Trooper who completed the State Police Academy. Mancuso did not attend the state police academy. We cannot confirm if Mancuso was even qualified to apply to be a State Trooper.
  • Within three months at LSP, Mancuso was making more than a Trooper with over 20 years of experience and a Sergeant with 18 years of experience. A Trooper had to meet the qualifications, go through the state police academy, and serve 20 years to get the same salary as Mancuso walked in the door with.
  • After the Troopers received two massive pay increases, his salary went up as well. He currently makes $20,000 more than a starting Trooper. He currently makes as much as Trooper with 11 years of service although he has less than two years as an investigator with LSP.
  • Mancuso is paid $11,107.20 more than an Theodore Trunick, an investigator of the same rank in the same office even though Trunick has more experience at LSP and had extensive law enforcement experience prior to joining LSP. Mancuso was hired at $61,100. Trunick was hired at $43,076, nearly $18,000 less than Mancuso.
  • Mancuso is paid more than a long line of retired LSP Troopers, Lieutenants, Captains, and other law enforcement officers with decades of experience.
  • Mancuso was hired over another applicant, Mike Hebert. Hebert, a graduate of the FBI National Academy and who had more than 30 years of law enforcement experience than Mancuso, applied for the same position. Hebert was eventually hired and remains at a salary of $61,100 which is $6,916 less than Mancuso.
  • Mancuso is the fifth-highest paid LSP Criminal Investigator in the state. Let’s take a look at the top four.
    • Shelly Hopkins: $74,422: Retired LSP explosives expert with an estimated 40 years of experience.
    • Daryle Graham: $73,902, supervisor/ criminal investigator level 4 with 37 years of experience.
    • Cayce Grimes: $70,740, former police chief, FBI National Academy, decades of Experience
    • Hampton Guillory: $68,681, decades of experience

We tried to find someone comparable to Mancuso but we found no other investigator with so little experience. Most of the investigators are retired from law enforcement agencies with decades of experience but all of whom make less than Mancuso. Mancuso is in his late twenties with an unknown history of law enforcement experience or education.

Brad Guidroz, Son of St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz

Mike Hebert competed for a promotion shortly before he retired. On the surface, he would have seemed the logical choice. He was passed over for Brad Guidroz. At the time of Guidroz’s promotion, he reportedly had six years’ experience with LSP. Hebert had a distinguished career with LSP to go along with his 30 years’ experience and FBI Academy credentials. Some speculated his being passed over in favor of Guidroz this was the reason for Hebert’s retirement. Hebert retired, expecting an immediate rehire position with LSP but those plans were thwarted with the hiring of Mancuso. Hebert was eventually rehired after two months—at a lower salary than Mancuso.

Most of these hires came about during a four-year stretch when LSP salaries were frozen which meant troopers with say, 20 years’ experience, were being paid at the rate of 16-year veterans.

If it walks like a duck

When you put all this together it is difficult to come to any conclusion other than Edmonson has used his authority to hire and promote in exchange for the political endorsement of the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association. We are not ignorant to the fact this type of stuff happens all the time and know there are more stories of political favors. We just never thought it would be so out in the open. This is another example of Edmonson putting his own interests ahead of the needs of the people of the state of Louisiana. Giving away positions for political favors can result in less qualified people protecting the citizens and their fellow officers.

Read Full Post »

Jindal tanks again, Edmonson relieves Troop D commander, Troy Hebert in need of history lessons, personal time clock

Posted in ATC, Corruption, Ethics, Governor's Office, Huey Long, Legislature, Legislators, Politicians, Senate, State Police, Transparency on February 18, 2016| 13 Comments »

Bits and pieces picked up by LouisianaVoice while out and about in the Gret Stet of Looziana:

Yet another Jindal scheme backfires

Bobby Jindal’s gambit for a hoped-for selection as a vice presidential running mate or appointment to a cabinet post may have just been shot down by another Indian-American governor.

Jindal, following Rubio’s strong showing in Iowa but before he faltered in New Hampshire, executed a calculated ploy to reignite his own fading extinguished political star. But South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley spoiled that fantasy, a dream which was about as likely as his winning the presidential nomination.

Right about now, Bobby has to be pretty much peeved at Nikki. She, after all, is a much more attractive prospect as a running mate. She is an articulate, conservative female who would give the ticket ethnic diversity—and her response to President Obama’s last State of the Union Address was far superior than Jindal’s response to Obama’s first one. She was actually coherent and he was, well….something else.

Oh well, as our friend Stephen Winham has said on more than one occasion, there is always the chance of a hostile takeover of the 700 Club by the one-time boy blunder.

 

Phone audits and changes at the top at Troop D

Meanwhile, we have learned from within Louisiana State Police that State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson, or at least someone acting on his behalf, has ordered that a toll analysis be pulled on department cell phones, presumably in Troop D, to try and determine who may be talking to LouisianaVoice.

As we pointed out before, it’s a classic example of shooting the messenger. LSP, aka Edmonson, does not want to know about problems in his department (and there are many, as we shall examine momentarily); he only wants to punish those vocal few who want to see the problems addressed. “They just can’t help themselves,” our source tells us. “It is the only way they know how to do business.”

Well, Mike, you can conduct all the cell phone audits you like but I’m afraid you’re going to come up empty. First of all, I don’t believe any retired troopers are going to hand over their phones and the active ones aren’t stupid. They know better than to use state-issue cell phones for such purposes for the very reason we’re now seeing played out in your little witch hunt. They wait until after work hours and when they are well away from LSP headquarters to contact us.

All of which also raises this question: Is this the same professionalism shown when you carry out investigations into criminal activity? If so, the criminals must be having a field day.

At the same time, we have learned that that Capt. Chris Guillory has been relieved of his command at Troop D—and that Ronnie Picou may even get his job back when he appeals. (We requested the investigative report now that the investigation has concluded, but our request was denied by LSP.)

Picou, it seems, was terminated for lying and not for payroll fraud in connection with all those times he was home sleeping when he was supposed to be on duty.

Funny how that works out. A state Department of Children and Family Services case worker was not only fired, but is being prosecuted for failing to carry out mandatory monthly in-home visits with foster children. Inspector General Stephen Street said her misconduct was not linked to any cases of child abuse but her pending arrest is significant for the potential of abuse. http://theadvocate.com/news/police/14884056-32/arrest-warrant-accuses-state-worker-of-reporting-at-least-20-times-she-had-checked-on-foster-childre

Picou is not accused of endangering the public while he was snoozing, but the potential was certainly there. And Guillory allowed it to occur just as he allowed other activity to occur as previously documented by LouisianaVoice. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/09/05/state-police-launch-internal-affairs-investigation-of-troop-d-commander-after-public-records-requests-by-louisianavoice/

State Police HQ sat on harassment complaint against officer in Troop D, captain for year; IA now said to be investigating

Gift cards for tickets, payroll chicanery, quotas, short shifts the norm in Troop D; troopers express dismay at problems

State Trooper in LSP Troop D is reportedly terminated in aftermath of investigation into LouisianaVoice disclosures

Edmonson solution to multitude of problems at troubled Troop D: go after messengers with a withering vengeance

Speaking of lying, it appears that Guillory may have been relieved of command for being less than truthful to investigators when he denied that he refused to take a complaint from Dwight Gerst. Guillory was initially cleared of that but LouisianaVoice subsequently published an audio of Guillory doing just that. https://youtu.be/zd-JV3rKjko

Following our posting the audio, Gerst re-filed his complaint with LSP Internal Affairs last week and on Thursday (Feb. 17), Guillory was re-assigned to State Police headquarters in Baton Rouge, effective Friday, a move tantamount to placing him on administrative leave, pending the results of further investigation.

One question to Mike Edmonson: Why did it require a series of stories in the media to prod LSP brass into action when they have known for some time that there were disturbing irregularities occurring at Troop D? Concerned troopers have complained on numerous occasions but nothing was done until a glaring light was shone on the situation.

That speaks volumes about the quality of leadership at LSP.

 

Troy Hebert just won’t go away

Also On Wednesday, Troy Hebert, former director of the state Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commission (ATC) appeared on the Jim Engster Show. http://www.jimengster.com/jim-engster-podcasts/2016/2/17/0217-wednesday-the-advocates-mark-ballard-republican-state-rep-chris-broadwater-former-senator-troy-hebert-assistant-editor-james-moran-of-tiger-rag

Hebert, who is flirting with becoming an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by David Vitter, was his usual half-baked self on the show, both in terms of sheer hypocrisy and blatant ignorance.

During his 38-minute interview (which is more than double the time to which Andy Warhol said he is entitled), Hebert credited Huey Long for creating the state Civil Service system.

Wow. Huey Long? Really? The man who practically invented political patronage in Louisiana?

Troy, Troy, Troy. Try Sam Jones and Jimmie Davis.

Jones, who served as governor from 1940-1944, was the one who finally overthrew the Huey Long dynasty and is credited with restructuring state government into a civil service system which, by the way, was dismantled by Huey’s brother, Earl K. Long, when he became governor in 1948. Jimmie Davis reinstituted civil service for keeps during his second term, from 1960-1964.

Huey Long indeed. Troy, you need to brush up on your history.

You also need to brush up on consistency.

During his interview on Engster’s show, he also advocated that all state employees, including college professors, punch a time clock in order to qualify for their paychecks.

Except for college professors, who do extensive research, grade papers, give lectures, and advise students, all outside the classroom, a time clock isn’t such a bad idea in concept. It’s done in the private sector and in most public sector cases, it would work just as well.

It’s not such a bad idea to have legislators punch a time clock. As it now stands, they are paid per diem for entire legislative sessions, including the current special session. But those per diem payments are also paid on Fridays and weekends, days on which legislators do not meet except on extremely rare occasions. How do we justify paying them $149 per day for days on which they do not meet? How do we justify paying them when they do not show up to vote on key issues?

(Taking the current special session, for example, which began on Feb. 14 and ends on March 9, there are nine days—Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—on which the legislature does not meet. But each of the 144 members receives $149 for each of those days. That’s $193,104 in per diem payments for doing nothing.)

But… but… but, Troy, about those time clocks and your own attendance record at ATC…

How would you go about punching a time clock during the time you were out at the construction site when you were building that nice house on University Lake when you should have been tending to state business? We have it on pretty good authority that you were out there virtually the entire time construction was going on. Was there a time clock at the work site?

Was there a time clock at your apartment over the Copper Monkey Nightclub in the New Orleans French Quarter where you managed to spend quite a bit of time during working hours? Just asking.

Troy? Troy?

….Now where did he go?

 

 

Read Full Post »

Commission may discipline state troopers responsible for political contributions; Guillory reprimand is reduced

Posted in Commissions, Corruption, Ethics, State Police on February 11, 2016| 4 Comments »

Thursday’s regular meeting of the State Police Commission was brief but there could be decidedly bad news for members of the Louisiana State Troopers Association (LSTA) who approved all those political contributions and the endorsement of John Bel Edwards for governor last year.

Meanwhile, the commission approved a settlement of Troop D commander Capt. Chris Guillory’s appeal of his letter of reprimand that gives him carte blanche to do just about anything he likes with impunity.

But even that didn’t stop his nemesis Dwight Gerst from filing a brand new complaint against Guillory with Louisiana State Police (LSP) internal affairs.

Commission attorney Lenore Feeney told the commission that it had no authority to investigate the association or its executive director David Young because LSTA is a private organization and Young is not a LSP employee.

But state troopers do come under the commission’s authority, she said. Any state trooper who was a part of the decisions to endorse a candidate or to funnel campaign contribution funds through the LSTA’s director “could face disciplinary action.” In fact, she said, the commission has a duty to determine who was responsible for the decision.

Well, it’s for certain that Young didn’t make an arbitrary decision to contribute more than $45,000 to various political candidates. And he certainly didn’t make the decision on his own to have the LSTA reimburse him. Those decisions had to be made by the LSTA board and the board consists of LSP officers.

It remains to be seen what, if any, action will be taken in regards to conducting an investigation of the circumstances of the endorsement and the contributions.

But the commission, without comment, approved a settlement agreement between Guillory and LSP that will replace a November letter of reprimand with a letter of counseling which will cleanse his record.

The reprimand was issued over Guillory’s allowing Trooper Jimmy Rogers to continue working special details for Local Area Compensated Enforcement Program for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s office and to perform off-duty escorts while serving a discipline-related suspension. Here is the original letter of reprimand and Thursday’s settlement document:

IMAG1647IMAG1648IMAG1649IMAG1650

 

Guillory, while still a lieutenant, had previously been given a letter of reprimand after an investigation into his prescription narcotic use while on the job but was promoted to captain shortly afterward and named commander of Troop D.

A letter of reprimand remains on one’s record and is taken into account in promotion considerations. A letter of counseling, however, does not go into the individual’s personnel file and cannot be a factor when promotions are considered. Here is the original letter of reprimand and the subsequent settlement agreement.

This comes on the heels of LSP internal affairs decision denial of a complaint by Lake Charles resident Dwight Gerst, against Guillory. Gerst had complained that Guillory refused to accept his complaint against Rogers.

Subsequent to that IA denial, LouisianaVoice released an audio recording which clearly shows that Guillory did indeed refuse to accept Gerst’s complaint.

Following Thursday’s commission meeting, Gerst paid a visit to Internal Affairs and submitted a new complaint against Guillory on the basis of the contents of the recording.

Gerst said he was asked by IA why he had not provided the recording originally and his response was that he did not trust the investigators. It seems his fears were well-grounded, considering the manner in which Guillory was exonerated out of hand by investigators. The added exclamation point of reducing Guillory’s letter of reprimand to one of counseling only served to further validate those concerns and clearly illustrated the double standard employed by LSP in meting out discipline.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how LSP will maneuver to deny Gerst once again and continue to enable Guillory.

Read Full Post »

State Trooper in LSP Troop D is reportedly terminated in aftermath of investigation into LouisianaVoice disclosures

Posted in Corruption, Fraud, State Police, Transparency on February 9, 2016| 18 Comments »

LouisianaVoice has received unconfirmed word that State Trooper Ronald Picou has been placed on leave pending termination following a months-long investigation of Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troop D in Lake Charles. The investigation was prompted by LouisianaVoice revelations that Picou would often leave work after only a couple of hours on shift to go home and sleep so that he would be able to work at the construction company he owned.

Our sources from within Troop D have reported that Picou’s patrol unit is parked at the troop and all of his equipment has been turned in. Those same sources say he is on leave. It is common practice to place a terminated trooper on leave until his or her effective termination date.

Those sources also say he will appeal his termination.

Left undetermined is whether or not he will face prosecution for knowingly accepting payment for time not worked.

LouisianaVoice first broke the story on September 11 in which we reported the awarding of gift cards to troopers for making ticket quotas and an unwritten policy of giving time off for DWI arrests. 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/

In that story, we wrote 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 day shift) and then go on radio silence for the remainder of his shift.

Radio records obtained by LouisianaVoice from independent sources after LSP denied our request for the logs, saying they, along with other requested records had become the subject of an ongoing investigation and therefore “are not subject to release at this time.” The records given LouisianaVoice indicated frequent extended periods of time during which there was no radio traffic at all from Picou.

Of course, LSP brass launched its initial investigation into discovering the identity of the whistleblower(s) before finally turning attention to the allegations themselves.

Louisiana Secretary of State corporate records show that Picou, of Beauregard Parish, operates TRP Construction in Deridder. When his fellow troopers took it upon themselves to determine where Picou was spending his shift, they invariably found his patrol vehicle parked at his home while taxpayers’ investment in protection was being ignored. Some even said Picou bragged about sleeping at home.

Picou was placed on Lt. Jim Jacobsen’s shift every year. It is rare, if ever, for a trooper to remain with the same lieutenant. Following Jacobsen’s retirement, Picou was placed on Lt. Paul Brady’s shift. Both Jacobsen and Brady, along with Troop D Commander Capt. Chris Guillory, are said to be close friends.

Jacobsen even sent a letter to LouisianaVoice in November that he said cleared Picou of any wrongdoing. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/11/12/explanation-of-retired-state-trooper-beauregard-parish-sheriff-candidate-jim-jacobson-is-less-than-illuminating/

There were several problems with that letter, however.

First, the letter was dated August 1, 2013, long before our story was published.

Second, the letter itself said that the investigation was carried out by Troop D rather than LSP internal affairs investigators.

In that letter, the allegations of Neglect of Duty, Unsatisfactory Performance, Secondary Employment Obligations and Performance of Duty were all determined to be “unfounded.”

The letter was signed by “Captain Chris Guillory, Troop D, Louisiana State Police.”

Guillory has experienced his own problems. Besides being given a letter of reprimand on November 13 for allowing a State Trooper to continue work after being placed on suspension, he was given an earlier reprimand for abusing prescription narcotics while on duty—and was subsequently promoted from lieutenant to captain and was named commander of Troop D.

So the observation must be made that the poop doesn’t always flow downhill. Those charged with supervisory duties are accountable for the transgressions of those who answer to them. When behavior that casts a dark shadow across the entire organization and which puts everyone in an unfavorable light  is allowed to continue unabated, perhaps even encouraged, that’s when the sewer begins to back up.

Read Full Post »

Notable Quotables (in their own words)

Posted in Corruption, Ethics, Notable Quotables, State Police on February 6, 2016| 1 Comment »

“…if you are here to file a complaint or you have a complaint, I’m not accepting your complaint. I am not going to accept any form of complaint you may have. Any part of that unclear to you?”

—State Police Troop D Commander Capt. Chris Guillory to Dwight Gerst when Gerst visited Troop D headquarters to file a formal complaint against State Trooper Jimmy Rogers.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »