What's the story with Colonel Edmonson?

Pretty strong letter and words from a former special agent and U.S. Senator

Didn't Edmonson push through the State Troopers association of JBE without consulting the Troopers first? They were seriously pissed the frick off. That was the first time the association ever made an endorsement.

Word is that he was scared shitless of Vitter and thought he was going to get fired if he won.

Edmonson has said too many times he wasn't aware something was happening on his watch including the last minute special change to State Police retirement law which gave him and only him a huge increase in retirement benefits.

He's either dishonest or he's an incompetent manager of his personnel. I think it's the latter.

Edwards is trying to run him off? Probably has a black guy or a woman to be Edmonson's replacement.

quote:

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A recent scandal reported by The Advocate involving an October road trip, in which four Louisiana State Police officers took the scenic route to a conference in San Diego, has raised questions over how state police and other law enforcement agencies spend money. And rightly so.


State police sent 15 officers to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego. State police travel records show the agency spent over $33,000 on airfare, lodging, meals, registration fees and other conference expenses.


Although most flew, state police sent four officers by car so the group would have a vehicle for in-city travel.


They stayed overnight at a Grand Canyon hotel and an upscale Las Vegas hotel — hundreds of miles out of their way — and three clocked in dozens of hours of unapproved overtime, sparking outcry among watchdog groups.


State police ordered an internal investigation into agency spending, and Gov. John Bel Edwards ordered a state-led investigation into state police records.


The three who clocked in overtime were ordered to reclassify those hours as compensatory time, and all four were required to repay hotel fees and per diem claimed in Las Vegas.


One of the officers was the head of the Internal Affairs Division. State police have reassigned the position and plan to make major policy changes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.


On Friday, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy called for Col. Michael Edmonson, state police superintendent, to resign amid the controversy.

The incident brings up questions like “Where’s the line between funding a healthy police force and overfunding it?” and “Who’s actually watching police spending?” — questions that become increasingly more relevant with each set of budget cuts.


Hopefully, it succeeds in causing state police to take a long, hard look at how they spend taxpayer money and whether they’re using it for its intended purpose: enabling the police to protect and serve.

— Lake Charles American Press

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quote:

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“It’s embarrassing to me to say that I paid them to drive there, so I’m making them pay that back,” said Col. Mike Edmonson, the State Police superintendent, referring to dozens of hours of overtime billed to taxpayers by Louisiana State Police officials to drive across the country and stay at a Las Vegas resort and casino and the Grand Canyon on their way to a law enforcement conference in California.

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He gone

Rumor has it that he was on Vitters hitlist, for trying to pad his retirement thru dubious means

So Edmondson went out of his way to help elect JBE: got the Troopers assoc to make its 1st ever endorsement (without a vote, btw) got his sheriff friends to do TV ads, etc

Supposedly, one of his men submitted to him a recommendation for a national award. Edmonson somehow 'lost' it. However, Edmonson managed to get his own rec in, for the same award. Edmondson then got chosen

So he arranged for 15+ people to go with him in order to accept the award

He also wanted a state vehicle brought to San Diego so that he could have a car while there. The drivers made side stops to the Grand Canyon, and Vegas on the way, billing everything to the state. Edmondson signed off on the trip paperwork

Total travel costs from state funds, so that Edmondson could accept an award: $70,000. (not a typo)

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US Senator John Kennedy...just like you cant lead a horse to water, you cant teach a Democrat to pretend to be a Republican...people in LA got scammed again

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WTH are you talking about? Kennedy, once again, is pointing out mis-use of funds, graft and corruption. Edmonson is at best incompetent and at worst corrupt. Goodbye Edmondson, it was time for you to go.

The trip to Vegas is just the tip of the iceberg. The audit will show just how much BS went on under Edmonson's watch, a lot of it related to him directly. But I do find it amusing that JBE used him, through the State Police arse., to help get elected, got elected & is now dumping him.