Louisiana State Police Chief of Staff Doug Cain.
Soon after Lamar Davis was named the new Louisiana State Police (LSP) Colonel, WBRZ (Channel 2 in Baton Rouge)’s Chris Nakamoto conducted a “nothing off limits” interview with him. Nakamoto was quite blunt about what “sources” were telling him about the difficult task Davis faces to clean up LSP as long as Doug Cain serves as his Chief of Staff. Let’s take a look at just that brief segment of the Nakamoto interview with Davis:
Nakamoto interview with Davis wherein Davis is asked point-blank to address concerns of sources who indicate having Cain serve as Chief of Staff will inhibit systematic change.
We can only assume that Nakamoto and we at Sound Off Louisiana have some overlap in our sources because we received numerous emails and phone calls voicing extreme frustration at Cain being named Chief of Staff. Many of our sources pointed out the fact that Cain was a key figure in the Edmonson and Reeves administrations. Others also indicated that Cain being named as Chief of Staff was part of a “package deal” to permit Davis to be named Colonel rather than another candidate strongly supported by the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association. We were given that individual’s name, but we’re opting not to publish it. Nevertheless, in our opinion, had that individual been named LSP Colonel, it would have been an absolute unmitigated disaster! In fact, of the names bantered about to be in contention for the job, we had him rated internally at Sound Off Louisiana as second-to-last.
Many of our sources indicate that, for all intents and purposes, the Chief of Staff is the de facto Colonel of LSP. He (or she) is the one who essentially runs the whole operation with the Colonel typically delegating such a significant proportion of responsibility to the person who holds the Chief of Staff position in order that the actual named LSP Colonel can focus on being the public face of LSP, preparing for press conferences, Legislative testimony, etc.
Our sources who were vehemently upset with the naming of Cain as Chief of Staff also directed us to make a public records request for any past separation of service entailing Cain. We did so, and here is the response to that public records request. From that response:
After careful consideration I have decided to resign from the Louisiana State Police effective October 29, 2000 to pursue career opportunities in the private sector. Having been a part of this organization will always be one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. Furthermore, having served as an official spokesperson of this department was an honor and a privilege. This was a very difficult decision to make, but I believe it was made in the best interest of my family. The private sector also affords me the opportunity to eventually seek public office which has been a life long dream. Thanks to you and the department for the opportunity and the challenge.
As noted above, Cain’s resignation was effective October 29, 2000. One-hundred and sixty-nine (169) days later, Cain was back at work at LSP effective April 16, 2001. Again, from the previously-linked documentation pertaining to Cain’s separation of service:
Please non-competitively re-employ Douglas M. Cain in Position# 018568 at Troop “A” at a salary rate of S2,043.70.
Preferred date of employment to be April 16, 2001.
Our sources indicated to us that the timing of Cain’s separation of service from LSP was no coincidence. They claim that quite a number of troopers (seven or eight, according to our sources) were embroiled in an investigation entailing the theft of cable (or satellite) devices enabling them to obtain cable (satellite) services without paying for them. They assert that the investigations resulted in disciplinary actions against all those involved except one whom they assert was involved: Doug Cain. Our sources indicate that Cain did an “end around” the whole investigative matter by conveniently resigning his post and then being rehired after the matter was fully dispensed.
Immediately prior to the December 10, 2020 meeting of the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) meeting, Cain asked if he could speak privately with Sound Off Louisiana’s founder Robert Burns. Accordingly, Burns met with him in the hallway, at which time Cain indicated that he had been made aware of the fact that Burns had requested the documentation linked above. Burns confirmed that he had and also indicated that he had also received it. Cain then volunteered that, “I know what’s being said out there.” Burns allowed Cain to volunteer what was being said, to which Cain responded, “That I was involved in a cable television theft investigation.” Cain then stated in the most emphatic terms possible: “That is completely untrue!”
Cain then emphasized that he came to the realization soon after leaving LSP that being an LSP Trooper was his true calling. He stressed that every time he saw an LSP vehicle on the roadways that he yearned to be back doing what he loved most, which is being an LSP Trooper. Cain also emphasized that the biggest factor in his leaving was, as stated in his resignation letter, it enabling him to be free to pursue public office.
Burns then admitted to Cain that, in fact, he was correct in his statement that a number of troopers (past and present) had indeed indicated that other troopers were disciplined for the cable theft matter, and that they also indicated that Cain did an “end around” as Burns motioned with his hand in a straight path to then make a semi-circle by having his separation of service coincide with the investigation. Cain then again strongly stressed, “That is completely untrue.” He also emphasized that he has a “spotless record” with LSP, and he said that anyone is welcome to pull his file to confirm the fact that he has never been disciplined in his entire working history at LSP.
Burns then asked if Cain could confirm that there was in fact an investigation and if he could state how many troopers may have been involved, and Cain responded that there was and added that, “I understand it was quite a few of them involved.” Cain also stressed that the cable (satellite) television theft matter transpired in 1998 and that his resignation was not until October of 2000, which Cain said was “long after” the cable television theft incident had concluded.
One of our more dedicated subscribers found Cain’s assertion that “all was resolved” entailing the cable theft matter by the time Cain resigned to be an interesting statement, and then she directed us to this interesting article which references the cable television theft and one trooper who was known to have been involved and disciplined for his role in the matter. From that Louisiana Voice article:
Louisiana Troop A State Police Lieutenant John Cannon remains on his $115,690 per year job despite having been reprimanded for numerous offenses including theft of satellite television signals…….
- On Jan. 25, 2001, he was suspended for 80 hours after being found in possession of an illegal satellite access card for Direct TV.
We can only assume that, given the January 25, 2001 80-hour suspension handed down to Cannon, the cable television theft matter had not been “all fully resolved” by Cain’s resignation date of October 29, 2000. In fact, we’ll note the coincidence of Cannon’s date of discipline being handed down (January 25, 2001) falling almost exactly in the middle of Cain’s 169-day hiatus from LSP (on day 88 to be exact).
That concludes our reporting on the controversy, and we make no conclusions of any nature whatsoever. All we can state is what we’ve been told by Chief of Staff Doug Cain, who denied in the strongest possible manner any involvement in the scandal and the fact that numerous past and present LSP Troopers are dubious of his claim in that regard. They suggested to us that, by making the public records request they advised that we make, we wouldn’t be able to help noticing the “incredibly-convenient timing” of Cain’s hiatus from LSP. We’ll admit that they were right about the timing, but we can’t overstate just how vehemently Cain denied any involvement in the scandal and the fact that he stressed that the timing of his resignation and subsequent re-hire was indeed pure coincidence.
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