Police Commission flexes muscle; overturns termination of belligerent, tased LSP Lieutenant who resisted DWI arrest.

Sheldon Perkins, who testified during his appeal hearing before the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) of Thursday, May 13, 2021.

At today’s (Thursday, May 13, 2021) meeting of the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC), the appeal of former LSP Lieutenant Sheldon Perkins was heard.

Perkins also has a prior disciplinary infraction for which he received a two-week suspension five years ago for removing evidence from an evidence vault (a $400 ice chest and fishing equipment) and giving it to a retired LSP Lieutenant.

We have been absolutely flooded with emails, texts, and phone calls from active and retired troopers who are irate at the LSPC in overturning Perkins’ termination.  The LSPC did so notwithstanding Lt. Col. Doug Cain testifying that both he and Col. Lamar Davis concur with and would uphold the ruling of prior Colonel Kevin Reeves’ decision to terminate Perkins.

By now, any subscriber of this blog knows where we stand on the LSPC and its dysfunctional nature.  We further hold that the same holds true of the entire civil service system for all Louisiana state employees, and the entire system needs to be scrapped in favor of at-will employment.  We can only add that, after this incident, quite a few other folk seem to now share our sentiments.

The LSPC reinstated Perkins to LSP, albeit with a demotion to Sergeant and a maximum 720-hour suspension.  Although LSP Legal Counsel Michele Giroir repeatedly objected to the less-than-subtle reference Perkins sought to make comparing his discipline to the recent discipline of Kaleb Reeves (son of former Col. Kevin Reeves, and who was recently involved in an at-fault accident wherein an 18-year-old and 13-year-old were killed when he rear-ended their car) even though Reeves’ name wasn’t specifically mentioned.  Perkins, who served pro se, in our opinion, very effectively planted that seed in the LSPC members’ minds, Giroir’s objections notwithstanding.  We guess that’s simply the fallout from Davis’ (in our opinion) mistake in not terminating Reeves!

We will only add that Perkins was wise to serve as his own counsel because his performance, as demonstrated in one of the videos below, was nothing short of masterful!  In our firm opinion, he was greatly aided by LSPC Chairman Simien who, rather than merely serving the role of Commission Chairman, inappropriately served as a de facto attorney for Perkins.  Simien all but replaced attorney Lenore Feeney, whose job it should have been to serve as “referee” (or judge) in making decisions entailing objections and instead Simien literally usurped her authority by making such rulings directly from his seat as Chairman of the Commission.

Simien’s actions alone, in our opinion, form the basis for Col. Davis to appeal the LSPC’s decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals.  Such a move by Col. Davis would not be unprecedented as former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson did so (though for inappropriate reasons) because he had a personal vendetta against Trooper Jason LaMarca.

Further, it was Simien who, in our firm opinion, tried to have the body cam videos of the two arresting troopers not even viewed at the meeting.  He did so by openly questioning if such viewing was necessary given all the stipulations agreed to.  Giror countered that it is one thing to read an account on paper but quite another to see a video of an incident.  We could not agree more, and it forms the basis for why this is a video blog!

Commissioner Brian Crawford proposed resolution of the body cam issue by suggesting that, at any time, if any commissioner stated a desire to view the body cam video, it would be shown.  The Commission had concluded the hearing and was all set to go into executive session when Commission Member Leonard K. Knapp meekly raised his hand and said, “I’d like to see the video.”

So folks, without further ado, let us present to everyone the video of the hearing, the body cam video (warning:  repeated profanity on the part of Perkins) which, again, we can present to you only as a result of Knapp meekly asking to view it, and the video of the LSPC’s ruling, which we can tell everyone that, based on the feedback we’ve received, is universally viewed with utter disdain and contempt:

May 13, 2021 appeal hearing of former LSP Col. Sheldon Perkins.

Body cam video of Perkins’ arrest (again – Warning:  extensive profane language abounds).

LSPC ruling upon conclusion of hearing.

So there you have it folks:  Another LSPC meeting, another first-rate clown show for which there was no price of admission!