by Greg LaRose, Louisiana Illuminator
June 24, 2025

State policy calls for government agencies to log all moveable property that cost more than $1,000 within 60 days of its acquisition, but a recent review found Louisiana State Police has failed to keep an accurate inventory of such purchases for the past six years.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s review of the state Department of Public Safety, which was made public Monday, found that three major purchases were left off the books during the review period – a narcotics-detecting dog and two helicopters – with a total listed value of more than $9.43 million. 

The audit sampled 35 State Police movable property purchases between Sept. 29, 2023, and June 30, 2024. It found 10 items – including the helicopters and the drug-sniffing canine – were not logged into the state property system within 60 days. Of those 10, two were entered only after the auditor notified State Police.

The time it took for the assets to be logged as required ranged from 167 to 389 days.

In its response to the audit’s findings, Louisiana State Police said it would work with the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency to create movable property training tailored to its needs. More than 25,000 pieces of movable property are under State Police control, Maj. Nicole Kilgore, Support Services command inspector, said in response to the audit.

The Department of Public Safety review also discovered the Office of State Fire Marshal failed to timely certify and approve all time sheets – a finding the auditor has noted for three years running.

Between Oct. 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the audit counted 558 out of 5,195 timesheets that were not certified by employees. Also, 999 timesheets – totaling $3.3 million in salaries, wages, leave and overtime pay – weren’t approved by a supervisor before they were submitted for payroll processing.

State Fire Marshal Ed Branch concurred with the auditor’s findings. He said his office has added timekeepers to assist employees and supervisors with adhering to state policy. Those who do not comply will be tracked and notified. 

“For repeat offenders, disciplinary action will be taken,” Branch wrote in response to the audit.

Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

The post Louisiana State Police still struggles to log major purchases, audit finds appeared first on lailluminator.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This content presents an objective report on the Louisiana State Police’s failure to properly inventory property, based on an official audit. The language is neutral, focusing on factual details without attributing blame to any political party or ideology. The article highlights government accountability and administrative efficiency, common concerns across the political spectrum, without veering toward partisan critique or praise. Therefore, it maintains a centrist viewpoint.