Jackson Jambalaya

Soft kids will make soft Troopers.

MHP, A kinder, gentler LEO Agency.

This has been going on for years....

oh good......so in all of our state governments infinite wisdom, and financial prowess, let's build them a new multi million dollar facility......that we can't afford......when they have not taken care of what they currently have.

Shocked! (Sarcasm) DPS is a running joke between municipal agencies. DPS touts themselves as the top law enforcement agency in the state. Yeah keep saying that... one day it may come true.

I guess it's better to start the good ole boy antics early instead of starting the hazing mid career.

MHP= A. Waste. Of. Time. And. Money. ...mistreatment is the entire trooper school. Because you need all of that nonsense to write tickets and work wrecks. Yep, that's all they do...

Why do I suspect this complaint originated from someone who couldn’t cut the mustard?

Keep in mind the training director has an active retaliation lawsuit in federal court against DPS.

This doesn’t surprise me at all, and I’m glad that someone finally spoke up. Trooper “school” is a bunch of bullshit, the entire 16 weeks is hazing. You can train an individual to be just as effective without all of the childish nonsense - in fact, real, professional state police agencies in VA, MA, and NJ have proven this - their academies are just as rigorous, but they treat their cadets with respect and wind up with a far superior product. And how is it that troopers train for 16 weeks and can only write tickets and work wrecks (when they’re not cheating on their wives in the stairwell or a seedy hotel in Vicksburg, screwing informants, or stealing federal grant money) and regular police officers train for 12 weeks and have a far wider jurisdiction and are responsible for a much wider range of criminal enforcement? If DPS wants to grow it’s ranks with quality people (which I know it doesn’t), they need to dispense with the juvenile shit.

@9:37, nah, it’s probably someone who thought they were joining a professional law enforcement agency and found out they were going to work for a bunch of fucking morons whose only skills are screaming, push ups and injecting each other with steroids and HGH. MHP really is a joke, seriously...try to have an intelligent conversation with a trooper, they are an embarrassment.

So the highway patrol is going to investigate itself, why not let an independent agency do it, like the AG’s office, or another state police agency, maybe LA or TN. Hey Fisher, if you are so proud of your people let someone else take a look...

I've found them to be the "cream of the crop" in LE. Yes, occasionally one slips through that shouldn't be there.

That Academy is a mofo. Its supposed to be. They are own their own in most of their duties.

I'm proud of them.

@11:52, you mean the occasional bad apple, like the one that....

former marine who liked women's feet so much he would void tickets to touch them or the one who was driving so fast to get home he crashed into an old women killing her, or the one who couldn't wait to get off duty to visit his trucker buddy, or the one who was indicted by the feds for helping drug dealers, or the one who got fired because he used drugs on vacation or the one ...never mind. I see your point about MHP getting the "cream of the crop".

I know the Academy well and it is mostly hazing but they call it training because they do not know the difference. After the initial trading the come back occasionally but this is the only trading they really get for 20 years. Most troopers only have a high school diploma so they think this is real law enforcement trading. They will just wash out the person who complained.

1152..you're kidding right? There are numerous agencies where the officers, real law enforcement officers, are out there alone most of the time.

WHAT EXACTLY is the hazing being referred to? Teaching them some manners and English would be my recommendation.

10:40 nailed it. A truer statement could not have been made!

A Troopers late shift is working till 9 o’clock at night. After that they go home and are put on call for wrecks. It’s why you never see a Trooper out at night. There are sheriffs departments with one deputy working at night covering 600 square miles.

I am not voting for a kinder more gentle patrol but I would settle for a less arrogant more intelligent patrol. Come on all you need is a GED and not to quit and you can be a highway patrolman. And this talk of they are always working alone buisness is true for a lot of officers. Think about deputies In a small county they are generally working alone and they get real police calls like domestic disturbances or game and fish officers they are generally in the woods alone working and their suspects all have guns or the MBN agents that cover a fourth of the state with 5 agents. This hazing has been going on as long as the patrol, for years if you were not a Mason you couldn’t be a patrolman it has evolved into pushups, yelling and running, They are all great guys but let’s stop putting any of the officers on a pedestal and let’s agree they all have a function and a purpose and for the most part do a good job. And as to the internal affairs investigation let’s look at how that has gone at another branch of DPS where the lawyers run everything, the outcome is predetermined before the investigation begins.

Blue Lighted on I-55
A while back I was on I-55 heading south between Lakeland Drive and Woodrow Wilson. It was a clear sunny day, and traffic was moderate, traveling about 60 MPH. I was in the right lane, approaching the Lakeland Drive underpass and wished to move into the middle lane to allow those entering the highway from the Lakeland on ramp (near St. Dominic’s) the opportunity to merge. Anyway, I, as always, turned on my left blinker. I then proceeded to check over my shoulder to make sure my blind spot was clear—it was. Finally, I moved into the middle lane. After this maneuver was complete I checked my rearview mirror and saw a car from the left also moving into the middle lane. The other fellow came within inches of my rear bumper.

At that point I silently mouthed the words “watch it.” I did not utter a swear word, nor in fact any sound at all. I did not gesticulate with middle finger extended. The driver of the other car, a late model gray compact Chevrolet with heavily tinted windows, must have observed my jaws working. To my surprise blue police lights suddenly appeared in my mirror. At first I thought I was being pulled over for some offense. But no. The fellow just “blue lighted” me and continued changing lanes until he was in line to exit at Woodrow Wilson. I watched as he headed for MHP-DPS headquarters.

I wondered why I was “blue lighted.” Had I committed some infraction, and the other driver, apparently a police official of some sort, simply elected to let me “get away with it?” Upon further reflection, I figured that the incident was a prime example of a member of the petit bourgeois who was. . . “a small man, in a small minded position of small power, lording over the proletariat beneath” (I am quoting myself here). I wondered for a few minutes about why he blue lighted me in the first place. The answer soon came to me when I thought of the old joke about the male dog: Why does the dog lick his testicles? Answer: because he can.

Sounds like somebody didn't get their turn at pivot man for the circle jerk.

P.S. February 26, 2018 at 10:40 PM
Did you forget about the trouper "gettin' it on" with an 18 wheeler truck driver on the cab of the truck?

Or like the instance with Joe Chandler who was sitting on the side of the highway in Madison county, playing with his pistol, and shot himself in the leg?

Or the trooper who became homeland security director and was playing with his weapon and negligently discharged it inside the JSU e-Center? Yeah, these are the cream of the crop alright.

Until the early 60's MHP officers received little, if any, training. In the wake of the 3 civil rights workers being murdered in Neshoba County, then then AG realized that he had no state wide law enforcement agency answerable to him (only local ones answerable to local politicians), and due to his friendship with the then FBI director, existing MHP and candidates were trained at the FBI training facility. This ended at some point, and the current training "academy" came into being. Both its methods and results are questionable.

Y’all are pathetic! Any other time KF post anything about DPS or MHP it always goes back to a select group of guys that use to be over training...now this comes to light and the Captain and half of the tact officers there are put on administrative leave and everyone is pointing fingers everywhere but there. Y’all have worshiped the Captain and her lawsuits and HER staff she sued to get and now they are all in trouble and on admin leave for ABUSE! These officers were using tasers as stun guns for punishment, punching and physically abusing cadets! Why aren’t y’all throwing them under the bus? Because y’all are “THEM” hiding behind a blog to say what your too scared to say! You come here to vent and praise the Captain of training who has now let all this go on on her watch. Are y’all this pathetic to think this is ok??? That’s NOT training! It’s abuse! Matter of fact, it’s civil rights violations and assault! I hope someone I’m this cadet has sense to file a class action lawsuit against THEM all!

The "rumor" is that the TACs were using their tazers on the cadets as punishment. If so, this should be an open and shut IA investigation.

All tazers can be hooked up to a computer which documents every time its turned on, used, duration of the deployment, date, time, air temp, etc etc.

Also, the cadets would have marks on their bodies.

I'm sure Marshall Fisher will step right in and clean all of this up.....It's (past) time for him to go-clean house-top down, professionalize the program-stop the "trooper schools", raise trooper pay, start completely over at MHP with policies and procedures. Mississippi can and must do better as 99% of the troopers are performing admirably in a (low paying) dangerous and deadly job. Their institution deserves better.

@2:31. Fisher cannot clean house top-down due to restrictions of the State Personnel Board. MHP has a great Colonel and Lt. Colonel. The issues that persist at MHP start with the low standards to even apply to be a trooper. The issues persists because a person inclined to be a trooper is not rewarded financially relative to his or her educational accomplishment. A person with an JD or Masters is paid the same as a person with a GED. If a person would be rewarded for academic achievement at the start, you might get better quality candidates.

Completing college does not make one smart, but it does show some level of initiative. Getting a masters degree illustrates that even more in most cases.

Once that has been changed, if it ever happens, within a generation of troopers (probably by the time those first few educated classes getting into upper management positions), you will see a change in behavior.

In the alternative, disband MHP, salvage the good troopers and convert them to investigators or state police with broader jurisdiction where practicable and pull them off the roads, and allow sheriff departments to work all roads/highways and use radar.

EXACTLY 2:31....pray for the best and expect the worst!
@ 1:48 IA already confiscated cell phones with videos of the tasing...and have written statements from all but four of the remaining 62 cadets

You’ll know they mean business when, and only when they step outside the organization to hire a Colonel.

Love that 231. Fisher had more scandals during his time at MBN when he was in charge and did nothing about it. Make no mistake this is Feel trying to get back at the female Captain.

No need for "trooper school" anyone who is already certified as a LEO can do that job. No need for all the other crap

4:56 - I agree, in fact I'd be willing to guess that local police officers and county deputies have several times more contact with the public than does any trooper. Learning how to talk to people is more than half the battle - troopers learn intimidation, not rapport building.

Back when I was young and foolish, I joined the INS as a GS-5 (well before it was Homeland Security) and went through the Border Patrol academy. It was tough, but I was treated with respect, and as an adult and learned how to operate in an austere environment, and in another language. Since I retired from the US Border Patrol, I've graduated from two state academies (MA and VA) and the allegations I've heard about are troubling and will do nothing but breed troublemakers.

What about one of Phil's employees at MHP using inmate labor to build a cooking trailer for him. MHP said they would investigate and the trailer was moved to the employee's home ion Morton! What do you have to say Phil - you used to be the Auditor and you let this go on out at MHP headquarters. Just ask the inmates that worked on the trailer - they will tell you the truth. In fact, where is our current State Auditor. Get moving on this fast Stacy!

7:02 -- I'm sure Huggins and his crew will be right on this and will initiate an investigation and release the results when it is most politically advantageous to whomever he has on the hook (this time). He's such as slimeball...

If you know where this trailer is, how about take a ride and get some artwork? Is there a tag, who's it registered to, and who paid for it?

I thank God for every minute of hell each and every one of the staff members at the JPD training academy put me through from day 1 until the minute I graduated, it made me a better officer and literally kept me alive in several situations. I had to reach deep down into my heart, soul and mind to be able to tough it out to pursue the passion burning deep inside me to become a public servant standing between good and evil. But on December 20, 1980 I graduated with pride knowing I was one of the 19 who were the best of the best, we earned our badge and nobody gave us anything, we lost over half our class. I know training officers at MELOTA past and present who are good people and good officers, who derive no personal pleasure out of the rigorous training they have to put cadets through to make sure they are the best they can be and to keep them alive. If they fail to push these cadets to their limits they have not only failed the cadet themselves, but they have failed the officers who have to work with them, and the public that depend on them to keep us safe. Think about it, these are people we are allowing to wear a badge, carry an automatic pistol that holds 16 rounds, an AR 15 with a 30-round magazine and a riot shotgun with 00 buckshot. With this kind of fire power do you really want someone handling these weapons who cannot respond under pressure when your life depends on it. When there is an officer involved shooting one of the first things that is looked at is the training of the officer involed. If the training officer failed to properly train the officer involved, then he too can be held liable. Marshal Fisher and the administration of the DPS need to put on their big girl panties and stand behind their troopers, who put their lives on the line everyday. Support the staff at MELOTA, when all their doing is their jobs in turning out the best possible troopers Mississippi has to offer and to keep them alive. These administrative officers who are pushing the investigation are the very same people who vetted and selected these training officers. So if they are accusing them of allegedly being abusive, which I doubt, doesn't a large amount of liability have to fall on their shoulders and shouldn't they to be investigated.

Watching the news last night I was floored by the story that DPS Commissioner Marshal Fisher has opened up a criminal investigation against the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy staff for mistreating the cadets. When we start handing out badges like candy then we are putting the safety of the public, fellow officers and the cadets themselves in jeopardy. These sub-standard cadets that washed out and are now complaining , obviously didn't do their homework before starting the academy. When I started the Jackson Police Department Academy in 1980 for 16 weeks I expected to be shouted at, cussed at, pushed around, talked down to, called names, harassed, embarrassed, made fun of, have my mind tested, have my body pushed to it's very physical limits and much more, and I must say I wasn't disappointed. All the things we would face on the streets but not near about limited to. It kept me alive working in an area we use to call Little Saigon. This is a training academy where they try and prepare you for a career of public service and instill survival instincts in you to never give up in life threatening situations. It is not an ivy league frat house where the most dangerous thing you will do is drink to much alcohol and they teach you self serving values. With officers under attack as we are now days, this type of training is needed more than ever, it keeps us alive. In the academy they don't shoot at you with real bullets or try and stab you with a real knife. A training academy can never prepare you for every situation you will face on the streets, but they owe it to the cadets, other officers and the public to make sure that they are prepared as well as they can be for situations they will confront. Not everybody who starts the academy is cut out to be a law enforcement officer and these need to be weeded out. If you don't cull these cadets then you end up with officers like the deputies in Broward County, Florida who were cowards and didn't enter the school to confront a shooter that took 17 innocent lives. You end up with officers who can't hold up under pressure and act out in violence unnecessarily, even worse use of deadly force when it is not justified or turn and run

As fellow law enforcement officers and tax paying citizens we should demand this kind of training of our law enforcement administrations, we pay their salaries. If you are a tax paying citizen and care about the safety of yourself and your family then contact Marshal Fisher's office, the governor, your representative, Attorney General Jim Hood and demand that this frivolous investigation be dropped. If allowed to continue this will only set a consequencial precedence. When training officers quit or fail to properly train cadets for what lies in front of them in a law enforcement career for fear of prosecution then we all suffer. We will then be handing out badges like candy to unqualified people. If this post offends you I'm sorry but after over 30 years in law enforcement and having to work with sub-standard officers who went through sub-standard training putting my life and others in danger...I have paid my dues and have earned the right to speak the truth on this subject.

Hey Les, which "automatic" pistol does MHP issue?

And there's difference between training, harassment/hazing, and assault. A professional trainer can challenge a person's will without resorting to juvenile and childish bullying methods; but that takes patience and talent - neither of which the MHP possesses. My will to succeed was tested every day of the Q Course, but I was never abused, berated, harassed or assaulted by the Cadre, and they were very effective at making me a better soldier.

The MHP prides itself on how many cadets they can get to quit, which is a monumental waste of taxpayers' money and antithetical to their mission, which I thought was to train and finish troopers to alleviate the perceived trooper shortage. Perhaps the initial selection process is flawed and they place substandard cadets into the program. The MHP ought to look into a two week, non-paid, pre-selection course to see who has the best chance of finishing trooper school, and advance only the strongest candidates.

If the allegations of using TASERs or similar for discipline are true, those TACs could and should be in a lot of trouble - but with the MHP investigating itself, I'd be willing to bet nothing will happen, the results will be buried, and Warren Strain will do his best to stonewall any requests for public information. The only way any of us taxpayers will see that information is through documents filed in a lawsuit.

I don't answer phone calls from private numbers or respond to comments from people who hide behind anonymity. I put myself out there with my identity and don't say anything about anybody behind their back I wouldn't say to their face. It's my experience that people who hide behind anonymity are often not well versed on the topic matter in discussion. I think my comments speak for themselves and I stand behind them and I believe the TAC officers were only doing their jobs. They still didn't put their cadets through what our TAC officers put us through and it made me a better officer and a person, it taught me how far I could push myself or be pushed and my limitations. Hey law enforcement is not for everybody and nobody... who will set the rules of engagement for bad guys once they graduate. So f you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen.

Whoa Les - I think 2:00 PM just asked what automatic pistol the MHP is issued.
The rest of the post seemed pretty well reasoned to me and offered a good idea. If I had a dollar for every fool that said "my academy was so much harder than yours" I may have enough money to run for Sheriff of Hinds County - get over yourself. For such a tough guy you sure have a thin skin.

Thanks for your response to my comment ANONYMOUS 3:05 God Bless you and have a great day!!!

Well said 2:00. I'm a graduate of MLEOTA. It was a great experience and taught me a lot. I think the training there probably allowed me to go home to my wife and children at least half a dozen times (I'm only counting the really bad ones). I think my military training played a bigger role. I have a buddy who is in mid-level leadership at MHP and he told me over lunch one day that the hazing and attempted brain-washing that he received while going through cadet school he laid at the door as he walked out on the day of his graduation. He's a fine officer and I could say more but won't. I say this to demonstrate that there are some mighty fine officers at MHP who played the game they had to play and put up with the BS to complete cadet school. That being said, the military has perfected hazing free training that accomplishes all benchmarks required to meet the demands set forth in working as a Law Enforcement Officer. They do it professionally and methodically all while instilling a deep feeling of esprit de corps!

Hey Les...you actually responded TWICE to an anonymous poster (at 2:55, and 3:31) - you should make up your mind whether or not you're too good for a little give-and-take.

Wonder if the class motto will be “Shock & awe”

Wonder if class motto will be “shock & awe”

While DPS has placed several on Admin Leave pending investigators. Why would they not send MELOTA Director Tuggle home, he is accountable,too.

5:55, good question - my guess (and I could be wrong) is that the MHP has a separate director for its training and Tuggle merely provides the facility. That being said, if he knew about the mistreatment and said nothing he's just as responsible. So who's finishing the class, which instructors?

They pulled the captain over “fleet” lol ohhh the foolery....they have one of the best trainers anyone could ever dream of as Captain over SWAT but...he’s not Chris’s “BOY” and these very same people now on admin leave have always attempted to rip his crediability from him based on what the “good Ol boys” choose to leak to the media...keep your popcorn handy...

Why is there a Captain in charge of the fleet? Shouldn't that be a civilian position? Trooper shortage my ass!

And if you're talking about Pack, he probably doesn't want to work at the academy unless he can scam some federal funds in the process; anyway, he's probably too busy trying to screw some informants...

You mean the scam he and other troopers were found not guilty of??? (all black employees falsely accused by the “good Ol boys” might I add) and I could be wrong but I do believe the screwing of the informant was over two decades ago...it that in fact was even true...sounds like he and the group of awesome TAC officers that produced awesome troopers always seem to get the blame from people like you hiding behind KF blog...however, you probably are a trooper and one of the “good Ol boys”

You and your friends and gang forget to mention the talent these men have! It’s those men your degrading that has never once been proven quilty of stealing anything much less abusing cadets while in an authority position...instead it’s your gang on administrative leave this time for actually tasing cadets and videoing it...but let’s find whatever possible the black guy did before he was ever a actual TROOPER and keep persecuting for the same crap...

Let’s NOT make this about who has done what over 20 years ago...because I could go on...instead explain to me why he isn’t the best person for the job other than his skin is darker than Gayle’s or Billy Ray’s

3:07 - nope; I'm not a trooper, but I know the inner workings of DPS well enough to provide accurate comments. And I happen to know a lot about both the allegations and the details of how Pack and a few others were spared criminal charges in order to avoid a larger, very ugly scandal -- as a taxpayer it makes me sick that these people are still collecting a paycheck from the government.

Notice also how I never mentioned anybody's race, if these folks' reputations were beyond reproach, you wouldn't have to make excuses for the age of some really disgusting behavior (you sound like Hillary Clinton when you make those kind of comments). Finally, by your logic, the ends justify the means -- if a TAC produces good troopers, then we should look the other way about how they conduct themselves? Take your relativism and deontological moral theory somewhere else, or maybe run for office; you'll fit right in with the rest of those snakes.

@ 03:07 Absolute facts...

@ 04:28 oh me oh my...spares criminal charges?! Your an absolute joke! If DPS had the slightest chance to rid themselves of those guys they would have without a second thought...still denying the fact that a Supreme Court judge found them not guilty and falsely accused???? DPS was willing to do anything to get out of paying back millions they improperly spent...these men were going to be the escape and then they made what they thought was the bright decision and went and got them selves a whole judge because a board of peers couldn’t have condemned them for what they are TRAINED TO DO! Your a piece of work I see! Clearly you might be close with someone at DPS but we can sure tell which side your close to! Hahaha

Most racist people don’t mention race...because they too have black friends...their kids even play with the black kids too! Huh?

Furthermore, know your facts. Conducting themselves in a way that is detrimental to their career right? Group what? 3 offense? EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY OF!!! Hahahahahaha let the good times begin...you and your boys...keep hiding...remember there is a video out there of the actual tasing...but you would know that right? Since your so close within DPS! ;)

@4:46, 4:28 here - I suppose you'd be pretty surprised to learn that I'm black, and I don't let the color of my skin determine innocence or guilt; poor behavior is poor behavior. Trust me, I know the facts far better than you, and in the cases we're discussing in this thread I know the political strings that were pulled to avoid humiliating some political figures in the state. I'm aware of the video, and I've seen it; the activities of those involved is in the least criminal, and is tantamount to torture. I bet if you put your mind to it, you can figure out who I am...

nothing will happen to these macho assholes. with dps/mhp doing the investigations come on, really ? Kinda like letting Hitler teach racial intolerance and religion theory.

@4:46 and you would be pretty surprised to know my ethnicity!!! Black I am not...keep pondering! Furthermore I could care less WHO you are! If you wanted the world to know put it out there BIG GUY! You throw names so freely throw yours...or hide like a coward like the rest of your boys like you have continued to do...

You know so much throw it out there to kingfish! Go ahead...WE are waiting.....

crickets..........