Louisiana’s top brass son, Jacob Brown, the Louisiana state trooper that was indicted last month in Shreveport, Louisiana for using excessive force on an arrestee is back in the news today as “an arrogant rule breaker whose toxic character should have disqualified him from ever joining law enforcement”.

Louisiana State Police are cited for an “Us-Versus-Them’ Culture” in the Associated Press. Last month when we reported that a Louisiana state police officer, Jacob Brown was indicted on a federal civil rights charge for assaulting arrestee. We couldn’t find out much information about the case. That is not unusual in Louisiana though. Many things happen behind closed doors and in secret, especially when the police are guilty of crimes. Today though, the shocking biased, unimaginable, and violent nature of Louisiana’s police force is being heard around the world, and why not? Louisiana is the incarceration capitol of the world, and it is known for keeping prisoners in inhumane conditions that third world countries will not even tolerate in their countries.

Jacob Brown’s father, Bob Brown is second in command at the Louisiana State Police Department and he doesn’t have the best reputation either. AP reports that “both Browns have a history of racism and violence, but that has not stopped them from rising in the ranks of the Louisiana State Police”. Facebook forums also expose victims of crimes that the Brown’s covered up or refused to investigate.

“Jacob Brown is perhaps Louisiana State Police’s most prolifically violent trooper in recent years. Records show he tallied 23 uses of force dating to 2015 — 19 on Black people — and he faces state charges in Bowman’s case and two other violent arrests of Black motorists,” reported by the Ark-La-Tex Homepage. That is most likely just what he was actually caught doing. What about all of the cases where he didn’t get caught? And where other law enforcement officers “covered” him?

Col. Lamar Davis ordered the arrest of the younger Brown and three other troopers in the separate beatings of three Black men. Bob Brown was reprimanded for saying “I don’t understand how those ‘n—–s’ could pass this test. They’re not smarter than us,” and hanging a Confederate flag in his office

The culture of violence and racism perpetrated on people in Louisiana by law enforcement is finally being talked about in Louisiana, and around the world. It took a while for the worse state in the United States with the highest crime and incarceration rates to finally make the news.  

“State police have created an us-versus-them culture where many troopers and higher-ups are mainly interested in covering up for each other, bragging about brutality and sharing pictures of victims. There’s a corruption that allows the reprobates in state police to just sort of do as they damn well please,” said W. Lloyd Grafton, a use-of-force expert. “Nobody holds them accountable.”

The federal probe sparked by Louisiana Troopers brutally killing Ronald Greene while he begged them to “please stop” is in the spotlight, along with the issue of racism that plagues police departments. There are many more victims though. Many unnamed victims of things that happened that not many know about and probably never will.

The victims are not all black either. When that degree of evil plagues a state department the color of skin is not the only driving factor. Violence, control issues, mental health, fear, race, classism, and poverty are a few things that come to mind as the culture and violence of the Louisiana State Police is being exposed. What toll does their behavior take on society? Can it even be measured?

It took more than two years for plantiffs in Ronald Greene’s case to obtain video that police hid from the public. Body camera footage of the arrest shows a trooper hitting Greene in the head and bragging “I beat the ever-living f— out of him.” Despite this footage, state police commanders pressured their detectives not to arrest the trooper. LSP investigator Albert Paxton wrote that department leaders, including Superintendent Kevin Reeves, blocked him from charging an officer who beat Greene during the arrest.

State police initially said Greene’s death was caused by a single-car wreck after a high-speed pursuit, but evidence emerged that he died as a result of the state troopers beating him to his death. Reeves and Chief of Staff Bob Brown, both of whom Paxton implicated in the agency’s refusal to levy charges against one of the officers, retired. Retired meaning taxpayers are still paying them. They just do not have to show up in the office like they did before.

“I wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that I have knowledge of things being covered up,” Carl Cavalier said in a tell-all interview this week. “[The Ronald Greene case is] a murder being covered up pretty much, if you ask me.” Cavalier asked that his identity not be hidden in interviews with Chris Nakamoto.  He was fired for “behavior not becoming of an officer”.

“I swore and took an oath to do exactly what I’m doing,” said Cavalier, who considers himself a whistleblower. “I’m going to pursue my job with everything in me. If the justice system works like it’s supposed to, if the appeals process works how it’s supposed to, I believe I’ll have my job back.”

Cavalier has been on paid leave since August. He shared a letter with NBC News dated Oct. 8, signed by Louisiana State Police Superintendent Lamar A. Davis, notifying him of his potential termination within 45 days. Eugene Collins, president of the NAACP Baton Rouge branch, said “the way the state police are handling Cavalier’s case should be reconsidered and is worsening their relationship with the community”.

Cavalier said he feels betrayed by his department. The letter to Cavalier cited violations for public statements, loyalty to the department, dissemination of information, seeking publicity and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Cavalier also filed a lawsuit last month alleging his supervisors discriminated against him. “We all have a duty and a role to try and fix the issues. To try to be a solution to the problems we are facing, instead of just enabling it and allowing it to be,” he said.

A state police spokeswoman said in a statement: “Trooper Cavalier received the decision of the appointing authority to move forward with termination based on an administrative investigation that revealed he violated several departmental policies. It should be noted that our disciplinary administrative process is not finalized and Cavalier remains an employee at this time.” The agency declined to comment on Cavalier’s lawsuit.

Minding Hearts is building advocacy and peer support groups, “Hearts and Minds” in each state. The groups are created to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for those that might not otherwise be heard. We are here for encouragement, education, and support. We cannot give legal advice, but we can try and direct you in the right direction with your case. Links to legal services are listed with their states. Please share and let’s grow our groups. We are here to support families and develop resources that maintain family integrity. We look forward to your support. If you would rather become active by donating, then visit the donation page. Thank you.