Louisiana State Police Colonel Declines Retirement Bonus

When an act of the legislature affects only two people you have to figure there is going to be some chatter. When one of those two people is the top cop for Louisiana's State Police and it involves big money then you can expect the chatter to become an outcry.

That's exactly what happened in regards to a retirement boost approved in the final hours of the legislative session. That boost for Colonel Mike Edmonson and  one other trooper would cost the state an extra 300-thousand dollars.

The information surrounding the retirement boost was uncovered by State Treasurer John Kennedy who launched an investigation into the issue.  According to sources many lawmakers were unaware that they had authorized such a hefty boost in the retirement package of Edmonson and another trooper.

In declining the benefits Colonel Edmonson told the Louisiana Radio Network,

"The more I look at it, the more I studied it, it just wasn't the right way to handle this,if I'm going to be truly who I say I am, I don't need to accept it."

Edmonson went on to say the lofty boost was not the intent of the legislation. He will ask lawmakers to review and readjust the figures in the next session.