State Board of Private Security Examiners public meetings in 2021
8 substantive meetings from 2021, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners holds its regular quarterly meeting. The Board will receive a legislative update on La. R.S. 37:3276 D(4) authorizing access to FBI background criminal history information. It will also analyze and approve the budget with questions for the agency's CPA, Devin McCraney. Reports on progress and board statistics, plus an executive session on pending litigation, are scheduled.
- Legislative update on La. R.S. 37:3276 D(4) (FBI background checks)
- Budget analysis and approval with CPA Devin McCraney of J. Walker & Co.
- Executive session to discuss pending litigation
- Reports from Executive Secretary: Progress & Plans and Board Stat Report
- Reading of previous meeting minutes (July 8, Aug 13, Sep 21, Sep 29)
The Board approved the agency budget and adopted legislative recommendations regarding FBI background checks and statute removals. It also mandated that all company license renewals provide occupational licenses as prescribed in Chapter 2.
- Approved the proposed budget (7-0)
- Adopted legislative committee recommendations to strike La. R.S. 37:3294 and amend La. R.S. 37:3276 D(4) for FBI background access (7-0)
- Required all company licenses and renewals to provide occupational licenses per Chapter 2 (7-0)
- Created a Training and HR Policy and Governance standing committee (7-0)
- Approved quarterly meeting dates for 2022 (7-0)
- Approved previous quarterly and special meeting minutes (7-0)
- Approved motion to enter Executive Session (7-0)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners will hold a special meeting to decide whether SORT Louisiana online training will remain valid, how to handle guards who have taken it, and whether to remove related links from its website. The board will also discuss the ProtaTECH, Inc. contract in executive session and consider the hiring process and compensation for the Executive Secretary position. An update from the Legislative Committee on a legislative rewrite is also on the agenda.
- Decision on whether SORT online training will no longer be valid or accepted
- Discussion on how to handle guards/others who have taken SORT online training
- Executive session to discuss ProtaTECH, Inc. contract
- Discussion on formal decision and hiring process for Executive Secretary position
- Discussion on due compensation for acting Executive Secretary
The Board deemed a contract with ProtaTECH for SORT Louisiana online training unenforceable and ceased accepting the training for certifications. Bridgette Hull was appointed Executive Secretary with a defined salary and car allowance. The Board also updated its Legislative Committee membership.
- Declared contract with ProtaTECH for SORT Louisiana online training unenforceable (8-0)
- Ceased acceptance of SORT online training as valid certification (8-0)
- Approved honoring SORT certificates issued before Sept 29 until renewal date (8-0)
- Approved removing SORT Louisiana from LSBPSE website, documentation, and social media (8-0)
- Approved request for SORT Louisiana to remove LSBPSE mentions from its website (6-2)
- Appointed Bridgette Hull as Executive Secretary (6-1)
- Approved $85,000 annual salary (including benefits) and $300/month car allowance for Executive Secretary (7-0)
- Added Jason Bourgeois and Dynette Burke to the Legislative Committee
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners will hold a special meeting to reconsider Fabian Blache III's employment as Executive Secretary and to consider an administrative appeal from Abraham Kumar, owner of ProtaTECH, Inc. and SORT Louisiana.
- Reconsider Fabian Blache III's employment as Executive Secretary
- Administrative appeal of Abraham Kumar, owner of ProtaTECH, Inc. and SORT Louisiana
The Board voted to terminate Executive Secretary Fabian Blache III and disallowed his employment contract. Additionally, the Board referred an administrative appeal from Abraham Kumar to the Division of Administrative Law.
- Terminated Fabian Blache III from position as Executive Secretary (5-3)
- Disallowed Fabian Blache III's employment contract (5-2)
- Referred administrative appeal of Abraham Kumar (ProtaTECH, Inc. and SORT Louisiana) to the Division of Administrative Law (7-0)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The State Board of Private Security Examiners is meeting to elect a Chairperson and Vice-chairperson. The board will discuss the creation of a Field Compliance Inspector and a Legislative Committee, as well as budget amendments to cover the new inspector's salary.
- Nomination and election of Chairperson and Vice-chairperson
- Field Enforcement Committee recommendation for Field Compliance Inspector creation
- Budget amendment discussion for Field Compliance Inspector salary
- Creation of a Legislative Committee
The Board approved the creation of a WAE Field Compliance Inspector position and amended the budget to cover the salary. Chief Scott Ford was elected as the new Chairperson. The Board also repopulated the existing legislative committee.
- Approved creation of WAE Field Compliance Inspector position (7-0)
- Approved budget amendment to cover new inspector salary (7-0)
- Elected Chief Scott Ford as Chairperson (4-3)
- Denied motion to re-elect a Vice-chairman (3-4)
- Repopulated legislative committee with Lameika Washington (chair), Ed Robinson, and Chief Scott Ford (ad-hoc)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The State Board of Private Security Examiners is meeting to conduct hearings and discuss board qualifications. The body will also consider the acquisition of board compliance field inspectors.
- Hearing on motion for protective order by GGSG
- Hearing on the Preston Jones matter
- Legal opinion on whether Marian Pierre met legal requirements for board membership
- Discussion on acquiring board compliance field inspectors
The Board voted to reinstate the instructor license of Preston Jones and created a committee to develop a policy for hiring compliance field inspectors. The Board also approved a request for a legal opinion regarding the qualifications of former Chairperson Marian Pierre.
- Reinstated Preston Jones's instructor license (7-0)
- Approved request for legal opinion on Marian Pierre's board qualifications (4-3)
- Formed committee to create compliance field inspector hiring policy (7-0)
- Tabled budget pending HR employee return (7-0)
- Tabled GGSG protective order hearing
- Approved amendment to agenda for Executive Session (7-0)
- Approved motion to enter Executive Session (7-0)
- Waived reading of previous meeting minutes (7-0)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The Board voted to place Executive Director Fabian Blache III on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into alleged misconduct and an EEOC complaint. Bridgette Hull was appointed as interim Executive Director to maintain agency operations.
- Placed Fabian Blache III on paid administrative leave pending investigation (6-1)
- Appointed Bridgette Hull as interim Executive Director (7-0)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The Board accepted the consent agenda and discussed a comprehensive rewrite of legislative rules dating back to 1984. Members discussed forming legislative and finance committees to refine the draft and manage future lobbying. No votes were taken on the legislative changes or the proposed HB 398.
- Approved consent agenda (carried)
State Board of Private Security Examiners
The board is meeting for routine quarterly business, including financial updates and old/new business. An executive session is scheduled for a litigation matter. The next meeting date will be determined.
- Executive session for litigation matter
- Financial update to be presented
- Next meeting date to be set (April 22nd or 29th, 2021)
The Board accepted the current financials and discussed the formation of finance and legislative committees. Members also discussed the potential introduction of a new legislative package by mid-April.
- Approved acceptance of financials
- Waived reading of October 29, 2020 meeting minutes
- Set next quarterly meeting for April 22, 2021