Originally published: . Volume 6, No. 5. Source pages: 8.
The psychology board responded to a March 19 request by the Times for public documents, sending information to the Times’ Baton Rouge office. The Times had asked for the internal policies and procedures for investigations, for job descriptions for staff and paid investigators, for the resumes and job applications, hiring procedures, and a 2010 memo. At that time on March 19 the Times publisher was denied the right to exam documents. The Executive Director, Ms. Kelly Parker, said and noted, “I am invoking our right to have your request and responsive documents reviewed by legal counsel prior to disclosure.”
The board responded by mail in a letter postmarked April 7. In the response Ms. Parker wrote that the board had no internal policies and procedures for investigations.
The documents release did include a copy of the resume for Mr. Tony McCoy who serves as a contract investigator for the board. His background is in drug and law enforcement, according to his resume.
Ms. Parker’s resume was not included in the document release. Ms. Parker noted that her resume was not available. “There is no resume for the current Executive Director in the LSBEP files. The Custodian of the Records at the time I was hired is no longer employed by LSBEP and we have no access to her electronic emails.”
The documents release also included copies of resumes for three attorneys for the board, downloaded from the websites of the respective law firms. Taylor Porter is the firm for Attorney Amy Groves Lowe and Lloyd Lunceford. Also included was the resume for attorney James Raines, from Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson.
The law firms have contracts with the board for up to $15,000 each, according to other government records. Mr. McCoy’s contact is for up to $12,000. Also listed is a $19,000 contract for legal services with McGlinchey, Stafford, and Lang, but no information about this attorney was included in the documents.
Parker noted that all attorney services are established by contract and the board follows hiring procedures of the state. No information about their job descriptions were included. There was no job description or work description for Mr. McCoy or Mr. Raines. In her explanatory letter Parker wrote, “The investigator position is established pursuant to contract as referenced in the LSBEP Policies & Procedures manual,” but did not explain further. She noted that all investigators must be licensed with state board for private investigators.
Two job descriptions of staff positions, that of the Executive Director and Administrative Assistant, were included.
In the March request, the Times’ publisher also asked again for the 2009 memo from the board’s attorney to board members about the effects of Act 251 on the LSBEP. In the April response, Ms. Parker included copies of two past denials for this memo, one in 2010 signed by Dr. Joe Comaty and one in 2012 signed by Dr. Tony Young. The letters reference the exceptions to public records due to litigation and attorney-client privilege.
According to the government website, Dr. Gary Pettigrew is also an investigator for the board. No information was included about Dr. Pettigrew. His contract is listed as up to $4,000 per year.
Dr. Pettigrew appears to be the only psychologist involved in investigations that take place below the board level.
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