Criminal investigation targets Shreveport police lieutenant

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - An officer with almost 27 years on Shreveport's police force now is on the other side of an ongoing investigation.

In December, KSLA first reported that Police Chief Alan Crump placed Lt. Stephen Plunkett on departmental leave pending an internal administrative investigation for alleged policy violations.

Early this week, the Shreveport city attorney's office informed KSLA that the matter now is a criminal investigation and that the inquiry is being handled by an agency outside of the Police Department.

Plunkett spoke to KSLA Chief Investigative Reporter Stacey Cameron off camera outside his home in Bossier City.

Without addressing the allegations, the officer said he's not worried about the case because a Caddo Parish grand jury already has cleared him.

Three months after the investigation began, Plunkett says Shreveport police are asking Louisiana State Police to investigate.

Neither the Caddo district attorney's office nor state police would confirm their involvement.

Citing possible litigation, a Shreveport police spokesman said it would be "inappropriate to engage in dialogue."

This is not the first time Plunkett's come under fire.

Early in his career, disciplinary records show him getting in trouble three times in 15 months for misusing Police Department computers and email.

Two of the incidents resulted in unpaid suspensions.

And in one case, the offending emails were described as "inappropriate, vulgar and obscene."

Despite those violations, Plunkett was promoted several times.

In 2008, he twice was honored for saving the lives of two fellow officers.

If Plunkett is cleared of criminal wrongdoing, Police Department officials still could try to discipline him for alleged departmental policy violations.

But, according to the city attorney's office, no administrative investigations are ongoing.

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