BATON ROUGE — A former high-ranking Louisiana State Police official and the agency's first Black female captain is suing Louisiana State Police, saying that former Col. Robert Hodges discriminated against her and mocked her before forcing her to resign.

A lawsuit was filed on Oct. 5 by Treone Larvadain, who says when Robert Hodges took over as colonel of LSP in 2024, he began making comments to her that "DEI" was over and "DEI" employees would not remain with the agency. DEI refers to diversity, equity and inclusion.

"In doing so, Hodges referred directly to [Larvadain] and also made clear he had the backing of and was acting at the insistence of Governor Landry," the lawsuit said.

The suit also alleged that on Nov. 18, 2024, Hodges offered Larvadain an "involuntary 'transfer'" to become the head of the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. He allegedly told her that she should take the job "because she is a woman," saying she should be grateful for the opportunity because she would be "working with her kind," and made "repeated, derogatory comments" about Larvadain's age.

Larvadain asked Hodges during the meeting whether the offer had something to do with her performance, to which he allegedly responded that the position with the women's prison was "more about fulfillment, fulfillment for you. I feel when I see you that you're not fulfilled."

Hodges also allegedly told Larvadain that there was no place for her among the command staff in the meeting.

Larvadain claims that after refusing the transfer, Hodges began "punishing" her by removing job duties and going to her subordinate male employees to make inquiries and get reports.

In July 2025, Larvadain was summoned to a meeting with Hodges where she was told to either accept the transfer to a demoted position with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections with reduced pay, be demoted from lieutenant colonel to major with loss of rank and pay, or retire.

She was demoted and assigned as the Major in "Special Projects," which the lawsuit says is a nonexistent position with no duties and "which is considered a disciplinary action and further demotion."

The lawsuit said that Larvadain was forced to resign in May 2026 due to "ongoing, unabated harassment" after her demotion. Examples such as Hodges allegedly mocking Larvadain for trying to take leave, being "micromanaged" on her breaks and what time she left and being sent to work "in a small, cramped office which was openly known and customarily used for placing officers for whom Hodges intended to remove from... employment" were provided.

Larvadain previously led the Protective Services unit. WBRZ previously covered that she and her daughter became the first mother-daughter duo to work at LSP together.