Investigators are trying to determine how many police academy students cheated on tests in Mass.
The Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee is investigating a cheating scandal involving several student officers in police academies in Holyoke and Boylston, according to a letter sent to police chiefs Friday.
“Recently, the MPTC uncovered that several officers in the Holyoke and Boylston academies compromised the integrity of testing procedures and materials in violation of our agency’s honor code and academy policies,” wrote Robert Ferullo, the MPTC’s executive director.
Four student officers have already been disciplined, including dismissal from the academy, the letter says.
The MPTC immediately suspended testing to conduct a thorough review of policies and procedures and has already created new course quiz and test questions, increased proctor-to-student ratios in testing rooms, enhanced test-taking software for security measures, and now required student officers to re-sign the pledge adhering to MPTC’s honor code before every exam.
The MPTC will also retain an independent investigator to “identify the extent of any misconduct and provide policy recommendations,” the letter says.
“The values of personal and professional integrity, self-discipline, and ethical decision-making principles are fundamental to a successful career in policing and an officer’s ability to serve the community,” says Ferullo.
The MPTC will continue to evaluate information as it becomes available and impose discipline where appropriate.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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