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Cheating cadets: The state police faces a test of integrity

Cheating cadets: The state police faces a test of integrity

Allegations of a cheating scandal among cadets at Pennsylvania’s State Police Academy raise serious questions not only about the individuals themselves but also about practices in the program that prepares applicants for service as officers.

State Police Commissioner Tyree Blocker, who confirmed Thursday that an investigation began at the end of December, would not say how many trainees might have been involved. The class started with 116 recruits and 88 remain, but he cautioned that some attrition occurs in every class so simple subtraction would not yield the correct number. Cadets undergo about six months of training in Hershey, and they are paid about $2,400 a month. After graduation, they remain on probation for 18 months before their appointments become permanent.

ABC27 News in Harrisburg reported the internal inquiry is looking into whether members of this year’s class got information about questions on an exam from another recent class. The station said an instructor discovered the allegation and reported it.

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Mr. Blocker said dozens of interviews have been conducted and other evidence collected. He promised “swift and certain discipline” for anyone who violated the academy’s honor code, which bans cheating, lying or stealing. That should go without saying when the individuals who must abide by it are preparing to become enforcers of the law.

In its investigation, the state police first must find out who was involved and make sure that, in addition to being tossed out of the academy, they never become police officers anyplace else. The same would hold true for any previous graduate who passed information to a recruit.

The agency then will have to determine whether it should alter its testing so the system cannot be gamed and how to better screen applicants to root out unscrupulous individuals.

It is a relief that the cheating, whatever its scope, was detected before any of the individuals could be sworn in as officers.

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For Mr. Blocker, it is the first big challenge of his tenure — Gov. Tom Wolf appointed him six months ago and he was confirmed by the state Senate only last month. He must handle his test far better than any recruits who cheated on theirs.

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First Published: February 7, 2016, 5:00 a.m.

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