8 Conn. State Police Recruits Fired for Cheating

Eight state police recruits were fired Tuesday after an investigation into cheating at the academy, police said.

“This was a very unfortunate set of circumstances, and allegations such as these are not taken lightly,” state police commander Col. Stavros Mellekas said. “From start to finish, we demand that our recruits maintain the integrity of the Connecticut State Police.”

The allegations centered on alleged cheating on a test.

“If you’re going to cheat on a test, what else would you cheat on?” state police union executive director Andy Matthews has said. “You can’t really do the job of a state trooper.”

“The men and women of the state police are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards in law enforcement,” Mellekas said. “When those standards are not met, a process of review must be followed to determine if recruits are worthy of earning the title of ‘State Trooper.’ ”

The remaining 53 members of the 131st Training Troop are to graduate on March 24.

Requirements for state police trainees include “excellent moral character.” Trooper trainees are paid wages equivalent to $50,000 annually, and upon graduation, the salary jumps to $61,257, according to the agency’s website.

Sworn state police personnel, not including the 53 remaining trainees, now total 895, down from a peak of 1,283 in 2009, Matthews said recently.

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