By Angela Couloumbis, Harrisburg Bureau
The Philadelphia Inquirer
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania State Police has begun an investigation into an alleged cheating scandal involving cadets attending its academy, according to two sources familiar with the inquiry.
The internal ivestigation centers on whether members of the cadet class, scheduled to graduate this spring, were given information about questions to an academic exam by members of a class that had recently graduated, the sources said.
An academy instructor discovered the alleged cheating and reported it, they said.
The top law enforcement agency was tight-lipped Tuesday about the inquiry, which was first reported by ABC27 News in Harrisburg.
Maria Finn, state police spokeswoman, said she could not confirm whether an active probe was underway.
But she stressed that cheating is not — and will not be — tolerated.
“Cheating or any similar behavior is absolutely unacceptable and would merit serious discipline for anyone involved,” she said.
With its complement of roughly 4,700 troopers, the State Police prides itself on being the nation’s “first uniformed police organization of its kind,” its website states.
It lists its core values as “honor,” and “integrity.”
“We believe Integrity is character in action,” according to its website. “We are morally and ethically aware, resolute, and above reproach at all times regardless of our duty status.”
Cadets in Pennsylvania’s State Police Academy in Hershey go through a 27-week training, and receive a biweekly salary of $1,200, according to its website.
In order to graduate, cadets must receive passing grades in all academic courses, among many other requirements.
The class being investigated for cheating is set to graduate next month and has 88 cadets, according to the State Police.
It could not be determined Tuesday how many people might have been involved in the scandal.
Copyright 2016 The Philadelphia Inquirer