Massachusetts investigating dozens of police officers for bypassing mandatory online training
LYNNFIELD - The Municipal Police Training Committee in Massachusetts is investigating dozens of police officers for bypassing mandatory training requirements, WBZ-TV has learned.
Hours of training completed in minutes
Every sworn police officer in Massachusetts is required to do 40 hours of in-service training. A letter obtained by WBZ-TV from the Interim Executive Director of the MPTC Chief Jeff Farnsworth that was sent to every police chief in the state says that some officers have figured out a way to go through their online training in minutes.
"We have discovered instances where trainings that should take hours to complete are finished in a matter of minutes," the letter states, "using techniques that override controls meant to prevent fast-forwarding through the training."
Sources say that MPTC identified 70 officers in 11 police departments who bypassed the training on a web portal called Acadis.
"The Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) remains deeply committed to ensuring academic integrity and the highest standards of professionalism in law enforcement training," an MPTC spokesperson wrote in a statement. "Recently, we identified instances where some officers circumvented online training requirements, and we are taking immediate action to address this matter. We appreciate the continued partnership of police departments in maintaining the integrity of our training programs and upholding the values that guide our profession."
The updated trainings for police officers can contain anything from new laws and guidelines to CPR training. WBZ-TV Security Analyst Ed Davis says staying updated on the training is vital.
"You also have Supreme Court decisions that really change the landscape on how officers can operate. You've got the introduction of things like body cameras which are completely new to police over the last five to ten years and they need specific training. So, I can't underscore how important this requirement is," Davis said.
Trainings moved to in-person
The MPTC has now shut down the Acadis Portal while it investigates and is requiring all training to be in-person.
"Any officer that has failed to complete any required training in its entirety will be required to attend in-person training and their names will be forwarded to POST for failure to successfully complete in-service training," Farnsworth wrote in his letter. POST or the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission is in charge of certifying police officers in Massachusetts.
The online training investigation is the latest issue facing MPTC. In August, WBZ-TV reported that 46 MPTC instructors had serious sustained complaints against them. Three had their instructor certifications suspended and one was reinstated after we started investigating.