Police sergeants in a suburban Westchester County department will have to retake tests that would put them in line for a promotion after accusations of possible cheating.
Seven Harrison Police Department sergeants were told this week they’d have to retake the lieutenant’s exam in the wake of complaints that sparked an investigation by the county District Attorney’s office.
The DA’s office found there to “be no merit” to the accusations in May, a spokesperson said — but the New York State Department of Civil Service ordered a retaking of the test on the same claims.
“Following the October 2021 High-Security Police Promotion examination, the Department learned that some of the candidates potentially violated the Department’s test-taking standards, bringing the integrity of the examination into question,” the DCS said in a statement to The Post.
“Based on the information provided, the Department made the decision that Westchester County should retest the candidates that took the examination in Harrison during the fall to ensure that the highest level of integrity is maintained for this promotional exam.”
The department launches an internal review “whenever there are allegations of misconduct,” a follow-up statement said.
The department discovered that some of the candidates violated their test-taking standard. Getty ImagesSix of the seven Harrison sergeants took the test on Oct. 16, then discussed the answers with each other – but one remaining sergeant didn’t take the test until two days later, sources said.
Some cops believed the test was compromised because the other sergeant could have had access to the answers before taking the test, sources said.
The sergeant who took the test after the rest had been granted a disability designation by the state, a county source said, which is why he took the test on a different day.
Some brought their concerns to department brass and a formal complaint was filed in November with the county Department of Human Resources, which administers the tests for the local police departments. The matter was referred to the DA office, which didn’t find any criminal wrongdoing.
When the test is given again on Oct. 22, all seven candidates will take the test on the same day.
The NYPD is now contending with similar claims raised for its sergeant’s test this week, with accusations flying that first-day test takers fed answers to people who took the test a day later.
