Two Georgia firefighters were fired after being caught cheating during a training course, authorities said.
The Monroe County firefighters, who were not identified, were let go after Georgia Public Safety Training Center instructors learned of the cheating Monday, according to a Facebook post by Monroe County Emergency Services.
They were taking a Fire Instructor 1 course through the training center.
“MCES command staff, the county manager and the board of commissioners acted immediately and appropriately in keeping with the character and integrity of the department,” MCES spokesman Capt. Shane Cook said in the post. “Whether on an emergency scene or training in the classroom, the trust of the public is imperative and of the utmost importance to us.”
This incident comes on the heels of a large cheating scandal that rocked the Georgia State Patrol.
After an internal investigation revealed widespread cheating among the 106th trooper class earlier this year, 30 recent graduates were fired, AJC.com previously reported. The group was accused of using the internet and their peers to cheat on an unsupervised speed detection exam.
A month after the scandal, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mark McDonough announced his retirement, following a meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp. In that meeting, Kemp said he would seek new leadership for the department without citing a specific reason for McDonough’s ousting.
McDonough said the cheating scandal likely played a role in his departure.
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