Grand Theft Answer Sheet Key

I really believe that at least half of the law enforcement personnel in Northwest Arkansas, excluding the Rogers Police Department, are honorable and try to do a good job. They don't taser cows for fun, or kill unarmed people with development disabilities, or engage in conscious racial profiling, or intentionally violate the constitutional rights of citizens.

Hardly a week goes by that one or more of our local cops don't cause me to recalculate that percentage and lean toward the "rotten barrel" hypothesis. The outrage of the week is that four local cadets were expelled from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy for cheating. They stole the answer sheet because they were too damn dumb to pass the weekly examination over such basic topics as auto theft, hate crimes, and weapons of mass destruction. I doubt that they could pass the MMPI either.

Captain Mike Jones with the Benton County Sheriff's Office said, "We work hard to put the best people with this organization." The sad thing is that's probably true, so you can imagine the integrity of those who weren't chosen for the training academy.

Benton County Deputy Sheriff Wade Porter was fired for his part in the cheating scheme, and the Farmington police officer was fired, but Chief Brian Hubbard refused to identify him. A Washington County Sheriff's Deputy and a Bella Vista Policeman were also involved in the theft, but their agencies would not even identify them by name, and neither have been disciplined beyond getting paid leave. Double standard for white cops and minority civilians?

I say throw all four of them in a dark holding cell for four days without food, water, or toilet facilities, then release them without filing charges.

UPDATE: Thursday's ADG lists the names of the Police Academy IV. The cheaters are Scott Vanatta of the Bella Vista PD, WCSO Deputy John Staats, Farmington police officer A. J. Jefferson, and BCSO Deputy Wade Porter, who filched the multiple choice answers. I doubt that any of them would ever do well as reliable prosecution witnesses, but they can get jobs as private security at Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue.