Los Angeles County auditors uncovered evidence that the type of cheating undermining the County Fire Department’s hiring process extended to promotional exams and other testing requirements within the agency, it was reported Tuesday.
Auditors said a search of department emails revealed at least nine different tests had been circulating among department employees. The breaches included civil service exams for fire captains and tests for driving and emergency medical skills, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The audit was launched in response to a Los Angeles Times investigation last year that found that an unusually high number of family members of firefighters were hired by the department and that insiders had access to the interview questions and answers for prospective recruits. Evidence of more widespread cheating was revealed during the audit.
“The totality of our findings suggests that dissemination of examination content between fire personnel is not uncommon,” auditors said in a finding reported by The Times.
The audit official who oversaw the internal inquiry said in remarks reported by The Times that his office would give Fire Chief Daryl Osby more detailed information about the other exams that were compromised. Robert Campbell, the acting assistant auditor-controller, said the information would be contained in a confidential report and it would be the Fire Department’s responsibility to deal with any employees who broke the rules.
Last year’s Times’ investigation found that at least 370 firefighters — 13 percent of the department ranks — are related to someone now or previously on the force.
—City News Service