2d probe suggests fire test cheating
180 firefighters in Boston must take exam again
A second investigation of allegations of cheating on a Boston firefighter lieutenant examination has confirmed what state officials found in their first probe, that evidence of possible cheating was strong enough to void the test results.
State officials had decided in February to throw out results of the November test, but they delayed that finding and conducted a second investigation at the behest of firefighter union officials.
After reinterviewing more than two dozen firefighters who took the test, state officials said yesterday that the results corroborated their earlier findings. Firefighters talked during the exam, brought cellphones into the testing site, and took unusually frequent trips to the men's room.
The decision means that more than 180 firefighters will have to take the test again.
"We understand that this is a hardship for the vast majority of people who took the exam and didn't engage in inappropriate conduct," said Paul Dietl, head of the state Human Resources Division, which administers civil service tests. "But at the same time, we have to make sure that individuals are not disadvantaged by potential cheaters, that where you are on the list, you weren't bumped by a cheater."
Dietl said his agency notified firefighter union officials yesterday and plans to send letters Monday to individual firefighters who took the test. He plans to begin working with Boston Fire Department officials Monday to determine a new test date.
It was unclear who will pay for the replacement test. Boston firefighters paid $125 each to take the Nov. 17 test, a total of $23,250.
The investigation began when officials were told that some test-takers took turns going to the restroom and used cellphones to send answers via text messages to colleagues in the testing room.
Boston firefighters union officials said last night that they don't believe the state has enough evidence to prove cheating occurred. Edward Kelly, Local 718 president, said his union is considering legal action to challenge the state's decision.
"They're going to have to justify their rationale for throwing out this exam," Kelly said. "I think it's a terrible thing what the state did. They just hurt a bunch of families that were innocent."
One firefighter who was notified by Local 718 last night said he is devastated by the state's decision. "I'm really confused as to why they're throwing it out; I think it seems like it's very rash and based only on unproven allegations," said the firefighter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It's 1,000 hours to study for this test. The guys who take it turn down overtime, details; they rearrange family vacations."
The lieutenant exam is given once every two years and is highly competitive, with more than 100 firefighters typically vying for about two-dozen openings each year for lieutenants in the Boston Fire Department.
The test last year covered material from seven textbooks, 50 sections of the Massachusetts General Laws, and four Fire Department handbooks. Subject areas include chemistry, physics, hydraulics, ladder and pump operations, building design, and major emergency response tactics. Lieutenants are responsible for evaluating fire scenes and determining tactics and strategy, considering factors such as structure type, wind conditions, temperature, and water availability.
The state's Human Resources Division launched its initial cheating investigation after receiving an anonymous complaint about a month after the Nov. 17 lieutenant exam. Investigators interviewed 171 of the 186 firefighters who took the test at a Quincy Middle School and determined that test-takers had acted inappropriately and may have cheated.
The investigation did not produce enough evidence to prove that specific individuals cheated. None of the test-takers volunteered to submit phone records, and the Human Resources Division does not have the power to subpoena them.
State officials said yesterday that even if the firefighters' records were available to investigators, there would be no way to prove which phones were used during the test; firefighters could have used friends' or relatives' phones.
After the state decided on Feb. 28 to throw out the test, representatives from the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and Boston Firefighters Local 718 complained that the state's investigation had not been thorough enough. They asked state officials to investigate further to determine which individuals cheated, if any.
Human Resources Division investigators then went back and reinterviewed roughly 30 firefighters. They concluded again that there was enough evidence to suggest cheating occurred and to warrant another test be administered. But they could not determine the identities of specific individuals who cheated.
Findings have prompted the agency to tighten security and step up oversight of all civil service examinations. In future, the agency will confiscate cellphones and other electronic devices during tests. Wherever possible, metal detectors will be used. The agency plans to hire more state troopers to monitor testing and increase the number of proctors and raise their pay from $60 per day to as much as $100. State officials said the agency also plans to select larger testing sites, such as auditoriums, so proctors won't be spread among testing rooms. Test-takers at the Quincy Middle School were split between classrooms.
The division handles civil service testing for police and fire departments across the state, including entrance exams and promotional tests designed to qualify police officers and firefighters as chiefs, captains, and lieutenants. The division also administers tests for guards at state prisons.
Donovan Slack can be reached at dslack@globe.com. 