In a matter that jars the trust bestowed upon those meant to enforce the law, Michael Bethel, a former division chief with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, has owned up to charges of crafting a fraudulent narrative of completed law enforcement training, training which he never actually undertook. As announced in a Denver courtroom, Bethel pleaded guilty, accepting a plea deal for one count of felony forgery, alongside lesser misdemeanors involving second-degree forgery and first-degree official misconduct, his admission culminating in a deferred sentence and probation as detailed by the Colorado Attorney General's Office.
Under the constraints of the plea, Bethel’s route to reinstatement as a peace officer is forever barred with the requirement that he forfeit his state peace officer certification, the terms entailing a 24-month downward gaze at what could have been during a deferred sentence, a concurrent probation period and not just a fiscal contribution by way of fines but a dedication of personal hours to community service. As per the agreement, he must draft letters of apology addressed to his former employer, the Adams County Sheriff's Office, and to Colorado Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST), such penance for breaching the honor of his badge, and his duties therein.
According to Colorado Attorney General's Office, the necessity for accountability in the ranks of those donning the shield is echoed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, "Law enforcement officers have an obligation to complete important training as a requirement of maintaining their certifications," betraying neither hesitation nor reticence in his role as chair of the Colorado POST Board, Weiser presses on the solemnity of said certifications, "For those who fail to do so, and who defraud the state about meeting those requirements, there must be consequences," a posture steadfast in its commitment to the uprightness of the profession.
