The Mount Pleasant Police Department cheating scandal involves allegations of misconduct on a state breath-test certification exam for the INTOX DMT device, affecting around 10 officers. Attorney David Osborne, representing Officer Alec Cummings, recently defended his client by claiming the online test via the ACAIDS portal was effectively open-book, as training videos and PDFs remained accessible without warnings to close them.
Scandal Background
An internal probe began in December 2025 after tips of cheating on the November-December 2025 recertification for INTOX DMT operators, leading to two initial terminations and eight more separations classified as misconduct by the SCCJA. The exam is critical for validating breath tests in DUI cases, and the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) maintains that no academy tests, including this one, are open-book.
Osborne’s Statement
Osborne, a former Charleston officer, emphasized that Mount Pleasant officers watched a 2-hour video and used provided PDFs in the same portal before testing, with no instructions prohibiting reference materials or closed-book indicators. He argues this setup reasonably allowed material use and calls for transparency, predicting Cummings’ certification restoration upon full review.​
Latest Developments
SCCJA Director’s recent press conference reiterated the closed-book policy amid questions on local agency testing oversight. Separated officers can appeal misconduct findings, and no broader invalidation of past breath tests has been reported as of February 2026. Osborne anticipates further details emerging.
