The Columbus Division of Fire is investigating a possible security breach involving a test for recruits.
An instructor told investigators that he found recruits " had access to the answers to the digital part of their homework which accounts for 20 percent of their grade."
The breach could involve the digital test that allowed recruits to view questions via a testing app that was in exact order as they appeared on the test given by the division.
Firefighters Local 67 President Dave Montgomery said "the case is closed and there was no evidence of cheating," based on what Chief Kevin O'Connor told the Columbus Dispatch.
The division's Public Information Officer Battalion Chief Steve Martin said the case is not closed because the Chief has not reviewed the final report.
According to a report obtained by 10TV, seven firefighter recruits used an online study aid called Quizlet.
According to an internal document, an instructor for the class discovered that the website Quizlet was used as close as 45 minutes prior to the examination.
The test which was designed in 2014 or 2015 was never given in paper form, only online.
Investigators said they later discovered the test was mistakenly tied into a credentialed only list. An investigation found the divisions EMT Protocol and CFD EMT Protocol test was "opened...for anyone to access."
According to documents obtained by 10TV, the division of fire allowed students to use Quizlet. A firefighter recruit told investigators the instructor said, "he never told us we couldn't use it, or that it wasn't allowed."
Documents show one firefighter from the 2015 recruit class created 251 files on Quizlet.
The Division of Fire began an investigation in January 2017, but Chief O'Connor wrote in an internal memo,"It appears that multiple people from several classes since 2015 have an account for this (Quizlet) site. The division is trying to determine if recruits are "violating the recruit orientation manual by uploading content to the electronic media sources without instructor approval."
All of the people accused of getting test answers in advance deny any wrongdoing. Documents show a firefighter from stations 24 and 23 was interviewed.
The Division also found what it called a "miscalculation of trust." The investigation found that recruits took a prolonged time "in their retrieval (of the iPads) one that would, in fact, give them time to be able to clear browsing history."
The Ohio Department of Public Safety has joined in the investigation.