A few police officers in Massachusetts are in hot water. They were caught giving CDL drivers their licenses regardless of their test scores or performances. This put drivers in danger as truckers hit the road. 

Massachusetts police caught in CLD driver’s license scheme 

64-year-old Perry Mendes of Wareham is the second police officer to plead guilty in a scam related to CLD drivers. Allegedly, he was providing passing test scores to commercial driver’s license applicants, even if they failed. 

He was caught falsifying records and making false statements to provide CDL drivers with licenses. This may have put truckers behind the wheels of semi-trucks and other large trucks without proper experience and knowledge. 

According to Boston, Mendes and other members of the CDL unit provided passing test scores to 17 applicants even if they failed. 

But it’s unclear why these truckers received special treatment. They used the ’ golden handshake’ or ‘golden’ code words to identify applications for preferential treatment. 

Mendes shared that he shortened skilled tests for applicants, entered false information on the CDL score sheet, and reported passing scores for applicants he knew that didn’t even take the skills test. 

He and another former police officer, Calvin Butner, were charged in a 74-count indictment, along with four other participants in the driver’s license scheme. 

These tests involve vehicle inspections, basic maneuvers, and a road test to ensure applicants can operate large vehicles safely. 

These tests ensure that drivers are capable and qualified to operate commercial vehicles like semi-trucks, trash trucks, buses, and more. Under qualified drivers put others in traffic at serious risk.