A former Adams County undersheriff will now serve 24 months of probation for falsifying rosters on state-mandated law enforcement training. Two other former members of the department face similar charges.

Former undersheriff Thomas McLallen — who was with the department from 2019 to 2022 — pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree forgery, a class two misdemeanor, and one count of first-degree official misconduct, a class one misdemeanor in a Denver District Court on Friday, according to a press release from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. 

The charges stem from McLallen’s role in falsifying records and claiming credit for state-mandated law enforcement training that he did not complete. He submitted certificates, signed attendance rosters and told the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) that he had completed mandatory training courses that he did not actually attend.

When dismissing the falsified course hours, McLallen did not meet his in-service training requirements for 2021, according to the release.

Former Adams County Sheriff Richard Reigenborn and former Division Chief Michael Bethel also face charges in the “training records scheme,” according to the release.

A sergeant with the department reported the forgery to an internal whistle blowing system after witnessing it for “about four years,” according to McLallen’s arrest records. The sergeant reported that he was told on multiple occasions, usually by Bethel, to get Firearm Training Records for the trio to sign, though they did not attend the courses. 

The sergeant said he “feared for his job daily,” due to the forced hand in falsifications. He noted he remained silent about this issue because he believed that’s how he would get promoted, the records said.

Through interviews and research spanning multiple course instructors and rosters, attorney general investigators were able to determine that McLallen lied about multiple training courses in 2021. Reigenborn and Bethel allegedly did the same.

Colorado peace officers are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of annual in-service training. Some of the training includes crucial skills like arrest control, driving and firearms. A law enforcement agency can lose access to POST grant funds if officers fail to complete required annual training.

“We are committed to law enforcement integrity and taking seriously steps to undermine our state’s training system,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said in the release. “This action advances that work and makes clear the obligations of law enforcement officers to engage in training in an appropriate manner.”

McLallen and Bethel were placed on administrative leave Jan. 29, 2022. McLallen retired from the department around a month later.

Bethel is due for a disposition hearing on March 11. Reigenborn is due for an arraignment on March 11.