Atlanta, we have a problem

News item: One in three recent graduates of the Atlanta Police Academy has a criminal record.

Please note the word “graduates” in that sentence.

We’re not talking about morons who stumbled in off the street and applied for a cop job, maybe to win a bar bet.

We’re talking graduates, as in people who went through some type of vetting process and were determined to be the best candidates to be given guns ’n’ badges.

And of that sterling bunch, a third of them were rejected by other law enforcement agencies where they applied.

“Sorry, son. You’re not good enough to be a part-time constable here in Podunk. But you might try applying in Atlanta; I hear they’ll hire anyone.”

The Atlanta Police Department’s chief excuse-maker, Lt. Elder Dancy, who heads up recruiting, wasn’t bothered by the stats.

“We would like, in an ideal world, to see every applicant with a clean record, but obviously that’s not reality. I don’t think you’ll find any departments who hire only applicants with squeaky-clean records.”

The lieutenant is right; high standards make it hard to fill those vacancies and put someone — anyone — behind the wheel of a police car.

All I know is that if I ever cruise through Atlanta, I’ll be on the lookout for unsavory characters … and cops!