Former Herington officer apologizes for coffee cup hoax

A former Herington Police Department officer issued an apology for making up a story that a fast food worker

William Darling, who resigned his position after admitting the hoax, issued a statement late Friday to The Herington Times.

“I want to express my deepest, most sincere apology to McDonald’s (in Junction City), the law enforcement community, the citizens and law enforcement officers in the Junction City area, the citizens of Herington and the Herington Police Department," Darling wrote.

Police Chief Brian Hornaday posted a photo to social media Dec. 28 showing a McDonald's coffee cup and a receipt with the words "f***ing pig." Hornaday said Darling told him he got the coffee from a Junction City McDonald's on his way to work that morning, and discovered the receipt with the words.

Hornaday's post was shared thousands of times. However, by Monday night, an investigation by Hornaday and McDonald's officials disproved Darling's account, and Darling admitted it was false.

“I did not consider the magnitude of the decision I was making at the time, and did not display the courage needed to end the situation before it got out of control," Darling wrote in his statement to The Herington Times. "In a profession that relies upon trust, there is little to no room for errors made by law enforcement officers, especially in the climate that they now serve."

“I hope that all of those affected by my actions will truly consider that this situation was created by me, one person, and does not define the character of the law enforcement profession.”

Hornaday also has issued a formal apology for the incident.