HERINGTON, Kan. (KSNT) – A former Herington police officer at the center of a national coffee cup scandal has issued an apology.

In a statement made to the Herington Times, William Darling apologized for making up a claim that an employee at a Junction City McDonald’s wrote an insult on his coffee cup.

Darling initially claimed on December 28th that employees at a local McDonald’s wrote the words “F—ing Pig” on his coffee cup. Herington Police Chief Brian Hornaday posted a picture of the cup in a Facebook Post where he described the incident and asked people to share.

The owner of the McDonald’s said the restaurant has security video that proves none of its employees wrote the words.

Just days after the incident, in a press conference, Hornaday announced that the 23-year-old officer who had only been with the department for two months had made it all up as a joke and resigned.

Darling released a statement to the Herington Times newspaper Friday night.

“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. 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. 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.” WILLIAM DARLING VIA THE HERINGTON TIMES

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