ABC News spotlights 'Betrayal' Season 4 on ex-officer's affairs and police pension
Embed this grade
Unlock the full scoreboard
Letter grade, factuality, lean, and rationales — free with registration. No card required.
See grades free How grading works
Already have an account? Sign in. The full report below is free to read.
Disagree with this grade or political lean?
Flagging is open to every reader with a free account. Sign in or create one to dispute this report.
Topics in this report
Summary
The ABC News segment promotes Season 4 of Hulu's 'Betrayal: Dirty Secrets,' focusing on Karoline Borega's (also spelled Caroline Berga or Karoline Borega) account of discovering her husband Joel Kern, a longtime Colorado Springs Police Department officer, had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs. It details the 2022 internal affairs investigation triggered by Kern receiving oral sex in his patrol car, his admission of lying to investigators, the confrontation by one woman's husband, and affairs with a tenant, a fellow employee's wife, a classmate's mother, and a department worker. Borega and her children describe the emotional toll; Kern entered rehab, retired with his pension while the probe was pending, and faced no criminal charges.
Editorial Assessment
The segment accurately summarizes the podcast and docuseries, which draw from internal affairs files obtained via records requests, interviews with Borega and her daughter, and audio recordings. Claims align with reporting from USA Today, KRDO, and the Colorado Times Recorder, including Kern's decertification by Colorado POST in late 2022. Viewers may miss broader context on departmental patterns—Rocky Mountain PBS reported 158 officers resigned or retired under investigation from 2022-2024—and that Colorado law prevents pension revocation solely for pending misconduct probes absent a conviction. The emotional framing emphasizes betrayal and lack of repercussions but fairly notes the department's position and that Kern declined comment. Overall a straightforward promotional piece for a true-crime series with strong sourcing on the specific case.
Key Moments
In 2022 Joel Kern texted his wife that he was caught receiving oral sex in his police cruiser, lied during an internal affairs investigation, and faced pending termination.
Corroborated by Borega's interviews, internal affairs records released to the podcast, and reporting in USA Today and Colorado Times Recorder.
Kern had affairs with a tenant, the mother of his daughter's classmate, another CSPD employee, and many others.
Supported by Borega's corroborated accounts, IA investigation details, and multiple podcast episodes; USA Today reports 7-10 total affairs.
Joel retired with his pension while the misconduct investigation was pending and no criminal charges were filed.
Confirmed by CSPD statement to KRDO, Colorado law on pensions, and reports noting Kern was POST-decertified but faced no criminal action.
Colorado law does not allow CSPD to withhold or revoke an officer's earned pension benefits solely because a misconduct investigation is pending.
Direct quote from CSPD statement; aligns with Colorado statutes and reporting on police pension forfeiture rules.
The podcast and series obtained CSPD investigation files and recordings that illuminated Kern's lies.
Podcast host Andrea Gunning and producers confirm records requests yielded IA files; CSPD acknowledged providing them.
Notable Concerns
- Heavy reliance on one party's account and dramatized reenactments typical of the genre, though corroborated by official records.
- Limited exploration of Kern's side beyond noting he did not respond to requests for comment.
Sources Consulted
- 'Betrayal: Dirty Secrets' on Hulu exposes ex-cop's double life
- Former Colorado Springs police officer featured in Hulu documentary
- Podcast Examines CO Springs Police Officer's Sexual Misconduct
- Behind Betrayal: Episode 6
- Disqualifying Incidents | Colorado POST
- Which States Have Laws that Allow for Police Pension Forfeiture?