If there’s one thing you can rely on the Michigan State Police for, it’s the fact that when something potentially bad happens that could affect police departments in Michigan, they don’t hunker down and pretend it isn’t happening. They grab it by the horns and fight. It was like that when there were allegations of corruption in the Detroit Forensic Lab, which resulted in an investigation by MSP and a scathing report that got that crime lab shuttered for good. And now that there’s a possibility of corruption by a third party vendor tasked with servicing Datamaster breath testing machines across the state. (Which are the machines that some people call ‘Breathalyzers.) It seems some of the data documenting the servicing of breath test machines around the state is faulty…
There may have been service documents forged, throwing Datamaster accuracy into question!
Apparently a few discrepancies came to light when the servicing records were being reviewed, which may point to forgery of public documents, says Michigan State Police Director Col. Joseph Gasper. The 203 Datamaster machines in use in Michigan, which are located at police departments and jails all across the Great Lakes State, are meant to be serviced at regular intervals. But it appears they might not be getting the timely attention they need to stay in top working order. Someone, it seems, may have falsified records showing when the Datamaster machines were properly serviced, which could have huge implications for drunk driving cases all over Michigan!
With questionable machines taking readings, DUI cases could end up getting tossed out!
The company tasked with servicing Michigan’s Datamaster machines is Intoximeters. They contract with three employees tasked with servicing the 203 machines located around the state of Michigan. And that’s where the problems start. According to MSP, those employees are required to keep detailed logs documenting which machines they serviced, and when. But there seem to be some very serious discrepancies in those documents. Which could lead one to suspect that someone (or possibly several someones) aren’t being entirely honest about what they’ve done, and where they did it, which means the data is faulty. And the fallout from faulty data can be enormous in a situation like this!
Michigan cops are told to use blood draws and urine tests until the issue is resolved!
“Based on new information learned over the weekend, the Michigan State Police are aggressively investigating potential fraud committed by contract employees of Datamaster vendor, Intoximeters.” Gasper said. He also went on to say that MSP will be “moving today to take all 203 Datamaster DMT evidential breath alcohol testing instruments out of service until MSP can inspect and verify each instrument to ensure it is properly calibrated.” So what does that mean for the future of roadside stops for suspected drunk driving in Michigan? Apparently MSP has advised all law enforcement personnel to use blood and urine testing until their Datamaster machines can be properly calibrated.
That’s why you need the best possible defense when accused of drunk driving in Michigan!
We applaud the Michigan State Police for taking drastic action to ensure that justice is protected. However, this situation does a great job of highlighting exactly why it’s so important to have an aggressive DUI defense attorney working on your case. There are so many moving parts in a drunk driving case, and so many factors that could affect the outcome (including faulty results from a breath test machine!) An entire case can be tossed out because of a simple discrepancy in how an officer handled evidence, how a machine was calibrated, or how a suspect was Mirandized. But without the expertise of a skilled and experienced DUI defense lawyer, you could end up behind bars all the same, even if you don’t deserve to be there!
Make sure you call The Kronzek Firm if you’re accused of drunk driving in Michigan!
Here at The Kronzek Firm, our team of experienced and aggressive DUI defense attorneys has spent decades successfully defending the people of Michigan against drunk and drugged driving charges. We know how to build a strong and creative defense for our clients, and what needs to be investigated in order to assure that a defendant’s rights aren’t being violated in any way. So if you’ve been pulled over for suspected drunk or drugged driving, don’t leave it to chance! Call us immediately at 866 766 5245 and make sure you get the best defense available. We’re here 24/7, including nights and weekends, to help you get through this. Call us at 1 866 7NoJail.
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