(KNSI) – Law enforcement agencies are being ordered to immediately suspend use of certain breath testing equipment after faulty data entry was discovered.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is telling law enforcement agencies statewide to verify that information has been entered correctly into the DataMaster breath test machines they’re currently using. Out of caution, the BCA has suspended all DataMaster usage until agencies can confirm that the gas cylinder data is accurate in each instrument. Because human error is possible with the current process, the BCA is taking over all gas cylinder replacements and maintenance. Only BCA personnel will handle these tasks from now on.
This comes after officials found multiple data entry mistakes made by trained operators when installing gas cylinders in the instruments. Along with the review, the BCA is updating its procedures to prevent such errors from happening again.
Some Minnesota law enforcement officers are trained to administer breath tests and maintain DataMaster instruments as part of impaired driving enforcement. Each machine contains a uniquely numbered dry gas cylinder with a known alcohol concentration that acts as a control during every test to ensure the instrument measures alcohol levels accurately. When first set up, authorized operators enter the cylinder information into the system. That information remains in use for all subsequent tests until the cylinder needs replacing, at which point new data must be entered. Officials recently discovered that in some cases, incorrect cylinder information was entered, putting test results in doubt.
On Friday, the BCA learned about two more instruments with data entry errors. One is in Olmsted County, where the mistake might affect 108 cases, and another is in Hennepin County, where it might impact 38 cases. This follows earlier discoveries of errors in Aitkin, Winona, and Chippewa counties. The agencies housing these instruments aren’t necessarily responsible for the mistakes since multiple law enforcement agencies use each machine.
BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said the agency is committed to top-quality forensics work, which is why they’re conducting this review. The BCA says it will continue providing the training and information needed to ensure breath testing across Minnesota remains accurate and reliable.
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