LANSING, Mich — All 203 of Michigan's alcohol breath testing devices are back in service amid a fraud investigation of the company that supplies the equipment.
The Michigan State Police a criminal investigation last month into contract employees with Intoximeters Inc. and suspended its contract after evidence suggested the company falsified records and misrepresented the devices’ accuracy.
According to The Detroit News, a letter was written to police and prosecutors statewide on Jan. 10 alerting them about problems with the devices.
The Detroit Free Press reports that state police had announced all Datamaster DMT devices had been sidelined until the agency could verify that each was properly calibrated.
MSP also opened a criminal investigation looking into possible forgery of public documents. State police emphasized that the breathalyzers are typically and "extremely reliable instrument" and issued a stop order was an extreme move.
MSP identified discrepancies in breathalyzers from the following departments and sheriff's offices:
- Alpena County Sheriff’s Department
- Beverly Hills Police Department
- Detroit Detention Center
- Montcalm County Sheriff’s Department
- Niles Police Department
- Pittsfield Township Police Department
- Tecumseh Police Department
- Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department
Nearly 40 devices were back online a few days later.
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