Data Entry Errors Impact DWI Cases In Minnesota Counties

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News)- A data entry error has now brought dozens of Minnesota DWI cases into question.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension ordered the immediate suspension of a tool used to test the blood alcohol concentration of suspected impaired drivers after learning of the error.

That’s according to a news release issued by the state agency on Friday night. Officials made the suspension order after learning about data entry errors impacting DWI cases in Aitkin, Winona and Chippewa counties.

Get our free mobile app

The news release also says officials learned of potentially dozens of cases involving the data entry errors in Olmsted County.

BCA Orders Suspension & Review of DWI Testing Tool After Discovering Data Entry Error Impacting Dozens of Cases

The tool tied to the errors in DWI cases across Minnesota is called the DataMaster (DMT). It’s an instrument used to measure a person’s blood alcohol concentration through their breath.

egiadone

Authorities recently learned trained operators made multiple data entry errors while setting up the instruments, which could lead to inaccurate DWI test results, the news release indicates.

Along with suspending the use of the DMT tool, the BCA also ordered all Minnesota law enforcement agencies to verify that the correct data has been entered into all DMT instruments.

ThinkStock

“The BCA is committed to the highest level of quality in our forensics lab, and this is why we are conducting this review,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. On Friday the BCA learned of a potential data error impacting 108 DWI cases in Olmsted County and 38 cases in Hennepin County.

“Agencies that house the instruments are not necessarily responsible for the error as multiple law enforcement agencies use each instrument,” the news release says.

The BCA says its agents will update the maintenance procedures for the DMT instruments. The BCA also says that only its personnel will update and maintain the instruments.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, Rochester Police Department, Rochester City Attorney's Office, and Olmsted County Attorney's Office issued the following statement on Monday:

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office houses a Data Master Terminal (DMT) that serves our office, the Rochester Police Department (RPD), and the Minnesota State Patrol (MSP). The DMT is used as one step in a process to determine whether an individual is under the influence of alcohol or over the legal limit to drive in the state of Minnesota.

The DMT is provided by the State of Minnesota through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Our office learned of other law enforcement agencies in MN identified as having issues with their DMT. On Tuesday October 7th , our office began proactively making inquiries by contacting all the above partners and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to see if there was or is a local impact. During our initial inquiry, no issues were identified.

On Friday October 10th at approximately 4:00 P.M., OCSO was contacted by the BCA regarding an issue involving the DMT and a dry gas cylinder. OCSO and our partners immediately took action, fully cooperated with the BCA, and stopped using the DMT.

OCSO has continued working with the BCA to ensure proper functionality of the DMT. We have taken proactive measures and the DMT is operational and in compliance with BCA guidance. Additionally, we have conducted a comprehensive review of internal processes to ensure that the systems are working as intended.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police Department are coordinating with the Rochester City Attorney’s Office and Olmsted County Attorney’s Office regarding this matter. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all motorists within our community and will continue impaired driving enforcement.

It is too soon to say how this will affect cases in court, and the public should not assume that charges will be dismissed. Any further inquiries into the situation can be directed to the BCA