Breathalyzer Manufacturer Under Criminal Investigation For Falsifying Maintenance Records And Calibration Results
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...-results.shtml
Cops value breathalyzers since they're easy to deploy and don't have the warrant impediments of blood tests. But they're often relying on faulty equipment.
The 2018 discoveries were reaffirmed in 2019 when a New York Times investigation uncovered more problems with breathalyzers. Equipment used in the field was rarely recalibrated and active chemical agents rarely replaced. One breathalyzer used by Michigan police was found to have rats nesting inside of it.
Faulty equipment is only one of the problems. The bigger problem is that it's almost impossible to challenge in court. The private companies behind breathalyzer equipment have inserted themselves into court proceedings, claiming any examination of devices and source code could result in the exposure of proprietary information that (they imagine) could harm their market position and future sales.
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