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Hot off the press, if you dont already know hope this helps........ Information is power.
New state law will allow roadside drug testing in some Michigan counties
ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) A new Michigan law named after an Escanaba couple will allow roadside drug testing in five Michigan counties.
courtesy: MGN Online
In 2013, Barbara and Thomas Swift were killed in a crash involving their car and a logging truck.
The truck driver was convicted of having drugs in his system.
The Barbara J. and Thomas J. Swift law created a one-year pilot program that will allow some Michigan State Police officers to give roadside drug tests to drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs.
State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) was the sponsor of the bill.
"The goal is to get to that standard so that law enforcement has tools when they're stopping people on the highway," Casperson said.
Only troopers trained as certified drug recognition experts could conduct the tests, which require a swab of saliva.
"That will give us a more immediate result of what possibly the people are under the influence of on the scene, which will help for court purposes and expediting the process along," Michigan State Police Inspector George Sailer said.
The police still need a valid reason to make a traffic stop.
Since this is just a study, the data cannot be used in a court of law against a person.
"If you got charged for impaired driving or reckless driving or anything and this test shows that you haven't had anything in your system, as an example, you could use it to defend yourself, but the prosecution can't use it against you until we get to that standard," Casperson said.
The pilot program will be in five yet-to-be-determined counties.
Casperson said after a year, they'll take the lead from law enforcement on how to proceed.
"Maybe they'll find some glitches that we need to address, so we're going to take their lead once they get into this and see how it's going, and if they think further testing is needed then I believe the legislature would react to that much like they did this time," Casperson said.
According to the Michigan State Police, more than 36 percent of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol or drugs.
http://www.uppermichiganssource.com...ting-in-some-Michigan-counties-385259291.html
New state law will allow roadside drug testing in some Michigan counties
ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) A new Michigan law named after an Escanaba couple will allow roadside drug testing in five Michigan counties.
courtesy: MGN Online
In 2013, Barbara and Thomas Swift were killed in a crash involving their car and a logging truck.
The truck driver was convicted of having drugs in his system.
The Barbara J. and Thomas J. Swift law created a one-year pilot program that will allow some Michigan State Police officers to give roadside drug tests to drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs.
State Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) was the sponsor of the bill.
"The goal is to get to that standard so that law enforcement has tools when they're stopping people on the highway," Casperson said.
Only troopers trained as certified drug recognition experts could conduct the tests, which require a swab of saliva.
"That will give us a more immediate result of what possibly the people are under the influence of on the scene, which will help for court purposes and expediting the process along," Michigan State Police Inspector George Sailer said.
The police still need a valid reason to make a traffic stop.
Since this is just a study, the data cannot be used in a court of law against a person.
"If you got charged for impaired driving or reckless driving or anything and this test shows that you haven't had anything in your system, as an example, you could use it to defend yourself, but the prosecution can't use it against you until we get to that standard," Casperson said.
The pilot program will be in five yet-to-be-determined counties.
Casperson said after a year, they'll take the lead from law enforcement on how to proceed.
"Maybe they'll find some glitches that we need to address, so we're going to take their lead once they get into this and see how it's going, and if they think further testing is needed then I believe the legislature would react to that much like they did this time," Casperson said.
According to the Michigan State Police, more than 36 percent of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol or drugs.
http://www.uppermichiganssource.com...ting-in-some-Michigan-counties-385259291.html
