Twelve Ohio State Troopers have been fired for cheating on an annual test to certify them in proper administration of breath test equipment. The equipment is used to check the blood alcohol content of motorists suspected of driving under the influence in Ohio, and troopers must be certified before they can administer the tests.
The cheating started last year and was noticed by an inspector with the Ohio Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Testing. Of the twelve fired troopers, eleven were with the Canton post. The other was from Wooster. The Canton post covers two of the largest areas in Ohio and it normally has a staff of 32. The loss of eleven troopers leaves the post understaffed by one-third. State officials have said they will transfer troops eventually but in the mean time posts in Medina and Stark Counties will help with accident investigations. There will also be a cut-back in sobriety checkpoints and DUI patrols.
Failure to properly administer a breath test could result in a false reading, and cause a motorist to be falsely accused of driving drunk in Ohio. Canton city prosecutors have said that up to 70 Ohio DUI cases are subject to review because of the trooper
