KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A roadside drug testing pilot program now underway in five Michigan counties is leading to a bump in business for a Kalamazoo laboratory.
Forensic Fluids Laboratories is in charge of processing all of the secondary mouth swabs collected during traffic stops.
Lab director Bridget Lemberg has 30 years of experience in toxicology. She worked for Kentucky State Police for several years before eventually moving to Michigan, where she says she developed the methodology to test oral fluids in a mass spectrometer.
“If it goes to a lab and gets tested in a mass spectrometer, it’s as accurate as you can get,” she said of the drug testing process.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
Officers trained as drug recognition experts in Kent, Berrien, Delta, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties are now using handheld devices to test mouth swabs immediately if they suspect a driver is impaired by drugs.
Michigan State Police Special Lt. Jim Flegel says the officers follow normal protocol and roadside drug testing is just another tool to determine if a driver shouldn’t be on the road.
“If they’re asking you to complete an oral swab, more than likely you are going to be under arrest,” Flegel said.
The swab test results are preliminary; current Michigan law only allows prosecutors to use blood, urine and breath tests as evidence in court. However, Flegel says if a DRE takes a swab, they will also ask for a blood sample, which would be allowed as evidence in court.
http://woodtv.com/2017/11/22/michigans-roadside-drug-testing-program-inside-the-process/