Defense lawyers say that they found discrepancies between the required software in the Intoxilyzer the defense leased from the state. In addition, the state admitted there was such a discrepancy in an Otter Tail County machine. As a result, defense lawyers are asking judges to throw out tests from the machine because it is inaccurate and untested.

One of the defense lawyers was provided a software code last month that didn’t match the code used in Minnesota machines that may make the Intoxilyzer results faulty. In addition, the question is if one Intoxilyzer has a defective code, how many more of the machines have the same code? The state said that of all the Intoxilyzers they have approximately 264, the remaining machines have the correct code. Defense laywers want to test at least a dozen machines – six from the Twin Cities and six from greater Minnesota – to ensure that all the machines are providing the correct code.

However, prosecutors claim that the machines are accurate but until this issue is resolved, law enforcement has turned to relying on blood and urine tests for suspected drunk drivers. In the meantime, all the DWI trials are on hold until tests can be done.

In Colorado, the police and sheriff’s agencies in Adams County can run license plates on fourteen vehicles in about five seconds. Cameras are mounted on police cars. These cameras automatically scan license plates and provide vehicle information from each parked or moving car.

The system can scan up to 3,600 license plates per hour or 15 plates per second. Officers can drive 60 mph down the road and scan plates at the same time. The plate readers work either day or night. The information is checked instantly against databases and can identify stolen vehicles, drivers with active warrants and even sex offenders driving the car. In addition, the technology can be used to find children in Amber Alerts.

In one month, Commerce City, Thornton Police and the Adams County Sheriffs Department have made two felony arrests and recovered two stolen vehicles. Adams County plans to equip all their vehicles soon. A grant from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority paid for the first three.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, crowded rural roads and holiday-related drinking are among the many factors contributing to more accidents during the Fourth of July weekend. The U.S. Census figures show that about one out of five (21 percent) Americans live in rural areas. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has found that about six out of 10 (57 percent) percent of highway deaths occur on roads that it considers rural.

Some of the reasons include lighter traffic and pleasant scenery on rural roads that can lull drivers into a false sense of security. This can lead to unsafe speeding, distracted driving, unbelted or impaired driving and fatigue. These reasons can increase the likelihood of a crash.

In addition, after a crash, emergency response time to a rural areas and hospital transport times can be lengthy and jeopardize survival rate. Crash victims are five to seven times more likely to die from their injuries unless they arrive at a trauma center in the first half-hour following the crash.

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS) released the Top 100 Summer Rural Hot Spots, or the rural areas that have experienced the most fatalities over the past eight years during the summer months. While 32 states have rural areas in the Top 100, the states with the most “hot spots” are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia

If you are traveling this Fourth of July weekend, don’t forget to buckle up and don’t drink and drive.

Eighty-five percent of respondents did not know how to react to a traffic signal when the light is yellow. Others showed confusion on other questions or even admitted to driving with unsafe habits like texting while driving. The survey also found if the test results were averaged out nationally, that nearly 20% of licensed drivers — some 38 million motorists — may be unfit for roads and wouldn’t pass a state-issued written exam if taken today. The national average score was 76.2%, falling from 76.6% in 2009 and 78.1% in 2008.

The nation’s worst drivers are from New York followed by drivers in New Jersey, Washington, California and Rhode Island. The best drivers are from Kansas, Oregon, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. The survey found that drivers from the Midwest seem to be the most informed about the rules of the road while drivers in the Northeast aren’t.

Men over age 45 scored the highest as well as men overall outscoring women. Women did admit that they engage in more distracting behavior while behind the wheel. Women tend to talk more with passengers or select songs on an IPod or CD or adjust the radio, read, talk on a cell phone, eat and even apply makeup while driving.

Maplewood Police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron age 49, was married, father of two and a 26-year police veteran. He was responding to a reported carjacking when two suspects shot and killed him as he sat in his patrol car. A jogger witnessed the shooting and used the officer’s radio to call for help. The police knew that at least one of the suspects was armed.

More than 100 officers from over a dozen law enforcement agencies carried out a search for the two suspects. Officers used automatic rifles and police helicopters to circle overhead as they searched a wooded area and neighborhoods east of Lake Phalen, near the shooting scene.

After four hours, a man darted out of the woods holding a toolbox and an officer tried to question him. The two scuffled, and authorities said the officer shot the man multiple times. Police said the 21-year-old man was one of the shooting suspects and has a criminal history that includes armed robbery. His name hasn’t been released. Unfortunately, the officer suffered a broken nose and possibly a fractured eye socket.

About two hours later, police closed in on the second suspect at a nearby apartment near St. Paul and Maplewood area. The man threatened to commit suicide, but was taken into custody with non-life threatening injuries. His name and what charges he faces have not been released.

This senseless murder of officer Bergeron by two low-life criminals makes it the 17th officer to die in the line of duty in the state of Minnesota since 2000.

Recently, police ticketed two men for hosting a party that led to more than 50 citations against 35 people. The criminal citations cited these people who are responsible for hosting this gathering where underage drinking occurred, regardless of whether they supplied the alcohol. The maximum penalty is a $700 fine and up to nine days in jail.

Minnesota Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) encouraged this ordinance because it shows how important it is to address the how and where the problem takes place and not simply what the problem is. This ordinance imposes the responsibility on the hosts of parties to ensure that their party goers are not underage and to be aware of the problems of underage drinking.

During its 60th year anniversary, the FBI is celebrating this historic occasion with a book that talks about the list and shares pictures of all 494 “Top Ten” Most Wanted fugitives throughout the years.

Most of the fugitives are murderers with Thomas James Holden being the first top ten. He was wanted for killing his wife and her two brothers. Of the 494 fugitives throughout the years, 463 have been captured or located.

The shortest amount of time anyone spent on the list was Billy Austin Bryant in 1969 for two hours. The oldest was 69-year-old James J. Bulger who was added to the list in 1999.

Today, Eduardo Ravelo, Usama Bin Laden, Jason Derek Brown and Joe Luis Saenz are just some of the names on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted list.

Several reasons for this are more motorists are buckling up, better-drunk driving enforcements and more enforcement of traffic laws. There are more safety improvements in cars, and the economic situation leads to fewer drivers on the road.

The good news is that seat belt use climbed to 84 percent in 2009. Many states allow police to stop a vehicle for a seat belt violation; even if this is the only violation an officer observes. With new cars and trucks with side air bags that protect the head and midsection becoming standard equipment as well as electronic stability control, helps motorists avoid rollover crashes.

States have pushed tougher laws to reduce drunken driving. In addition, more stringent laws against distracted driving including text messaging have been adopted by many states.

The article reports that Homeland Security officers lost nearly 200 guns and misplaced handguns, shotguns and military rifles that were never found. Some of the weapons ended up in the hands of gang members, criminals, drug users and teenagers according to the Inspector General. From 2006 through 2008, 289 missing firearms were lost because of negligence, or because of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and even some were stolen from safes!

This may be a small number of guns lost when compared to 190,000 firearms issued to these agencies, but even one lost gun shows an appearance of irresponsibility among employees of these agencies.

Several examples of “inappropriate practices” have these agencies beefing up their training for their employees. Take for example, a customs officer who left a firearm in an idling vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store. The vehicle was stolen while the officer was inside. A local law enforcement officer later recovered the firearm from a suspected gang member and drug smuggler.

Or an ICE officer who left an M-4 rifle and a shotgun unsecured in a closet at his home. Both weapons were stolen in a burglary and later recovered from a felon. Another officer left his firearm in the restroom of a fast-food restaurant, and it was gone when he returned.

Other officers left firearms in places such as a fast food restaurant parking lot, a bowling alley and a clothing store. The best example was the TSA officer who left a firearm in a lunch box on the front seat of an unlocked vehicle. When the officer returned to his car two days later he realized the firearm was stolen.

Some of these officers have been fired or suspended for their actions. Great care and due diligence need to be exercised when a gun is issued to law enforcement. Criminals can find guns anywhere and at anytime if they want a gun. Government law enforcement agencies should not oblige these criminals with an easy path to obtaining a gun.

The troopers and medic were helping a driver after a rollover crash but a passing driver hit a patch of ice, lost control and spun around stopping just inches from the trooper car and a few feet from emergency personnel. This time no one was hurt.

Minnesota’s Move Over Law requires drivers to move one lane over when they see flashing lights. The law was named after Corporal Ted Foss, who was killed during a traffic stop in 2000. Since the Foss incident, six troopers have been hit while responding to roadside emergencies. Sadly, from 2001 to 2005, passing vehicles have injured 126 troopers.

Troopers have ticketed more than 400 people in 2006 for disobeying the Move Over Law. People need to start responding to the law. Crashes can be avoided if everyone simply slows down around accident scenes.

Don’t forget, your State Troopers are out on the highway to help and assist you the motorist everyday. Their enforcement work is just as dangerous as any other police officer. Give them a break, move over, and slow down when you see an accident on the highway.