New York - DataMaster Breathalyzer fails Y2k

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Oswego County, New York

January 4, 2000

Y2K WAS A-OK LOCALLY

By Staff reports

For the most part, things in Oswego County seemed to go OK on Y2K weekend.

~snip~

However, the Oswego County Sheriff's Department reported a Y2K glitch.

The department had a Y2K-related problem with its Blood-Alcohol Content Datamaster Infrared Breathalyzer, an instrument which is used when a person is being charged with drunken driving.

"Part of the procedure is to input the subject's date of birth, and it doesn't accept it," said Undersheriff Robert Lighthall. He said the subject's name, date of birth, and testing information are typically input into the machine, which then prints everything out.

When the problem was discovered, the department switched to the 900A Breathalyzer, and information was written out on a form. This back-up system is always available, Lighthall said.

The Datamaster machine is maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, and it has been notified about the problem, Lighthall said.

Other police agencies reported no problems.

~snip~

Source: Online archives from The Palladium Times; Oswego, New York

http://www.pall-times.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2000/January/4-201-news8.txt

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), February 13, 2000


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