Federal Government Behind Blood-Saliva Checkpoints

The Colorado sheriff whose department assisted a private company in collecting blood and saliva samples from motorists last week has apologized. It was a creepy episode. Deputies set up what appeared to be DUI checkpoints where "overly persistent" surveyors in blue jumpsuits gave motorists the impression that the samples were mandatory when in fact they were voluntary. Naturally, there were complaints which in turn led to media attention and criticism from the ACLU. What has not been given much attention, however, is the fact that the company collecting the samples (the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation) was doing so for a DUI study financed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation. In other words, this was a federal project. (LINK)