SALT LAKE CITY — A new legislative audit found that police access of Utah’s controlled substance database has dropped by a whopping 95 percent, now that officers must get a warrant to search it.
The findings, released in an audit Tuesday, highlight the restrictions placed on law enforcement by the Utah State Legislature earlier this year, requiring them to go to court to search for information on the prescription drug database maintained by the state. Searches dropped dramatically.
From the audit:
The bill was prompted by accusations that police officers were accessing the controlled substance database without valid reasons. A Unified Fire Department assistant chief sued Cottonwood Heights, accusing its officers of violating his privacy for accessing it.
