A new state report is highlighting concerns with Michigan State Police’s management of the state’s sex offender registries.
The findings from the state Office of the Auditor General (OAG) cover the roughly 1.5 year span from February 2023 through July 2024.
One conclusion of it is that Michigan State Police (MSP) isn’t properly controlling security access to the registries.
During the observation period, the OAG found state police didn’t properly manage account access records, automatically disable inactive accounts, or remove access for hundreds of other accounts that shouldn’t have been able to get into the system.
Eighty percent of sampled state users with registry access didn’t have access authorization forms on record. One person who did had more access than they should have.
It was one of two findings considered to be a “material condition,” meaning it could “impair the ability of management to operate a program in an effective and efficient manner.” The other dealt with MSP’s monitoring of a third party service operator.
In its preliminary response, state police agreed with recommendations to improve security and access controls.
In a written statement, MSP spokesperson Shanon Banner said the agency takes its responsibility for running the registries’ central repository seriously.
“While it is the responsibility of registering agencies to update the data and ensure its accuracy, we are committed to doing all we can to provide improved training and guidance to those charged with the responsibility of registering offenders,” Banner said.
The audit did find that overall reliability of registry data was “sufficient, with exceptions.”
While looking at data reliability, the OAG listed two findings in “reportable condition”, which is a step below "material condition" and a significant enough situation to be reported to a higher level. The audit blamed lack of training and guidance for inaccurate registrations and improper cancellations.
Twenty percent of a 45-registrant sample had inaccurate data, including the wrong conviction date, offense, or amount of time they’d be on the registries. In another sample, a portion of registrants were removed later than they should’ve been.
Michigan State Police oversees the registry. MSP agreed with the audit’s findings and says it has scheduled and conducted several trainings around the state for local law enforcement that help manage data.
Keeping track of proof registrants no longer lived in Michigan was also an issue with 4 out of a 60-person sample.
The auditor recommended putting a process in place to compare registry address data with driver’s license information.
As with the other findings, MSP agreed with the recommendations. It said it has been conducting training and updated its records.
“We will continue to perform data accuracy reviews and in response to these findings, we will better clarify the roles and responsibilities for completing the (System and Organization Controls) report and will review access control policies and procedures,” Banner said in the statement provided.
