Police falsification of breath tests was widespread across Victoria, an independent investigation has concluded.
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The report says unrealistic targets led police officers to fudge figures for preliminary breath tests, with the lower number of drink-drivers being caught seen as proof the "don't drink drive" message was working.
Retired police commissioner Neil Comrie's review said many frontline police officers were not aware of the practice and there was no evidence senior Victoria Police Command members knew it was taking place.
The report found the exact number of falsified breath tests was unable to be established, because there were multiple ways in which tests were falsified and data analysis alone could not accurately determine a figure.
However, Mr Comrie said the issue showed an ethical failure within Victoria Police.
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He found the accountability and governance of the testing regime lacked rigour, with limited collection and analysis of data and poor supervision of testing.
This was compounded by the lack of ongoing ethics training for police and barriers to officers raising integrity issues with managers.
The report made 23 recommendations, all of which the force has accepted.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane welcomed the findings.
"The practice of falsifying preliminary breath tests has been a blight on Victoria Police's otherwise world-leading road safety regime," Mr Leane said.
"We have made it absolutely clear to our police that the practice must stop.
"Victoria Police is committed to working with our road safety partners and reforming our practices to guarantee the integrity of our roadside testing regime, which we know saves lives."
Australian Associated Press
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