Brandon Twp.- When news reports revealed that National Hockey League veteran and one-time Detroit Red Wing forward Bob Probert ingested cocaine hours before he crashed his motorcycle in Bloomfield Hills during July 1994’township resident Richard Lowthian was inundated with media requests for information.
‘They all wanted the toxicology report on Probert,? said Lowthian, a retired commanding officer of the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division. ‘I would typically send that information over to investigators before the media would get it, but in such a high profile case, my supervisor said just fax the report to the press. They’ll get it anyway.?
From coordinating forensic science investigations of trouble-plagued professional hockey players to conducting polygraphs to securing the release of hostages, Lowthian’s stellar Michigan State Police career spanning more than 30 years is a history book of modern criminology.
A Flint native, Lowthian joined the Michigan State Police in 1968 and served as a trooper from 1968 to 1975 at the Paw Paw and Lapeer posts. He later served in the polygraph unit for the state police, where he conducted more than 2,500 polygraph tests during a seven-year span. During that time, he presented testimony in several hundred felony cases, from homicides to sexual assaults to kidnapping.
‘I know of five confirmed errors in the polygraphs I’ve issued,? said Lowthian. ‘The polygraph is a great tool, but is limited to how good the giver is able to interpret the results.?
Following a stint as a Flint Post Assistant Commander and Lapeer Post Commander, and forensic science inspector, Lowthian was appointed Commanding Officer of the forensic science division in 1993. The duties included overseeing seven laboratories statewide, a $23 million budget and laboratory inspections. At that time, DNA testing was established in the forensic laboratories but not operational, said Lowthian.
While the mystique of TV police dramas like ‘CSI? (Crime Scene Investigation) are great entertainment, said Lowthian? they are pretty much unrealistic compared to his experience with the state police crime laboratories.
‘No way would the same person go out to the crime scene, look for evidence, take it all back to the lab, hunt someone down and make an arrest’and do that in high heels,? laughed Lowthian. ‘It’s just not going to happen. For starters, there’s a big backlog of cases they are working on at one time, so information from the crime is a often a long time coming.?
Science has changed the way crimes are investigated, said Lowthian.
‘When I started, the DNA process took about six months to conduct,? said Lowthian. ‘When I left the state police in 2001, that same DNA testing took 48 hours to complete.?
‘Keep in mind that everyone gives up a DNA sample’from even a handshake,? said Lowthian.
‘From gathering DNA, we can now keep a database of suspects. That DNA testing solved a lot of crimes that otherwise would never be resolved.?
‘We’re catching more criminals than we ever have’look at how many people are in prison today,? said Lowthian. ‘The DNA testing is a not a great deterrent. Criminals are getting way smarter’they are wearing latex gloves and not leaving cigarette butts at a crime scene.?