2 offices audited after employees improperly access Minnesota DVS data

(FOX 9) - Five current employees at two deputy registrar offices have permanently lost access to driver and vehicle data as a result of audits conducted by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Division, officials announced Wednesday.

According to the department, the audits took place at the Fairfax Deputy Registrar office as well as the North Mankato Deputy Registrar office.

Officials became aware of an employee of the Fairfax Deputy Registrar office using another employee’s access credentials, which is not allowed under the law. This triggered an audit by DPS-DVS, and auditors found seven instances where the two users accessed DVS data without a lawful business purpose. As a result, their access to DVS data has been permanently revoked, as required by law.

Because the two individuals are the only employees of the Fairfax Deputy Registrar, the office will need to close until other individuals can be hired, trained and authorized to access DPS-DVS data.

Additionally, three of the five employees of the North Mankato Deputy Registrar office have permanently lost access to driver and vehicle data after it was found that the individuals accessed several driver’s license and motor vehicle records without a lawful business purpose.

According to DPS-DVS, a self-search by an employee at the North Mankato office on May 4 triggered the audit by the department. It is unlawful for a person with access to DPS-DVS data to perform a search on themselves or anyone else without a lawful business purpose. DPS-DVS suspended the user on May 28.

Further auditing found four users in the office accessed DPS-DVS data without a lawful business purpose. Three of the four individuals are current employees, while the fourth is no longer an employee of the privately-owned office. The revocations leave two employees at the North Mankato office with access to DPS-DVS data.

Because the Fairfax Deputy Registrar's office is temporarily closed, residents can find similar services offered in Sleepy Eye, New Ulm, Redwood Falls, Olivia, Springfield, or Gaylord.

It is not clear how this action will affect services provided by the North Mankato deputy registrar office.