Mobile ID Fingerprint Technology Can Provide Rapid Results and Improve Officer Safety

• NCJ Number: 249125
• Journal: Techbeat Dated: July/August 2015 Pages: 21-27
• Author(s): Michele Coppola
• Date Published: August 2015
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2014-IJ-CX-K004
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Technical); Report (Technical Assistance); Report (Grant Sponsored)

Annotation

This article describes the features and discusses the uses and benefits of mobile ID fingerprinting technology in police work..

Abstract

Mobile fingerprinting devices enable officers in the field to obtain fingerprints of persons in the field and check them against State and Federal fingerprint databases in under 1 minute. Through the use of this device, officers can determine whether a person has provided a false identify, has a criminal history, or is wanted for a crime. Having this information can alert officers to whether a person with whom they are interacting may pose a danger to the officer. Other benefits for officers may be ensuring warrants are served on the right person and the identification of deceased or unconscious persons whose fingerprints may be in a database. One agency currently using this technology is the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (Florida), which began using it in January 2015. Sixty-five of the devices were purchased for $1,500 each. Each device is assigned to one deputy, and they have been deployed county-wide. Officers can request to scan a subject's fingerprints to verify identity if the individual does not have identification or when false information has been provided. Once prints are taken, they are relayed wirelessly to check against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database and the FBI's Repository for Individuals for Special Concern (RISC). This is a database of persons of special interest, such as terrorists, wanted criminals, and sex offenders. Information is provided in 45 seconds. If a device receives a hit, the person's name and criminal history are provided the officer. If there is no hit, the fingerprint is deleted.