ktlight
2nd August 2011, 11:17
FYI:
Suspects will have their fingerprints taken in the street by Cambridgeshire police and their identity checked in minutes.
Officers are now armed with the new Mobile Identification (MobileID) service which was piloted in the county and allows officers to scan a person’s fingerprint.
The MobileID checks the fingerprints with a national database, but does not retain them afterwards.
The device is about the size of a mobile phone and allows police to read the fingerprint of an index finger.
It can search 8.5 million prints on the database in two minutes.
Detective Inspector Gary Etherington said: “Identification is crucial to police investigations and ensures offenders do not evade justice.
“Giving officers the ability to do this on-the-spot, usually within a few seconds, could save a huge amount of time which would be wasted taking people to a police station to confirm identities.
“This will give officers more time to spend working in their communities, helping to fight crime, bring more offenders to justice and better protect the public.”
The database holds prints from people who have been convicted or who are involved in police investigations.
Operational officers report that many people stopped for moving traffic offences offer false details initially so the new device will help police detect who is telling the truth about their identity.
The device has been in use in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire for the last four weeks but it has now been officially launched across the country.
A police spokesman said Cambridgeshire officers are delighted with their new pieces of kit.
The spokesman said one officer told them they try not to go on patrol without it, as “this bit of kit is absolutely invaluable and I cannot sing its praises enough.”
Currently the force has 10 devices and it is hoped that number will rise, said the spokesman.
source
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/New-device-helps-officers-point-the-finger-at-culprits-01082011.htm
Suspects will have their fingerprints taken in the street by Cambridgeshire police and their identity checked in minutes.
Officers are now armed with the new Mobile Identification (MobileID) service which was piloted in the county and allows officers to scan a person’s fingerprint.
The MobileID checks the fingerprints with a national database, but does not retain them afterwards.
The device is about the size of a mobile phone and allows police to read the fingerprint of an index finger.
It can search 8.5 million prints on the database in two minutes.
Detective Inspector Gary Etherington said: “Identification is crucial to police investigations and ensures offenders do not evade justice.
“Giving officers the ability to do this on-the-spot, usually within a few seconds, could save a huge amount of time which would be wasted taking people to a police station to confirm identities.
“This will give officers more time to spend working in their communities, helping to fight crime, bring more offenders to justice and better protect the public.”
The database holds prints from people who have been convicted or who are involved in police investigations.
Operational officers report that many people stopped for moving traffic offences offer false details initially so the new device will help police detect who is telling the truth about their identity.
The device has been in use in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire for the last four weeks but it has now been officially launched across the country.
A police spokesman said Cambridgeshire officers are delighted with their new pieces of kit.
The spokesman said one officer told them they try not to go on patrol without it, as “this bit of kit is absolutely invaluable and I cannot sing its praises enough.”
Currently the force has 10 devices and it is hoped that number will rise, said the spokesman.
source
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/New-device-helps-officers-point-the-finger-at-culprits-01082011.htm