Fingerprinting Without Ink







by Stan Mitchell

JONESBORO The Jonesboro Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division has a new tool that takes the mess out of recording fingerprints.

In the past, those submitting to fingerprint recordings had to scrub ink off their 10 digits once the process was complete.

However, as of Wednesday, the department began using a new Invice I.D. system that digitally records the prints without ink.

When an applicant comes in they no longer will get their hands messed up with ink, explained Ben Powers, an employee with Biometric Identification Solutions in Columbus, Ohio.

Powers was at the Jonesboro Police Department Wednesday installing the portable machine and explaining how it works.

"You can take this anywhere where there is no power", Powers said. "The USB2.0 cable allows the machine to get power from a computer, rather than the wall outlet."

The device captures fingerprint images and saves them in a computer file for viewing.

"The officers will no longer have to send the fingerprint cards to the State Police by mail," Powers said. "Those cards can now be sent by electronic means, instantly."

Jonesboro Police Lt. Rick Elliott said the department is eager to eliminate ink in the fingerprint process.

"We have had some cases where the ink would not catch the ridges in the fingerprint," Elliott said. "This scanner can capture those details electronically."

One important forensic aspect of the equipment, Elliott said, is the computer image can be enlarged for easier inspection.

If a suspect's prints are on file, Elliott said the new machine will allow officers to compare the two samples in house.

"We're going to be building a database system," Elliott said. "We used to have to have a file cabinet full of cards, but now we'll have a computer file instead. The whole process is instant, as quick as the click of a mouse."

The new machine cost about $14,000, Elliott said.

s.mitchell@jonesborosun.com