22/11/2006

Pilot roadside fingerprinting scheme launched

A pilot scheme allowing police to take fingerprints on the street using handheld devices has been launched.

Police will be able to use the hand-held electronic devices to fingerprint people - with their permission - on the roadside, instead of having to take them to the police station.

The gadgets will allow police to link to a national database containing 6.5 million fingerprints, which will allow them to identify suspects within minutes.

The scheme will be used in conjunction with the Automatic Number Plate Reader system, which identifies vehicles of interest.

Bedfordshire Police will be the first of ten forces to take part in the pilot scheme. Other forces taking part in the scheme are the Metropolitan Police, the British Transport Police, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, North Wales, Northamptonshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.

Commenting on the pilot scheme, Police Minister Tony McNulty said: "The new technology will speed up the time it takes for police to identify individuals at the roadside, enabling them to spend more time on the frontline and reducing any inconvenience for innocent members of the public."

Chief Inspector David McLaren from the Metropolitan Police Service's Traffic Unit said: "These devices are an additional tool that we can use to deny criminals the use of the road, they will help police apprehend offenders who may be wanted and will reduce on some occasions the need to take individuals to a police station to be identified."

(KMcA)




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