In the past, officers would have to write their reports in the office, but now with the advent of mobile computers these reports can be completed in police cruisers.  The officers can obtain useful information via a cellular network directly to the computer in their vehicles.  These computers are known as Mobile Computer Terminals or MCTs. 

The information that is provided on the MCT includes driver licenses, vehicle registrations, and local crime data.  Previously this information was only available to the police dispatcher working in the station.  This information would then be disseminated to the officer via police radio.  Today, this information is sent directly to the screen of the officer's vehicle.  The Penn State University Police department is one of several agencies in the Centre county area who are participating in this program.

Here an officer logs on to the MCT so that he can have access to real-time, pertinent information for the duration of his duty shift.
 
 
 
 
 
 

According to the Pennsylvania State Police website, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) became operational in 1990.  The project utilizes computer technology to read, match, compare, and store fingerprint images.  Without AFIS, a manual search of 1 million fingerprint cards on file would take about 65 years to complete. AFIS can accomplish the same task in about 30 minutes.  The system is available to all law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania. 

In conjunction with AFIS is the Livescan (Tenprinter) network, these machines are spread across the state of Pennsylvania. The Tenprinter machine will enable police officers to determine whether or not the suspect has a previous record on file.  Typically, a suspect will be fingerprinted on the machine and the record will be electronically sent to the Pennsylvania State Police central repository.  This arrest record and fingerprint images will be instantly available to any member of law enforcement in the Commonwealth.  If a record exists in the central repository, the officer will be notified within a few minutes.  Penn State University Police participates in this program.

The AFIS system has been used by officers of the Penn State University Police to identify suspects from fingerprints left at a crime scene.  The fingerprints dusted and lifted by Penn State Officers at a crime scene led to the identification of two suspects.  These suspects were charged in February 2001 with several misdemeanor crimes.

A new item that has been purchased by the Penn State University Police is a fume hood.  This allows trained crime scene officers to dust for fingerprints without the danger of inhaling fingerprinting dust. 

The hood acts like the one you may have in your kitchen. An exhaust fan removes the dust upward into a filter, and not into your lungs.

This is one of many crime scene tools that the Penn State University Police utilize in solving crimes on campus.

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