Penn State Intercom......January 24, 2002
Crime busters: Fingerprinting system
puts suspects' digits in state database
By Bill Campbell
Special
to Intercom
"Book 'em Dano."
That recurring line from a vintage television series has taken on
new meaning at University Police headquarters in University Park where
the Centre Region Booking Center is located. And, it's a far cry from
your grandfather's crime-busting ink-and-pad fingerprint technique and
Polaroid mug shots.
Using a state-of-the-art electronic fingerprint machine and a digital camera, area police officers are able to process arrested suspects quickly and -- within minutes -- determine if they have any previous criminal history.
"Fingerprints probably are the single best means of identifying a criminal," said Donald Reed, a 23-year veteran officer who has been in the forefront of applying new technology for use by University Police. "Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. Criminals are not terribly bright and most don't wear gloves. As a result, fingerprints are still very important in solving crimes."
Thomas Harmon, director of University Police, said the electronic fingerprint system has greatly improved the ability of arresting officers to get a good set of prints.
"While the process is neater and cleaner for everyone," he said, "the major benefit is that, in a matter of minutes, you know if the person has been arrested or wanted in Pennsylvania -- even if under a different name.
"Fingerprints transmitted at the time of an arrest start the criminal history process in Pennsylvania. Under the old system, departments had to wait a month or so before the prints got into the system. Now, almost as soon as an arrest is made, fingerprints, which are part of a person's criminal history, are recorded with the Pennsylvania state police.
Using a keyword on a personal computer, the arresting officer creates a record by inputting demographics on the person arrested, including name, nicknames, Social Security number and date of birth, and other personal identifiers. The officer can research through mug shots in the system to see if the person has been arrested previously. The system contains all persons booked by police or the Department of Corrections on any of the systems in the state. The mug shots also show tattoos and body marks.
"Police are solving more crimes on the basis of tattoos because they are so much more identifiable," Reed noted.
The second step involves digital mug shots. Using a mouse to control the camera, the officer takes a digital picture of the arrested person. The system then asks the operator questions about the quality of the pictures. The officer can then easily make changes if needed. Up to eight shots are taken on every booking.
Electronic fingerprints are produced in the final step using the "TenPrinter" equipment. The suspect's hand is placed on the glass screen. Using a foot pedal, the arresting officer starts the process to capture the digital fingerprint image. He or she can keep the print or repeat the sequence to get the best image. There is no ink involved.
A fingerprint card is produced on a laser printer locally and a copy of the prints is sent electronically to state police headquarters for a search through their database, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Currently, there are some 485,000 images in the database.
"All police departments in Pennsylvania submit fingerprints to the Pennsylvania state police and they, in turn, submit all of Pennsylvania's prints to the FBI," Reed said. "The electronic booking system has made a significant difference by enabling us to book suspects more efficiently and quickly than in the past. With the mug shot system, we can do a search and quickly create a lineup. Booking a suspect can be completed in less than 20 minutes. Obviously, the response time on a search has been reduced dramatically -- from weeks to minutes."
The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association has spearheaded the electronic booking initiative through the Pennsylvania Criminal History Improvement Project. Reed and Diane Conrad, of the State College Department, served on a statewide committee for the project. The booking center's newest equipment was purchased with federal matching funds. Penn State, State College, Ferguson and Patton townships shared local costs of approximately $10,000.
The center, which was established in 1997, serves all area police departments. While the region's four largest departments -- Penn State, State College, Ferguson Township and Patton Township -- make an average of 1,600 arrests annually, much of the fingerprint work involves taking application prints for civilian purposes. There is no charge for this service.
"When the electronic booking equipment was purchased, it was to be located within one of the two largest departments -- Penn State and State College," Harmon said. "We agreed to take on the responsibility here since we had more room for the equipment. It is a real benefit for us in that we're able to use the equipment to take thousands of fingerprints each year for students and others affiliated with the University who may need them for government employment, ROTC and teaching certificates."
Bill Campbell can be reached at wjc1@psu.edu.