Surrey Police laud benefits of roadside fingerprinting in Integrated Biometrics video series

Integrated Biometrics has published a 10-part series of videos to YouTube on how its mobile fingerprint scanners are helping Surrey Police in the UK.

The devices save officers time, such as by removing the need for people to be taken into custody in some cases, according to an officer interviewed in the first video. A ten-minute drive and half-hour booking process is entirely removed in the example of a disqualified driver identified with biometrics as someone not presenting a safety risk. Next-of-kin can be more quickly notified in the case of a series or fatal traffic accident, benefiting both police and the public.

The videos, which range from just under a half a minute to around two minutes, cover benefits in terms of efficiency, minimal training on the devices, and public safety.

An example is also provided of a person stopped for a traffic ticket providing false personal information, which can also waste court resources and involve innocent individuals. By contrast, people who have been fingerprinted tend to be more cooperative with judicial processes, according to a Surrey Police representative. The officer also says that while facial recognition has its place in policing, fingerprinting is more widely accepted by the public.

The specific advantages of the Integrated Biometrics scanners’ water resistance, drawing power from the officer’s mobile device, and durability that makes it “police-proof” are also explained. The IB scanners are compared favorably to legacy stand-alone devices Surrey Police have used which had to be kept charged.

The representative also recommends any police force without roadside fingerprint capabilities look into obtaining them.

IB has also published a bulletin on how to safely operate scanners amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, along with specific instructions for disinfecting them.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  criminal ID  |  fingerprint readers  |  Integrated Biometrics  |  mobile device  |  police  |  UK