Wireless fingerprint scanners shorten field investigations, booking time.

[view:node_ad=5]

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station has taken yet
another step in deploying and maintaining the latest in cutting edge law
enforcement technology to better protect our community. 

Recently, under the direction of Sheriff Lee Baca, the Santa
Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station received nine Cogent Systems BlueCheck mobile
identification devices.  These devices aid deputies in the field with
investigation and arrest procedures by utilizing a secure wireless fingerprint
device, Bluetooth technology, and a PDA or BlackBerry cellular phone system.

The BlueCheck devices utilize the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department's secure network to allow deputies to perform a rapid
fingerprint check of subjects in the field, compare fingerprints to over 4
million known criminal subjects, and receive an identification response within
minutes.

Using the device, deputies with consent; arrest authority;
appropriate legal standing and other contributing factors;or under varying
legal circumstances involving contiguous events, case law, reasonable
suspicion, and other supporting legal factors, can check and verify the
fingerprints of a detained individual all within about two minutes time. 

What's more, the deputies can now reduce the inconvenience
to an unlicensed driver, who does not have identification in their possession,
by potentially verifying their identity using the device, then simply issuing a
citation and releasing them in the field.  In the past, the motorist in
violation of the law without identification would have required booking into
the jail at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station in order to verify their
identity.

Because of the frequency of deputies contacting unlicensed
drivers without identification, this new device and process will streamline arrest
procedures in some cases, reduce the time commitment of the deputy and jailer,
and free up deputies and resources for other community enforcement and
protection efforts.  The end result will be less inconvenience, reduced
costs, safer roadways, and safer communities.     

Station officials are excited about the new technology and
believe it may also, under some circumstances, aid in identifying potentially
dangerous or wanted individuals that may have otherwise gone undetected or
attempted to evade capture by using a false identity.  The new tool may
also help in reducing the possibility of falling victim to a person using false
identity in the commission of a crime.  It will also aid in stopping other
incidents of identity theft.  The ability to biometrically identify a
subject in the field within minutes is a huge leap forward in improving the
safety of our communities and our deputies. 

"We will continue our aggressive efforts to explore and
implement new and advanced technology," said Captain Anthony La
Berge.  "Our proactive law enforcement and protection efforts help us
stay a step ahead of those intent on wrong doing and best protect our
community." 

Several success stories have occurred throughout Los
Angeles County
where felons with longstanding warrants were identified and arrested by patrol
deputies utilizing the Cogent BlueCheck to identify the subject. 
Sheriff's officials at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station expect to see
similar success stories as a result of the deployment and use of these devices
in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

BlueCheck is a Bluetooth-enabled mobile fingerprint scanner
for law enforcement applications. Weighing only 3 ounces, the BlueCheck is
equipped with a durable LCD display for real-time feedback, a 500 dpi
fingerprint sensor, and Cogent's SecurASIC technology for embedded encryption,
image compression, and on-device matching. Used with Cogent's MobileID (TM) and
Web ID(TM) applications, BlueCheck allows users to quickly and easily perform
in-the-field fingerprint capture and identifications.

Using Bluetooth communication, BlueCheck can remotely
transfer secure captured fingerprint data to any COTS Bluetooth-enabled PDA,
laptop, or BlackBerry device. This modular feature enables law enforcement
agencies to configure the use of BlueCheck with their existing equipment and
infrastructure. With Cogent's BlueCheck host applications, the host device can
submit ANSI/NIST format files via SMTP or FTP to a remote server, or to a
statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). BlueCheck receives
the search results from the host and displays the results on its LCD display,
providing timely and accurate information for law enforcement personnel.