RPD to get new fingerprint scanner
RUSSELLVILLE — Police Chief Chris Hargett said the department’s new fingerprint scanner will replace outdated equipment and can be used with the iris scanning technology the department has already acquired.
The Russellville City Council approved the purchase of the $14,250 scanner at its Jan. 5 meeting.
Hargett said the existing fingerprint scanner is about 12 years old and can no longer be upgraded, making replacement necessary.
“We just got the iris scanner a few months ago, and that’s when we realized our old equipment wasn’t compatible with it,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we had to upgrade.”
The department has used LiveScan technology for years, and the new scanner is an updated version of the same platform.
“We have been fortunate that it’s lasted as long as it has. It’s just time to upgrade,” he said of the fingerprint scanner.
Hargett said officers are still learning how to use the iris scanning technology and how it will function within law enforcement databases.
“It’s fairly new technology,” he said. “I’m hoping it’ll work through a database where, if we arrest someone and they’ve been scanned before under another name, it’ll alert us to that.”
He said iris scanning could eventually improve identification reliability.
“Fingerprints can be altered — you could burn them off, for instance, but you can’t really alter your iris,” Hargett said. “So, I’d imagine it would be more reliable and up to date.”
The scanner is used not only for arrest processing but also for specific administrative fingerprinting needs, including teacher recertification and the hiring of new officers.
Fingerprint data is stored both locally and in state systems.
“They’re stored on our system and also in the state’s cloud system,” Hargett said. “Everything gets sent to the state, so ALEA and the FBI can access it.”
Hargett said the new scanner is expected to arrive this week, and he hopes it will be installed and operational by next week.
“There will be some in-house training for the iris scanner, and probably a bit for the new computer system since it’ll be different from what we have now,” he said.
