Fingerprint scanners ready to go on beat

GREATER Manchester Police officers will be given mobile fingerprint scanners to help identify suspects while out on the beat.

The hand-held devices connect to an app on a smartphone which can instantly check a fingerprint against immigration and crime databases. The force has already handed out 10,000 smartphones and tablets to staff, but the new kit will mean officers won’t have to return to a police station to check a suspect’s identity.

Officers will use a ‘Biometric Services Gateway’ app on their phone to check a fingerprint against two databases.

The device then deletes the fingerprint taken from the suspect.

It can help officers identify someone who won’t reveal their name or who gives false details, and police chiefs believe it will speed up what has previously been a time-consuming task and free up officers to do other jobs. The new scanners are in addition to a huge £66m IT upgrade to drag GMP into the 21st Century and which will help the force cope after 2,000 police posts were lost thanks to austerity.

“A few years ago the police were behind with embracing technology, Greater Manchester Police is now leading the way nationally,” said Chief Superintendant Chris Sykes, who is co-ordinating the force’s £66m effort to improve its IT systems.

The handheld fingerprint scanners have been trialled by West Yorkshire Police and are expected to be introduced by GMP later this year.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd said: “The Biometric Services Gateway is just one of a series of national systems the Home Office is designing with policing to give officers information at their fingertips faster than ever before. By cutting out unnecessary trips to and from the police station, mobile technology is really helping to save valuable time and allowing officers to do what they do best – cutting crime and keeping us safe.

“It’s clear that by embracing technology the police can improve efficiency and, if all forces delivered the level of productivity from mobile working as the leading forces, the average officer could spend an hour a day extra on the frontline.” ●●GMP officers are to get a new mobile fingerprint scanner with a smartphone, which Chief Superintendant Chris Sykes (inset) says has the force leading the way nationally with embracing technology