South Carolina Law Enforcement Division solves old case
with new Motorola technology
ANAHEIM, Calif. - 1 November 2006 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) technology is
providing South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) with a powerful new
weapon in fighting crime, the Motorola Printrak Biometric Identification
Solution (BIS). This system delivers more accurate fingerprint and palmprint
matching capabilities that effectively enhance the identification, processing,
and management of individuals for both criminal and civil purposes. With the
addition of automation features, referred to as “lights out” features, law
enforcement personnel have the ability to automatically process criminal and
applicant submissions. This automation results in streamlined identification of
more repeat offenders or faster verification of individuals’ personal history.
The Motorola Printrak BIS provides sophisticated fingerprint and palmprint
analysis with improved matching algorithms. In addition, the Motorola Printrak
BIS offers a variety of unique features, such as the latent case database,
which can be used as an evidence photo repository for Automatic Fingerprint
Identification Systems (AFIS) records and crime scene photography. Also, the
“lights out” features allow system administrators to automate the verification
of records submitted. System administrators can adjust the automation
capabilities to meet local needs such as the level of manual quality control
applied to incoming submissions, or the level of manual verification applied to
tenprint searches. Benefits to agencies such as SLED are the amount of time
saved, the deployment of highly trained personnel to other areas most needed,
and the assurance that individuals needing background checks for employment are
verified in a timely fashion.
According to Lt. Joe Means, director of the South Carolina Crime Information
Bureau (CIB), the new BIS was utilized recently to solve a case in South
Carolina. A burglar entered a residence through a window, fell, and left a
palmprint on the floor. When the processed latent palmprint was originally
submitted to SLED there was not a match because the individual did not have a
South Carolina arrest record on file. The suspect, however, was later arrested
on a simple possession of marijuana charge. The BIS is configured to
automatically conduct reverse searches on all new tenprint and palmprint cards
against a database of unsolved latent finger and palm print records. The
suspect was identified in this home burglary case and an arrest was made.
“We are now submitting fingerprint cards electronically to the FBI instead of
manually sending the FBI our applicant and criminal prints. This enables the
FBI to update its records and provide accurate and timely information
nationwide,” said Celeste Proffitt, assistant director of the South Carolina
CIB. When matching against the FBI database the turnaround time prior to the
new BIS deployment was four to six weeks for criminal submission and six to
eight weeks for an applicant submission. “Now the turnaround time is less than
24 hours for an applicant print and less than two hours for a criminal print,”
she added.
“Beyond the efficiencies created by the “lights out” features, Motorola’s
Printrak BIS provides for the storage of more than just biometrics. It fully
integrates fingerprints, palmprints, descriptive data, facial images,
signatures, and documents, giving SLED the ability to better organize
information making their AFIS investment more valuable,” said Darrin Reilly,
general manager, Motorola Biometrics Unit.
Source: Motorola press release
