County wants to put thumb on criminals

Spokane County wants about 130 new computers for patrol cars that will allow deputies to get instant criminal records, show photo lineups to victims and use thumb-scans to identify suspects.

Itronix Corp. delivered four super-tough laptop computers Wednesday that could eventually replace the in-car computers used by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said. The current patrol computers have been used about five years.

“They are nearing the end of their useful lives,” Reagan said of the computers. “We have a number of them that are broken beyond repair. When we upgrade those, we want to make sure we are purchasing the newest generation of technology.”

Sheriff Mark Sterk said he wants one of those upgrades to include a thumb or fingerprint scan, which would allow deputies to immediately identify subjects provided that they previously had been fingerprinted.

“That’s a huge tool for the deputies in the field,” Sterk said. “Technology is a resource multiplier for us. It allows us to do more with fewer people.”

More than a year ago, the Spokane County Jail started electronically scanning fingerprints from suspects who are booked into jail. Those prints are added to the massive statewide database called AFIS, or Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

“What is new is the ability to transmit that information in a wireless fashion,” Reagan said. “We are looking at pager-sized scanners, either carried in a pocket or on a belt, that would transmit to the vehicle and then transit to the station.”

It sometimes takes deputies more than an hour to identify suspects. But the thumb-scan would allow that same process to take just moments, he said.

“It’s one more means for us to defeat the name game that people play out in the field,” he said.

For example, deputies pulled over an identity-theft suspect last week who had a half-dozen temporary Washington driver’s licenses. Each had a picture of the suspect but listed a different name.

Five years ago, a 20-year-old woman escaped from the jail by switching cells with her twin sister, Undersheriff Larry Lindskog said.

“There are a lot of different scenarios where that would be useful for us,” Lindskog said. “It also prevents us from delaying people unnecessarily. If you don’t have your driver’s license, we can confirm who you are. It’s just going to be a tremendous working tool for us.”

Another application for the computers would be to allow deputies to instantly show victims a series of photographs that allows them to identify suspects, Reagan said.

The new technology could also eliminate the need for deputies to write out citations. Hardware exists that would allow deputies to swipe the bar code on existing driver’s licenses to feed that information directly into the computer.

A printer has also been designed to fit in the glove box of a Ford Crown Victoria, Reagan said.

However, the printer would only make one copy of the citation. The current hand-written citation books produce several copies of the same ticket. Court officials would have to approve any new process, Reagan said.

“With new technology there will always be hurdles to overcome,” he said. “But the advantage is … we get more done with the same amount of people.”

But the upgrades won’t come cheap. Lindskog put in a supplementary request to county commissioners for $130,000 for the 2005 budget.

“I don’t know at this point whether we are going to get it or not,” he said.