Colorado Upgrading Fingerprint System

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is replacing the state’s 20-year-old fingerprint system.

Director Ronald Sloan says the current system is one of the oldest in the United States. It was designed to process 700 fingerprint cards a day. On a typical day right now, 1,000 – 1,500 fingerprint cards are processed through the system, in addition to any latent fingerprints submitted by law enforcement agencies around the state.

For the first time, CBI will have the ability to compare palm prints and, in future years, will have the potential to have access to full service biometrics, including hand-held fingerprint units, use of full palm prints, photographs and iris scans.

Sloan says the new system will improve the ability of law enforcement to identify criminal offenders and exclude or dismiss innocent suspects.

CBI anticipates full operation of the system by January 2013. Once it becomes operational, it will be among the nation’s most advanced fingerprint collection systems for at least the next three years and is expected to provide efficient service for at least ten years.