The eyes have it: Scanner helps ID GarCo inmates
Submitted by MichaelVail on Mon, 12/18/2006 - 1:19am.
Daily Sentinel
Posted: Dec 17, 2006
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — You probably first saw it in science fiction or James Bond movies, a futuristic technology that didn’t actually exist in the real world. But, scanning someone’s eyes to identify them has become reality among some Colorado law enforcement agencies.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Department has used an iris scanner since 2004 to identify inmates as they are booked into the jail and to verify the right inmate is being released.
“Everyone’s iris is just as unique as their fingerprints,” Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said.
Weld County recently added the equipment, and Mesa County was interested, but found the scanner wouldn’t be able to read through glass that separates inmates from staff in that jail, spokeswoman Norma Mestas said.
Newly arrested inmates stand about six inches from the scanner and look into a square while the irises of both eyes are scanned.
Last year, the National Institute of Corrections complimented the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department on its use of the scanners in a facility assessment report, Vallario said. At the time, Garfield County was thought to be the only one in Colorado with the scanner.
The scanner cost approximately $25,000, said jail Cmdr. Scott Dawson, who learned of the equipment at an American Jail Association Expo.
“It eliminates any chance we might release the wrong inmate,” Vallario said. “It’s a limited purpose, but it sure helps us do what we have to do.”
One such mistake occurred before the scanner was purchased, but the inmate was quickly returned to jail in minutes, he said. Now, an iris scan is the first part of the release process, Dawson said.
Vallario said the jail has booked 13,000 people since it opened in 2003, so the scanner has permanent iris records of thousands of inmates, ”just like we have thousands of booking photos.”
Fingerprints still are taken as required by federal law, Dawson said, and sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to be shared with other law enforcement agencies. The iris records remain with the Sheriff’s Department, Vallario said.
Things such as colored contact lenses or other measures can’t fool the scanner, Dawson said.
Vallario said the scanner found some people had given false identities to arresting officers, and that led to criminal impersonation charges. Those who had too much to drink to remember their names or did not have any identification also have been identified with the scanner, he said.
Vallario said his department will be updating its computer software system in the near future, and he will look into handheld versions of the scanner at that time.
Posted: Dec 17, 2006
GLENWOOD SPRINGS — You probably first saw it in science fiction or James Bond movies, a futuristic technology that didn’t actually exist in the real world. But, scanning someone’s eyes to identify them has become reality among some Colorado law enforcement agencies.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Department has used an iris scanner since 2004 to identify inmates as they are booked into the jail and to verify the right inmate is being released.
“Everyone’s iris is just as unique as their fingerprints,” Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario said.
Weld County recently added the equipment, and Mesa County was interested, but found the scanner wouldn’t be able to read through glass that separates inmates from staff in that jail, spokeswoman Norma Mestas said.
Newly arrested inmates stand about six inches from the scanner and look into a square while the irises of both eyes are scanned.
Last year, the National Institute of Corrections complimented the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department on its use of the scanners in a facility assessment report, Vallario said. At the time, Garfield County was thought to be the only one in Colorado with the scanner.
The scanner cost approximately $25,000, said jail Cmdr. Scott Dawson, who learned of the equipment at an American Jail Association Expo.
“It eliminates any chance we might release the wrong inmate,” Vallario said. “It’s a limited purpose, but it sure helps us do what we have to do.”
One such mistake occurred before the scanner was purchased, but the inmate was quickly returned to jail in minutes, he said. Now, an iris scan is the first part of the release process, Dawson said.
Vallario said the jail has booked 13,000 people since it opened in 2003, so the scanner has permanent iris records of thousands of inmates, ”just like we have thousands of booking photos.”
Fingerprints still are taken as required by federal law, Dawson said, and sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to be shared with other law enforcement agencies. The iris records remain with the Sheriff’s Department, Vallario said.
Things such as colored contact lenses or other measures can’t fool the scanner, Dawson said.
Vallario said the scanner found some people had given false identities to arresting officers, and that led to criminal impersonation charges. Those who had too much to drink to remember their names or did not have any identification also have been identified with the scanner, he said.
Vallario said his department will be updating its computer software system in the near future, and he will look into handheld versions of the scanner at that time.
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