OXFORD, PA — The Oxford Borough Police Department announced it was awarded a $77,271 grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) Local Law Enforcement Support Grant Program (LLE). The LLE funding will support the cost of officer training and enable the department to add Live Scan fingerprinting capabilities at the police station.
Live Scan fingerprinting is an inkless technology used by law enforcement agencies to capture fingerprints and palm prints electronically, without the need for the more traditional methods of ink and paper. The fingerprints are directly submitted to the computer to determine who a person is and complete background checks. Currently, when an Oxford officer must positively identify a suspect immediately, the officer must transport the individual to the nearest Live Scan at the Avondale State Police barracks. “The time savings alone will save the department time and resources,” Chief Iacono explained, “and will ultimately result in better outcomes.”
When an immediate identification or background check is not needed or possible, the department uses an ink pad to roll a person’s fingers from the pad onto the fingerprint cards. It takes an extensive amount of time to make sure there is not too much pressure on the cards and requires rolling the prints perfectly. The cards can then become damaged in transit, rendering them inaccurate or useless. “This equipment means no more smudges,” Sergeant Coverly exclaimed. “Having Live Scan at our department is a game changer. In addition to fingerprinting capabilities, the system will include photographs and improve information sharing with state and county agencies. We’ll be able to create photo lineups and improve the likelihood that victims can identify the correct offender.”
Live Scan integration at the Oxford Police station supports the department’s overall efforts to secure state accreditation. Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping police departments improve their overall performance. It is a marker of the Oxford Police’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and community relations. “This LLE grant will support the department’s overall efforts to employ best practices,” said Oxford Mayor Phil Harris. “We are grateful to PCCD for this funding and to Senator Carolyn Comitta and Representative John Lawrence for supporting our request and overall efforts.”
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and Microsoft Start.