Use of wireless 3G/4G Portable LiveScan devices on boats

[Mike Fletcher]

Hi all,

Is there any known Police jurisdiction which has deployed a wireless 3G/4G Portable LiveScan device on a boat/ marine vessel for use in criminal identification purposes?

It has been suggested that this has never been done before by anyone which I find very hard to believe. Can anyone point me in the right direction for some further discussion/ questions with that particular Police jurisdiction. All feedback welcomed including any jurisdiction that may have just considered it as an option and then rejected it for whatever reason.

Many regards from down under, Mike.

[Bill Schade]

By "LiveScan device" I assume you mean a mobil identification edge device that captures a couple of prints, submits a lights out search to an AFIS system and returns a Hit/NoHit result along with criminal histoy information. These devices are becomming very common on patrol here in Florida. The state wide system is called RapidID and it is used for a variety of applications, mobile identification is just one of them, although mobile is getting alot of attention as a "Gee Wiz" capability lately.

When mobil identification via RapidID was first showcased back around 2006, one of the planning people at my agency attended a session on it with me and his first thought was "That would be great on the boats. No one carries ID with them on the water, they leave it locked in the trunk of their car when they go out on the boat" I thought that was a very prophetic observation and it has stayed with me.

My agency is a big user of Facial Recognition technology and it's been in place on the road with our deputies since 2003. The patrol laptop has an air card which gives the deputy access to all systems including the mugshot database with FR search capabilities. Since the laptop has that access, use of the camera and running a facial search is easily done on the water. We are a coastal county surrounded by water and have a large marine unit and althought I cannot cite any successful outcomes from our marine units using the technology, I'm sure it's not because they don't have it available.

We are about to deploy a number of mobile fingerprint capture devices on patrol and they will also work through an application on the deputies laptop. I see no reason why they would not work on the water. Whether we deploy them to the marine unit has not been determined, but I still believe the need is there and its a matter of making users know of the potential. If they see it, I'm pretty sure they will want it.

[Mike Fletcher]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the info but just to clarify in this case I mean a full Portable LiveScan device - so imagine your Static stand alone LiveScan device packed up and retrofitted into a big peilcan case measuring 540mm long x 370mm high x 510mm wide. This device (which we now have 4 of) takes a full set of ten prints & does both the TP/TP lights out then TP/UL. So they are not a Rapid ID although the same principle I guess. They are normally plugged into wall power & use wireless 3G connection but if installed on a boat will be reliant on a 240v generator and the wireless connection & I not sure how good that will be on water patrolling the Islands around the Northern most tip of Queensland.

Regards, Mike.

[Bill Schade]

Now I get it.

That's why I was giving such a full explanation, to see if we were on the same page. I see that we were not.

Your concept sounds interesting. We do have a portable live scan in a pelican case and have used it on a mobile forensic lab, but I wasn't concerning myself with connectivity on that project. Just the collection of prints and download them later.

Good luck, perhaps you will be setting the standards on this project.

[billperry2319]

Hi Mike,
I am based in Canberra and discussing this with another Federal Agency for some time. We have done it in other countries (if I understand your question correctly) but I'd rather chat on the phone/face to face. Perhaps you could call me ? Mobile 0427835411.
Cheers
Bill

[Mike Fletcher]

Thanks both Bills.

Bill S - I was hoping to bounce some issues off someone with previous history of deployment of LiveScan on boats - as I can't just 'pop out' & test things like connectivity & power issues when the intended destination is nearly 2000km north of Brisbane (reached via medium sized plane, followed by small plane followed by boat) with my pelican cased (doubtfully suitably waterproofed) LiveScan device as company. Hence, my overriding issue of distance, coupled with 3G wireless connectivity problems, a 240v generator for power & no satellite option on a 20 odd metre boat with not much moving space (even for wet prints) and a unpredictable sea & no land mass with buildings on it to use. Am I pushing the proverbial uphill?

Thanks, Mike.