Sheriff’s Office To Implement Biometric Identification Technology

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale announced that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office recently became the first law enforcement agency in Alabama to implement a biometric technology for identifying offenders and inmates.

The Inmate Recognition and Identification System, or I.R.I.S., enhances the Sheriff’s Office capabilities by enabling authorized staff to positively identify a previously enrolled inmates or offenders – using biometric technology – in seconds – regardless of where they were originally arrested or enrolled. The Sheriff’s Office is using the technology to enroll and compare the unique features contained in the human I.R.I.S. against a national database of individuals who have been previously enrolled throughout the country to positively determine their identity in seconds.

“Criminals, including illegal aliens and convicted sex offenders, can make Jefferson County – and communities across America, a dangerous place to live, work and play," Hale said. "Criminals often try to change their identities to avoid accurate identification and prosecution for crimes they have committed. This cutting-edge biometric technology further enhances our ability to keep your neighborhoods and communities safe.”

Citing a current case as an example, Hale added, “Accurate and timely identification of offenders is a fundamental and critical responsibility of every law enforcement officer in the nation. This system is based on the most accurate biometric technology available, the human iris, and will enable my deputies to positively identify a previously enrolled individual in less than 20 seconds, regardless of when and where they were originally arrested and enrolled in the national I.R.I.S. repository.

"For example, shortly after implementing the technology, we booked a person who lied to us about their name and date of birth. With this new technology, we were able to positively identify the person based on a record from Atlanta, Georgia in seconds. This is a true breakthrough when compared to the time it often takes to positively identify an offender using fingerprint technology. I am very proud and pleased that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is the first law enforcement agency in Alabama to implement and use this technology.”

Photo from Jefferson County Sheriff's Office