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Police get new finger scanner
Published Saturday, May 24, 2008
NATCHEZ — The Natchez Police Department is waving goodbye to their antiquated finger printing system and saying hello to their new scanner.
Police Chief Mike Mullins said the new scanner was installed on Wednesday and training took place Thursday.
“It’s in use right now,” Mullins said.
The new machine allows for the jailers to place an arrested person’s entire hand on a piece of glass on the scanner computer.
Then prints are read digitally and Mullins said they’re read perfectly.
After this, they are sent to databases.
“It automatically sends that to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System database in Jackson,” Mullins said. “They in turn forward those to the FBI in Washington.”
A fingerprint history for the person is created, establishing a criminal history, which is helpful to the police.
This system offers many benefits compared to the old fingerprint method.
The old method was to roll a person’s fingers in ink then roll them on a paper card.
“It was very frequent that we would have problems,” Mullins said of that system.
Prints could merely be rolled incorrectly, therefore creating a problem.
With this new system, Mullins said there is no room for error.
Also, it’s not as costly as sending paper cards of prints to Jackson and Washington.
“There’s no postage, no packaging, no mailing, there’s more accuracy on the prints,” Mullins said.
He said fingerprints can be taken from crime scenes and run through the system.
“That’s one of the primary functions of it,” he said.
This piece of machinery has been coveted by the police department for some time now.
“In August of 2001, there was grant money available and we ordered the machine,” he said.
City Grants Coordinator Brett Brinegar said after 911 though, that grant money was diverted to Homeland Security.
But the city was not ready to give up on getting the scanner.
“We went through one of U.S. Sen. Chip Pickering’s aids,” Brinegar said in their attempt to get grant money.
Money was finally found through the Department of Public Safety in Jackson after some difficulty.
“Equipment funds are not really easy to get,” she said.
She said it took them two years to finally get the money, which was actually a quick turnaround time.
After all the trials and tribulations, Mullins said he is happy to finally have the scanner.
“It’s a wonderful tool,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of work off the booking officers and make it much quicker to get defendants processed.”
The total cost of the scanner was $45,652, with the federal grant money paying $34,239 of it.
The remaining $11,413 came out of the equipment line of the police department’s budget, Mullins said.
Mullins said most police departments comparable in size to Natchez have already had these scanners for a while.
“There are not many departments of our size still rolling fingerprints with ink,” Mullins said. “This makes us up to date.”
“This is the latest equipment. It’s a very excellent system.”
Comments
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 12:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NOW, Go get the bad guys! ;)
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 12:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Support your NPD!
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Does this mean that every individual that is arrested and "booked" now has a file with the:
“They in turn forward those to the FBI in Washington.”
Thats scary!
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What happens if the digital information becomes lost in cyber space? Nothing beats the "hard copy".
Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What good does it all do when they have a rap sheet 25 pages long and are still dealing drugs...DAILY up and down morgantown road???? Teenagers and adults,drifters are more and more frequent. I saw 2 new ones today, It must be kinda like the Natchez trace used to be when all the robbers and thieves followed it.
Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Saw a lot of young teens in Wal-mart. They didn,t have buggies,just running in and out of the store. They were everywhere. All out in the parking lot, hanging out,probably looking for something to steal and somebody to thug.Or someone to beat up and rob like they did a while back,the security guard was thumping to the rap music with a couple of them. They were spitting out four letter curse words and filthy language left and right, Nothing but time on their hands looking for easy money or trouble. They are rude,loud,push their way past you and curse anyway they please,as loud as they please. Hand scanners don,t help that kind of behavior. It,s a daily thing around here,really nothing new. It,s just tolarated.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 5:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As someone who is being forced to get a new Transportation Workers Identification Card I can't say I am happy about this new technology. Well, I am not being forced to get it, but if I don't I can no longer work in the industry I've been in for the last 30+ years if I don't voluntarily get one by September 12 of this year.
This new ID, and all of you will be getting one in the next two or three years because it is not only us transportation workers who might be terrorists and therefore need to be tracked, has a smart chip just like the chip on your cell phone sim card. It can be put into a little reader and depending on the authorization of that reader various personal information comes back down. Some private corporations have these readers. With the right type of reader, basic information does not even require placing the card in a machine, you just have to be close to the machine.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 5:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
texasranger I'm with you! I am so sick of our Wal-Mart and what they have allowed it to become that I now go to the one in Vidalia, must safer plus cleaner to boot!
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the vidalia wal-mart is so much cleaner,safer & nicer than the one in natchez.the walmart in natchez is the worst i have been in.if i do have to go to the natchez walmart i go before 11 am....after that the thugs start waking up
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a shame the Ntz Wal-Mart has turned into Thug City. I have never trusted the security at this place because I've seen how they spend a lot of their time fraternizing (sp?) with customers. The undercover plainclothes cops may be doing ok but the Wheeled Patrol needs to park that golf cart and walk around like they have a job to do.
EnKiKur...I don't want a chip card!!! Oh goodness. And I thought my life would be private. I'll bet one day we will have to have one to buy groceries. If we do, will it cut down on illegal aliens, terrorists, and the such? Well, when I think about it, those people are here illegally, or with illegal intentions, so I guess they won't need one anyway. It's too easy to get fake identification.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Guess what else kpage. Sooner or late dna maps are going to end up on those chips. Around the countries some hospitals have been taking dna samples from newborns without telling the parents. Under the theory that medical waste belongs to the hospital, and they can do what they want with it, tissue samples become hospital property.
The head of Homeland Security said a few months ago we must accept a new definition of privacy. We must share all our information with the government and trust them to protect it. That is the new definition of privacy.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are right kpage, everyone will have some type of id chip and the illegals and terrorists will have fake ones. I feel very frustrated when I think about it. I think I was born way too late - should have been a pioneer wife in the 1800's.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm starting to think the same way, free. Except I wanna be June Cleaver in the 50s. No, strike that. Her house was too clean. I'm not comfortable in a stringently clean home such as Wally and the Beav's. I doubt I could vaccuum in heels, either. Who wants to change the tablecloth with every meal? So take me back to the stone age when you just foraged for roots and berries and everyone was ignorant. The only difference is who had more knots in their hair.
If they take DNA from my babies when they are born, EnKiKur, will the government help me find my lost child with the help of the DNA taken at birth? I can see them using it for future criminal purposes, but what about helping identify genetic diseases and the such? I sure hope so. But then again, is this a privacy issue? I have to think on this awhile. Hmm.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
With what they pay the occifers I would find it hard to risk life and limb also. Jake and the board voted themselves big pay raises a couple years ago and the PD and FD didn't get anything.
One of the PD could have scanned my finger the other day when he pulled out in front of me and I almost wrecked. It's hard to drink coffee, eat a biscuit, talk on my cell already. Then you have to give him the one finger wag on top of that. Just undiculous.
Howard the Barber
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What has happened in agriculture kpage is that corporations have patented certain genetic strains. They have also invented new strains, the crops called genetically modified.
The Human Genome Experiment was born in the same place the Eugenics Records Office was located, Cold Springs Harbor, Md.
Having your genome mapped will expose known genetic illness but won't help in locating a lost child. It will also help trace the origin of your family line. If you believe that other people don't care what family you are from, then you shouldn't be concerned. On the other hand, it could be used in any number of ways to deny you any number of things based on your perceived worth to society weighed against your genetic value to society.
I have no children. Some would regard me as being the last of my individual genetic line, an evolutionary failure. I regard myself as instead the highest possible expression of my line, my purpose in life has been fulfilled. :)
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You have no children enkikur, I would consider you sane!!!lol....
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have a finger they can scan with this new technology.....
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not technically sane, just very lucky...in my estimation!
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, by the way fire, since I didn't have the ten children I was planning to have I am selling my child credits for 25,000.00 a piece. If you or anyone you know wants to improve the chances that your line is the last existing line, then buy my contracts. You can use them as investments too, like carbon credits, except these are better than carbon credits because they pay dividends in the joy of having children.
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am glad the NPD got this. It is very sad that they had to wait 7 years for a grant to come through to get it. How many bad guys got away?
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
red, you're too much! LOLOLOLOLOLoud!
So that's why EnKiKur still has brains! Never had to watch helplessly while the brain oozed out the ear and nose holes. That's what having kids will do. I'd tell you my kids names and ages but I don't remember right now. I just got through digging the kitten out of the washing machine...after I screamed out the backdoor to get off that lawnmower!!!!!!!!!!! Oh goodness, it's not even noon. I shoulda bought EnKiKur's credits and been done with it!
I'm kidding. My babies are the love of my life. Sooo precious to be a mama.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NE, do you know the bill number for that hotel occupancy tax?
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wow, we got a fingerprint machine, got to catch the crooks first,
don't get me wrong I support the NPD
I have noticed over the years however, that they don't put much into their personal martial arts training, and that a lot of the officers are way out of shape, well let's tell it like it is -- OBESE and FAT
OH, texasranger -- you know you could just grab one of those punks and straighten him out, it would make you feel a lot better and you'd get some excercise too. I don't know if you are able or not, but I assume you are able to dish out some punishment if necessary?
That is what is wrong with our streets- people will complain and cry behind their own doors, but out on the street people will not say anything, will not do anything, will not stand up for what is right
The other day at the post office in Tracetown, I noticed a gentleman having a discussion with an obvious thug who was parked in the disabled parking area, and was not supposed to be there, it was obvious he was not disabled and had no disabled car tag. Well of course an argument broke out, I was observing and was ready to back up the good gentleman, but like all thugs they are all talk and bluff and will back down.
So put those bad boys in their place and beat some sense into someone today. It's sad that's what it takes, but the police cannot do everything and have their hands tied on some petty issues, so it's up to good citizens to raise a little hell with the punks and do whatever it takes to make them realize they can't act like fools and get away with it.
Unless you're a coward. You have to remember that it is our duty as good citizens to INSIST on safety and order in our community. Settle for nothing less.
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No I do not, it's hard to find anything factual about the tourism "industry" in Natchez. Until this town cleans up it's act of mis appropreating money I will not vote for this tax. If they will give me money to advertise my business I will. If they would cut some of the waste in this tourism industry and use that to put some form of system in place to track and see what tourists want to see, do and where they want to go, they will find out it's not going to Natchez to see the same old thing that we have had to offer for the last 70 years. Every other town has changed or done something different to attract tourists. We have not, until then, don't support this tax. It's more money in a bottomless pit.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Enk, see if this helps.
HB1701, SB3191
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks so much steve
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
no, it doesn't come up either under the numbers or under Dearing or Butler's name.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, those were the numbers that died in committee.
found 1 here:
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2008/pd...
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This should be it
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2008/pd...
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks steve
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This bill has in it " TO PROVIDE THAT THE REVENUE DERIVED FROM THIS ASSESSMENT SHALL BE UTILIZED BY THE NATCHEZ CONVENTION PROMOTION COMMISSION TO FUND A MARKETING/ADVERTISING PROMOTION PLAN TO EFFECTIVELY INCREASE OVERNIGHT VISITATION AND TOURISM IN THE CITY OF NATCHEZ" Ok, who is on or in this commission? People, this a slim shadey deal, watch out! This commission should have been known or elected by the public, what their goals were and spelled out in black and white before the tax was put on the June 3 ballot. Cart before the horse. I smell a rat.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And this part goes with it. It's in the title.
"AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES"
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thru pages 1- 6 line 177. I understand it to be:
New Promotion Commission consists of 3 appointed by the board of supervisors and 3 by the mayor and board of aldermen. Each must also post $25,000 bond with the state.
There will also be and advisory committee consisting of 11+ individuals from different tourism related industries from the area. Hotels, restaurants, casino's, etc.
It also needs 60% voter approval to pass.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is this:
"To accept gifts, gratuities or donations made by any party or entity for marketing or staging of events. The commission may establish special funds for specific purposes as may be required by the person or entity making the gift or donation"
And:
"The advisory committee shall meet on not less than a quarterly basis to receive and consider requests by persons or entities seeking grants or other assistance from the commission."
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
line 248-249 gives the state 3% also. (cost of collection)
Thats $3000 for every $100 thousand raised. More hands in the pot!
Posted by kd (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was at Ntz Wal Mart yesterday, and you can't turn around without bumping into someone walking too close behind you! Vidalia is cleaner and faster to get out of, but Ntz does have more merchandise.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Section 5. (a) Powers. The commission shall have authority to establish, promote and develop a civic center or convention center within Adams County, Mississippi, and to promote and encourage conventions and visitors to come to Adams County. In this regard, the commission is empowered: To own, erect, construct, furnish, equip, and/or contract for and operate facilities such as a convention center, civic center, auditorium or visitors center.
I thought Tipton and his crew were heading up promos for the center.?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The bill gives the city power to impose the tax, then appoint the commission which has the power to accept gitfs, gratuities, and donations. Money can be collected from two sources, and then the commission also has the power to give money out for things other than advertising.
The commission has six appointed people on it, then has the power to create an advisory committee to tell it what to do. The advisory advisory committee will in the end have 13 people on it, all two levels away from being elected. The hotels and casinos will have six votes on the committee, and the hotels, casinos, and restaurants together will have eight votes. These eight votes will carry the power in deciding how the tax money and gifts, donations and gratuities are dispersed.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was surprised at the 60% approval needed. Line 277-280
The casino rep is kinda murky to me. Will there be 1 from each of the proposed new casino's along with the Isle or is it 1 from that industry?
lines 168-171.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
one from each casino, when the others open up
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The way I read it, although each casion has a hotel associated with it, they can only have one committee person each, instead of one for the casino and one for the hotel.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, i'd pitch a fit if i was a food business owner! 1 from Wendys, 1 from La Fiesta, 1 from Burger King, etc...
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yep, that's the thing. It's heavily weighted toward the hotels and casinos. Which just happen to have a natural relationship. It seems like they want someone to pay for their advertising to me.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder about those gifts, gratuities and donations too. Can you give money to the commission and then go to the advisory committee and ask for it back?
Who would want to give to the commission, and why?
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
a donation might be tax deductible. a grant may not be reported as taxable income, not sure though?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
me either...then we aren't bean counters, are we?
The donations are supposed to be for staging events at the convention center. Could you make a small donation, get a larger grant, have your event and make money off it more ways than one?
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe along with the posting of $25,000 bucks bond they'll be introduced to the "finger scanner!
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
See, this is the problem with rushing about legislation and waiting till the last minute to discuss it with the community. You don't have enough time to consider what it really means. I've read that thing at least a dozen times and am just starting to understand it well enough to start applying it to various situations to see what the outcome could be.
One thing is apparent though, it is a little more than just a 2.00 per bed tax.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
7 months later and wheres this fit with the new commission that may come if the tax wins? Is Connie out? I doubt it..
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2007...
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What the heck Enk? It gives them the power to build a convention center if they wanted.
(1) To own, erect, construct, furnish, equip, and/or contract for and operate facilities such as a convention center, civic center, auditorium or visitors center.
(line 84-85)
As stupid as it is, who's managing what? Is Tipton running the convention center or is Connie?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought there was some kind of arrangement between the city and Hotel Consultants that in exchange for a fee for running the convention center Hotel Consultants was going to do the marketing, and that is why Tipton went over to Hotel Consultants. Now this new tax comes up, which never was an issue before, as soon as the new hotel opens. And I though, maybe I am wrong, that Hotel Consultants gets paid some on each event. But they also are operating the new hotel aren't they?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That part of the bill was in place before the amendment steve, it allowed the commission to build the convention center. The amendment is just for the bed tax and gifts, gratuities and donations.
It does get pretty confusing doesn't it? Keeping everything straight I mean.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Enk, it gets odder and odder :
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2006...
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, who the heck does the hotel belong to? The citizens of Natchez, or to someone else?
And if it was costing the city 421,000.00 to operate the convention center, and the city is going to pay Hotel Consultants 240,000.00 a year to run the center and hotel, what happens to the other 180,000.00?
Is the city saving money this way, or what?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, I see now, the hotel belongs to Carlson Group, a global sustainable development partner, which makes perfect sense according to my theory.
It is run by Hotel Consultants, who have a public/private partnership with the city of Natchez in running the convention center and auditorium.
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 24, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad Natchez has the new scanners. It is about time they start catching up to Louisiana technology.
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