0 NYPD Uses Eye Scan Technology - without legislative oversight or community discussion

NYPD Uses Eye Scan Technology to Track Suspects & Prevent Escapes
The NYPD began using iris recognition technology on Monday to track prisoners after they’re arrested.

High resolution photos of suspects’ irises are being taken during booking and again before arraignment to avoid misidentification. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

By Olivia Scheck

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

dnainfo.com MANHATTAN — The NYPD implemented a new identification procedure this week – using digital eye scans to prevent prisoners from assuming false identities during arraignment.

The new practice, which identifies prisoners by taking high-resolution pictures of their irises, the colored part of the eye, began on Monday at Manhattan Central Booking and is expected to expand to other boroughs, the NYPD confirmed Tuesday.

The eye scans are performed first during the booking process and again before the arraignment to confirm that it’s the same person, according to police.

While NYPD spokesman Paul Browne told the New York Times that the department did not know how many people had fallen through the cracks by pretending to be different people at their arraignments, there have been at least two such instances reported in the past year.

Full Story : http://www.dnainfo.com/20101116/downtown/nypd-uses-eye-scan-technology-track-suspects-prevent-escapes#ixzz15SjFpxEh