By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP – Managing Editor
Years of work have finally come to fruition at the Escambia County Sheriff's Office as they have recently completed the installment of a modern, completely electronic fingerprinting system.
Sheriff Tim Hawsey said he and others close to the department had wanted to implement the system in the office for about eight years. Finally, through a grant made available through the Southwest Alabama Integrated Criminal Justice System, it was possible.
The Southwest Alabama Integrated Criminal Justice System received $10 million to provide an eight-county area with the system. In addition to Escambia County, Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties will also benefit.
The system, a Motorola product called the LiveScan Station 3000, will provide area law enforcement officials with a quick and easier way to identify people.
Hawsey said the local department will benefit through the system's efficiency.
The new system will also enable a quick exchange between the ECSO and other state law enforcement agecies and the FBI.
In Escambia, the system is already up and running. Officials are currently working on a few bugs and learning to utilize it with the current "Smart Cop" booking system.
The new system will allow for mug shots, palm and fingerprints to be captured into a single unit.