Having been out of operation for about a week, the Whitehorse RCMP’s fingerprint scanner has now been repaired and is back in business.
It isn’t clear what shut down the machine in the first place, but the consequences were very obvious to some. Individuals in need of biometric background checks faced delays, possibly affecting work or volunteering opportunities. Speaking to the CBC, Constable Julia Fox said that while electronic fingerprint scanning can be used to complete a background check in a matter of a few days, the traditional ink-and-paper process could take as long as four months.
The situation helps to highlight the growing importance of this kind of biometric technology, particularly with respect to police and security screening applications. And it’s starting to be used on a massive scale: The FBI’s Rap Back program, for example, allows states to use biometric background checks via the Bureau’s Next Generation Identification system, facilitating speedy identification of subjects. Meanwhile, some cities have even tried to introduce biometric background checks for Uber drivers. Companies in the private sector are also coming to realize the benefits of biometric background checks of staff via pre-screening services like those offered by CARCO, a firm specializing in risk mitigation in HR.
It’s very good news, then, that the Whitehorse RCMP’s system is up and running once again.
Source: CBC News
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January 29, 2016 – by Alex Perala
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