Fingerprint road trials set for New Year

10:06am Tuesday 28th November 2006

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MOTORISTS could soon have their fingerprints taken by the roadside after Hertfordshire was chosen to pilot a new police initiative.

Police aim to launch a handheld, mobile, electronic fingerprinting system and trials will be launched across the county in January.

Hertfordshire Constabulary has been chosen as one of ten forces across the country to start fingerprint identity checks on the roadside as part of a national project called Lantern.

The aim is to establish a person's identity using their fingerprints, away from the police station, rather than having to take people to police stations to be fingerprinted.

Police estimate Lantern will make annual savings of more than £2.2million through time saved in pursuing people who have given false identities.