NEW YORK, (Reuters Life!) – New York City police have started scanning people’s eyes when they are charged after two suspects managed to fool authorities into releasing them in separate incidents earlier this year.
Iris scans will become a routine part of the booking process, along with fingerprinting and mug shots. The first of 21 scanning stations began operating in Manhattan this week, while the rest are due to be set up by early December.
The hand-held devices look like the shopping tag scanners used in retail stores stores.
“The accuracy and efficiency of iris photography makes them more efficient than any other check available to prevent prisoners from disguising their true identities at arraignment,” said city police spokesman Paul Browne.
Earlier this year, two suspects were released after posing as someone else facing lesser charges.
The New York Civil Liberties Union has called the iris scan program unnecessary and said it could be abused.
“Every time (authorities) add a database, it’s a cause for concern. As more and more personal information can be shared electronically, with the federal government or with employers, every arrest threatens to become a life-changing experience,” said Chris Dunn, associate legal director of the organization.
Browne said the iris scans would be treated the same as mug shots and there would be no privacy issues.
Police is nearby Suffolk County and in Nashville, Tennessee, also use the scanning technology, as do airports around the world, including Canada and the Netherlands.
