Two weeks ago, a new system was installed at the Oxford Village Police Department that will help aid officers and the community in more ways than one.
The MugShots System is a completely digital imaging system that allows all persons arrested to be placed into an electronic database, as opposed to paper forms of record-keeping.
The system was purchased through monies obtained through the statewide CopsMore Grant of 1999. The Court Law Enforcement Managment Information Systems (CLEMIS) of Michigan distributed the grant to each agency.
Before MugShots was established at the police department, basic Polaroids were taken of individuals and their personal information was logged onto booking sheets and put into catalogs that took up space at the department.
‘The key part of this is that all that information is stored in there for everybody to have access to,? said Police Chief Mike Neymanowski.
Officers will now be able to pull up this information right in their patrol cars instead of calling the department during an incident.
‘They can even bring up pictures and stuff like that,? he said.
Neymanowski said the new system will also be a good tool for tracking down wanted suspects.
‘Let’s say you’re the victim of a crime out here and all you can remember is that the guy had a tattoo of a ship on his shoulder,? he said. ‘We can go into the system and punch in ‘ship on shoulder? and it will give me anybody who’s (had their mug shot taken) with a ship on their body.?
Officers of the police department had to attend an eight-hour training session in Troy to learn how to use the new system.
James Sommers, an ordinance officer and part-time dispatcher for the village, said that every police deparment who belongs to CLEMIS, which is almost every agency in Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw County, will be getting this new system.
He said every police officer has their own unique sign-on to the system and begins the process by filling out name, age, race and physical features.
‘Inmate numbers can also be filed as well as remarks on if the individual was uncooperative (when arrested),? he said.
A digital photo mugshot is taken twice to insure accuracy. Photos of any tattoos, piercings and birthmarks are also photographed.
Flyers and wanted posters can be made for various individuals as well.
Sommers said there are 15 different formats, like ‘Wanted? or ‘Missing,? to choose from.
‘If we wanted to do a special one, like community awareness or neighborhood watch, we could go in and design our own form,? he said.
Another technological feature for the system is the face recognition program of the MugShots system.
‘It goes by the measurement of your eyes, nose, your forehead, but not race or gender,? Sommers said.
He said the facial recognition will ‘definitely help out? in instances where uncooperative individuals won’t give officers their name.
Although Sommers was quick to pick up on the technology of the new system, Neymanowski joked he is still going through the learning process.
‘I’m still trying to pick up on the speed of this technology to be honest with you,? he said. ‘I’m from back in the old days.?
Neymanowski said this new system will be a good investigative tool and said it will be a great benefit to the department and the community.