Fingerprinting Suspects in the Field Now Possible with New 3M MD6000 Mobile ID Reader

One of the biggest problems encountered by most police officers and law enforcement agents from all over the world is that they can't always properly ID the suspects they're up against, but it looks like 3M might have come up with a solution to this issue with their brand-new 3M MD6000 Mobile ID Reader.

The 3M MD6000 Mobile ID Reader is described by the manufacturer as a lightweight handheld reader device with five data capture modes, giving users the capability to validate multiple types of IDs while in the field and providing specific applications for border management, law enforcement and transportation.

The first five-in-one device of its kind from 3M, the product is equipped with readers for optical character recognition (OCR), three-rack magnetic stripes, contactless RF chips and contact chips, as well as an optical, single fingerprint capture device.

After data is captured in any one of these five modes, the device encrypts and relays it via wireless Bluetooth technology to a user's existing portable processing platform, such as a rugged laptop, tablet PC or smartphone.

The 3M MD6000 Mobile ID Reader gives users the ability to make real-time, field-based operational decisions, reducing the need for station-based resources.

In a law enforcement application, for example, officers will have the ability to validate multiple forms of ID at a scene, while in a border-control scenario, the reader will allow agents to check travel documents at entry or exit points.

The main advantage provided by the reader from 3M is the fact that it gives users greater flexibility to take advantage of future technology improvements in processors and communications devices without the need to replace reader equipment.

In fact, given its flexibility in how data is captured and processed, the 3M MD6000 Mobile ID Reader gives customers a cost-effective and versatile tool for use in the field, one that will be available commercially in early 2011, although specific pricing details have not yet been provided.