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Trail Police detachment goes digital with fingerprints

Trail RCMP have installed a digital fingerprint scanner, linking local police to the fingerprint and record database in Ottawa.

Fine-tuning of the fine art of fingerprinting in the digital format will be a forthcoming feature of local flatfoot work, says the region’s RCMP inspector.

Nick Romanchuk said a digital fingerprint scanner has been installed at the RCMP Detachment in Trail, linking the local detachment to the fingerprint and criminal record database in Ottawa.

The device is expected to allow local police to become more operationally efficient in terms of processing both criminal and civil fingerprints, he said.

“The process of taking ink-based fingerprints, sending them to Ottawa, having them manually examined, and then mailed back could take several months to complete,” Insp. Romanchuk said in a release.

The new scanner means the local detachment will receive the results in approximately one week. Insp. Romanchuk said they are working on certification that will allow them to receive the results almost simultaneously.

Fingerprints are sometimes required from people before their criminal record checks can be processed. Insp. Romanchuk said waiting several months for results from Ottawa proved onerous, particularly if the results were needed quickly for a job application.

RCMP crime reduction unit

Five incidents of note marked the workings of the RCMP crime reduction unit (CRU) in April in the latest installment of the RCMP’s report to Trail city council.

• April 28, Bull-a-rama - The unit’s presence in the crowds in plain clothes at the event enabled investigators to “prevent incidents before they happened.” There was also a strong uniformed police presence made up of local general duty members.

• April 26, probation breach - As a result of frequent curfew checks on a 30-year-old Trail man, two charges of breach of probation were approved. The man will appear in Rossland Provincial Court this month — in the interim curfew checks will continue.

• April 20, trafficking cocaine - Information received by the CRU on a 24-year-old Trail man suspected of trafficking cocaine allowed police to stage a “drug deal,” resulting in his subsequent arrest. Approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine and other evidence of drug trafficking were seized from the suspect.

It was also determined the man had multiple warrants out for his arrest in Alberta, which have now been extended to B.C.

• April 19, pro-active investigation - The CRU took a proactive approach to crime when they attended the Groutage apartment building and spoke with many of the occupants, tracking who was residing in each unit.

“It is unlike any other apartment building in Trail because the occupants at the Groutage are usually transient and frequently involved in petty crime,” read the report to council.

“Becoming more familiar with these occupants is a proactive measure and it is hoped this will in turn reduce crime within the City of Trail.”

No arrests were made.

According to the police, Ferraro Foods management has lodged complaints regarding vagrants attending their store. Police suspected that some of the people may be residing at the Groutage apartments.

“This investigation will likely reduce the number of vagrants attending Ferraro’s and other downtown businesses.”

• April 3, marijuana trafficking

A non-drug related matter ended up with a 23-year-old Trail man being arrested in his residence for possession for the purpose of trafficking.

While the CRU members were at the residence for a non-drug related matter, they obtained the grounds to apply for a search warrant under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act.

The warrant was obtained and inside the residence they located two bags of marijuana. The man made his first court appearance on the charges May 10.

The crime reduction unit is a partnership between the City of Trail and the RCMP’s Trail and Greater district detachment.