Niagara County implements new eye identification technology in patrol vehicles

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office says it is one of the first in the country to implement technology in patrol vehicles that will identify inmates by their irises, expanding the department’s use of biometric technology beyond the County Jail.

The uniqueness of fingerprints has made them a long preferred method of identification. However, eyes may be even more unique, with officials stating the chance of iris patterns being identical in two people is 1-in-10⁷⁸.

The Inmate Identification and Recognition System can capture over 265 characteristics of an inmate’s iris for fast and precise identity verification that works in seconds, the sheriff’s office says. It was developed by B12 Technologies and is implemented through a secure, real-time national criminal justice sharing network.

“We are honored to support the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office in their commitment to public safety,” said President and CEO of B12 Technologies Sean Mullin. “The implementation of IRIS in patrol vehicles sets a new standard for law enforcement.”

Fingerprinting can be impractical in the field due to time and equipment constraints. Sheriff Michael Filicetti says a chance of misidentification will be greatly reduced with the new technology.

“A deputy, at a glance, will be able to see if a suspect is within the IRIS database, and may respond accordingly to any information that search reveals,” Filicetti said.

If a suspect is without their ID or is claiming to be someone else, the IRIS will immediately identify them, the sheriff’s office says. In addition, the technology will help promote accountability by issuing summons to the correct individual.

The technology will be used in Niagara County patrol vehicles.

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Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

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