NASHVILLE — Supporters of legislation that would allow traffic violators in Tennessee to be fingerprinted say it will save local governments money and catch more criminals, but one lawmaker believes the measure is invasive. The proposal overwhelmingly passed the House earlier this month and is up for a full Senate vote today.
The bill would give law enforcement officials the choice of getting a person’s signature or taking a fingerprint using an electronic device.
Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said fingerprinting will allow officials to immediately cross check a criminal database to see if a person has an outstanding warrant or if there’s a case of identity theft.
Maggi McLean Duncan, executive director of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, said the fingerprint devices cost at least $600 each and will help law enforcement agencies operate more efficiently.
“The technology will allow us to streamline the process of electronic citations, so everything will be more instantaneous,” she said.
However, Republican Rep. Stacey Campfield of Knoxville said fingerprinting is “a step too far” and would violate an individual’s privacy rights.
“What’s next, you going to ask for a DNA swab?” Campfield said. “This isn’t just upon conviction, this is ... anybody being pulled over for just about anything.”
Aaron said there will not be a database of fingerprints taken from the citations, which is a relief to the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee.
“Privacy concerns must be addressed whenever new technology is introduced,” said Hedy Weinberg, the group’s executive director. “This new technology requires specific safeguards to prevent the creation of databases and other government intrusions into our private lives.”
Some cities have passed ordinances allowing traffic offenders to be fingerprinted, but no state has passed a law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Supporters of the legislation say it will help save local governments money. For instance, Aaron said Nashville is implementing an advanced records management system that will require just about everything be done electronically. He said electronic fingerprint readers would cost about $500,000 less than electronic signature pads the city is considering.
Democratic Rep. Henry Fincher of Cookeville said savings and the ability to catch more criminals are the main reasons he supports the proposal.
“As we move from paper base systems to computer base systems, particularly our smaller local governments need to save money where they can,” he said. “And allowing folks to take a fingerprint scan instead of a signature is a good way to accomplish the goals of both identifying the person who was stopped and saving local governments money.”