News.co.uk, 20 July 2011: 'Police take fingerprints on streets'

"The police will soon start taking fingerprints on the streets with a special device. This is a trial designed primarily to intensify checks on illegal aliens. A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice and Security confirmed reports to that effect in Trouw.
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Fingerprinting is part of regular police work. "Instead of at the station, you take fingerprints on the spot. As a result, you reduce bureaucracy, ensure more blue on the streets and improve investigative work."

The trial runs until spring. Then it will be assessed whether the new technology can be used on a wider scale.

Privacy First Foundation is shocked by the news coverage. It recently decided to stop storing fingerprints when applying for passports due to privacy concerns and the high error rate in biometric technology. "The police now apparently take that risk at face value," the organisation says.

"Fingerprinting is done on suspects at the police station. Not on ordinary citizens on the street," Privacy First continued. In addition to violating privacy, this would encourage arbitrariness, discrimination and 'ethnic profiling'. The planned trial is contrary to current legislation, according to the foundation."

Read HERE the whole article on News.co.uk