Offenders who do not go through the booking process at the Marshall County Jail may soon be fingerprinted in the office of the probation department.
Sheriff Matt Hassel brought the recommendation before the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning. He said he has been talking with the court about installing a new iTouch Biometrics fingerprinting machine in the probation office.
“There are people convicted of misdemeanor crimes and sometimes minor felony crimes that have never been brought to the county jail. So what happens is there’s no fingerprints on file and now with this new system that the court is using under the State of Indiana, their records aren’t being entered in the database without fingerprints. To avoid a situation such as the Texas church shooting where maybe a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence doesn’t get entered, the federal database doesn’t know to deny them permission to purchase a firearm,” stated Sheriff Hassel.
Hassel said the state police authorized the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department to purchase the machine. The cost is $15,208.15.
Sheriff Hassel will purchase the fingerprinting machine. Superior Court Judge Dean Colvin is expected to approach the county council for funding options.
The commissioners unanimously approved a motion to pursue the purchase. The request will now go before the county council.
