Tattoos could better aid in solving crimes

Police could soon scan tattoos and use the pictures to identify criminals because of a technology developed at Michigan State University.

The biometric technology takes pictures of tattoos and enters them into a database. The new technology would allow police officers to determine how many criminals have similar tattoos based on color, shading and location.

“It’s a modernization of what law enforcement already does,” said Bill Yeagley, Central Michigan University police chief. “It’s just one more piece. We need to positively identify the suspect.”

Police currently take pictures of scars, marks and tattoos at all bookings. But the only way to search the pictures is by using text descriptors.

“If a suspect comes in with a tattoo, they can search the database and see if this tattoo has come in before,” said Anil Jain, the professor of computer science and engineering at MSU who developed the technology. “The idea is to narrow down who this person is.”

Jain said police sometimes receive video footage where a criminal’s face is not visible, but a tattoo of a skull can be seen on their neck. This technology can be used as a starting point that video could not provide.

It has been licensed to MorphoTrak, a Virginia-based company that works in biometrics. The company is further developing the concept and hopes for field testing soon.

“I am expecting that, hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll have the technology in law enforcement’s hands to get us some feedback,” said Eric Hess, senior biometric product manager for facial recognition and SMT matching technology at MorphoTrak. “This technology lets us use the image as the basis of the search rather than hoping the same descriptors have been used.”

The technology is not fool-proof, however. It does not hold the same level of conclusiveness as other pieces of evidence.

“DNA and fingerprints are conclusive,” Yeagley said. “I don’t see it replacing DNA and fingerprints. I would not go and arrest someone based solely on that they have a similar tattoo.”

Jain said the technology can be helpful when dealing with groups such as gangs, whose members often get similar tattoos.