Police in Surrey can now verify the identity of an individual on the street within two mintues, thanks to new technology.
The National Policing Improvement Agency has distributed new, pocket-sized 'MobileID' devices, which can scan a person's fingerprints and check them against the national fingerprint database, IDENT1.
Fingerprints are not retained on MobileID devices.
Surrey Police said the new technology can help save time by reducing the necessity of arresting and detaining an individual to establish their identity, which can take hours.
Operational teams are already reporting a decrease in the number of trips back to police stations, allowing officers to spend more time on patrol, said a spokesman.
Other success stories include a mobile ID revealing a male to be an absconder from prison following a sentence for Class A drugs supply. He had been on the run for 18 months and was also wanted for burglary.
Another man using false ID was discovered as wanted for aggravated burglary.
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