The DOJ MID System was developed to provide a rapid identification service to participating California law enforcement agencies (LEA) utilizing a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certified mobile fingerprint capture device in the field. This process employs a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) record formatted to the California Technical Finger Search (TFS)/Technical Finger Response (TFR) type of transaction via a web service protocol. The Memorandum of Understanding for the Mobile Identification System is to allow our County to utilize the system. The Mobile Identification System is essential for officers to use while on patrol so they can identify a subject within seconds. Once the fingerprints are sent to DOJ they will have instant responses to a subject’s criminal history including outstanding warrants.   

Without agreeing to the California Department of Justice Memorandum of Understanding for Mobile Identification, our Sheriff’s Office including outside agencies will not be allowed to utilize the system. Officers on patrol would not have access to receive CLETS responses from DOJ or the FBI. Any warrant information would not be accessible. Officers would only have access to the current local system. The current local system only informs officers if the subject has been arrested in Contra Costa or Alameda County. This limited information may cause officers to potentially release subjects that have outstanding warrants, missing individuals, or other persons of interest.