Police turn to scan of iris to track kids

[Cherry Kelly]

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 878329.htm

COLUMBIA - A new technology that could help authorities track missing children relies on eyes instead of fingerprints.

The Richland County Sheriff's Department is one of the first in the nation to join the database, which stores a digital image of a person's unique iris, the colored part of the eye around the pupil.

The department expects to get the equipment, which is being donated by the Children's Identification and Location Database Project, early next month.

Sean Mullin, president of the CHILD project, said he notified law-enforcement agencies about a year ago and Sheriff Leon Lott was one of the first to respond. Lott's enthusiasm led his group to donate the $25,000 system.

The project's spokesman Kevin O'Reily said the FBI has about 150,000 missing-child cases that are unresolved.

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posted without comment...

[Iris]

How do you feel about this, Cherry?

I see it as something with a lot of potential to be used in a good way, but also with a lot of potential to be used in a bad way. Because of that, I'm not so sure it's a good thing.