Sharjah Police adopt digital fingerprinting to enhance criminal investigations

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have introduced advanced digital fingerprinting systems that are reshaping the field of criminal investigation, replacing traditional methods with faster, more accurate, and more reliable technology. The move reflects a wider strategy to enhance justice, accelerate investigative procedures, and reinforce community trust in security systems.

A strategic shift in crime detection

Brigadier Expert Naji Mohammed Al Hammadi, Director of Evidence and Criminal Laboratories at Sharjah Police confirmed that digital fingerprinting has become a central tool in crime detection. By incorporating advanced algorithms, the new system ensures precise identification of suspects and detainees, minimizing human error and speeding up the investigative process.

Sharjah Police aim to reduce crime rates by 35 percent for every 100,000 people by 2025, a target supported by the integration of modern forensic technologies. “This technology strengthens justice, accelerates investigations, and increases society’s confidence in our security systems."  Brigadier Al Hammadi  told Sharjah Police Magazine Al Shurti 

From traditional methods to digital systems

Colonel Abdul Rahman Salem Al Khayal, Head of the Criminal Evidence Department, highlighted  in Sharjah police magazine Al Shurti  that while traditional fingerprinting was used since 2008, digital systems were formally adopted in 2013 and have since become the permanent replacement.

Sharjah Police now use the internationally recognized MorphoBIS biometric identification system, directly linked to the central fingerprint database. The  system, distributed across 12 units in Sharjah and the  Central  and the  Eastern Region, allows rapid comparison of fingerprints and supports timely investigative outcomes.

According to official statistics:

• 8,416 cases were registered in 2023

• 8,471 cases were registered in 2024

All entries are securely stored within the central criminal database for future reference.

Algorithms driving accuracy

Major Abdullah Al Ketbi, Head of the Detainee Follow-up Branch, emphasized the crucial role of algorithms in enhancing fingerprint recognition. He explained that the smart system has helped expose cases of forgery and impersonation within hours, with findings sent immediately to the Forensic Evidence Center.

“The algorithms have removed uncertainty, giving us high levels of accuracy and reliability,” Al Ketbi noted.

Beyond technology: A foundation for justice

Sharjah Police stress that digital fingerprinting is not merely a technical improvement but a pillar of modern justice. The system ensures:

• Documenting and preserving fingerprints of suspects and detainees. 

• Comparing fingerprints with a central database.

• Detecting unknown cases.

• Matching new fingerprints with old archives.

• Archiving old cases.

• Issuing quick electronic reports.

• Accelerating work and response speed.

 Objectives of smart criminal fingerprint

•  Documenting the identity of suspects and detainees.

•  Full replacement of traditional fingerprint methods.

•  Adoption of new generation fingerprint devices (first and second generation).

• Criminal suspicion has become more accurate thanks to advanced algorithms.