Fingerprint Certification - Houston

[neal6325]

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get certified to handle fingerprints in the Houston area?

Does anyone know what it takes?

[neal6325]

I assume that, since there were no replies, that this was either classified information or nobody knows.

From what I have found out you only need a letter, on letter head, from a state law enforcement agency after they train you on how to take proper prints or ascertain your profeciency. After obtaining this letter you must send it to DPS to go on file with them and you can handle your own fingerprints.

If assumption one above was accurate then this is redundent and not neccessary, if number two is the case then I hope this post helps someone.

My next question is:

Is any member of this forum that is qualified to provide such a letter? If so can I work with you to get this instruction and letter?

I would greatly appreciate any assistance offered.

[Crossfire]

I did not reply to you because I am not in Houston. But, I can tell you that, here in north Texas, it is just about impossible to get a law enforcement agency to sign you off as fingerprint certified. Don't know why - they just won't do it unless you are one of their employees.

We were able to get certified by the Utah BCI, by taking their fingerprint class with our Utah CFP Instructor class. Texas DPS accepted their letter.

Good luck finding an agency here to certify you. I would suggest you start by calling your local PD and go from there.

[neal6325]

Thank you.

I presume that there may be more resistance in Houston so I will attempt to contact some of the smaller departments in the suburbs and see what I can accomplish.

Thanks!

[Greybeard]

FWIW, back in the 90's, the Sheriff's Dept. in our county (Denton) let me sit in on a class where they were training new jailers. The electonic fingerprinting equipment technology was emerging at the time. The more I learned about the problems inherent with doing them manually, the less I wanted to do it. With that, combined with what I'd seen in other classes, horror stories about rejections and Sgt. Riddle not being keen on instructors burning up class time on paperwork, I decided not to pursue it.

Yes, going eleswhere is sometimes an inconvenince to some students - but so is the students getting the "Dear John" letter from DPS and having to deal with whatever method of getting them done again - which can be an un-fun rodeo for all ... If my students are going to get upset, delayed, etc., I want it to be over someone other than me!

I did notice on the 'net recently that a gun range in Tyler (Lock and Load?) has evidently made arrangemnts with the DPS's "partnered" electronic outfit and is also doing fingerpritning for folks other than CHL students. I'm pretty certain the folks who get certified in that electronic method are "DPS approved" rather easily. It might or might not be worth looking into ...

[neal6325]

I am starting to believe you are right on the money. I have had some private conversations with other instructors who are certified but now elect NOT to do them for the reasons you mentioned.

It is likely that I will NOT do them after some consideration but, it cannot hurt to get certified if possible.

I have already found that my Notary commission (that I would not have otherwise gotten) has come in handy.

[Greybeard]

One of the best reasons I learned about early for not doing fingerprints came out of Lewisville. Instructor friend there is retired from DPS, a current Constable - lots of experience at it. One of his real old student's cards lept getting kicked back and what it took for them to solve the problem was borrowing some of the equipment from a friend who did such over at the local funeral home.

Ya too might want to be cautious with the notary gig. I did that routine too long ago and pretty quickly chose not to get involved with any forms other than the 3 provided by DPS.