JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL (WBRC) – Did you know your eye, specifically the iris, is one the of the best and quickest ways to confirm you are, indeed, you?

“The iris, like a fingerprint, has very unique characteristics. No two are alike,” says Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale.

Those unique characteristics are what a new system called Biometric Technology relies on to help police and sheriff’s departments when trying to identify convicted sex offenders.

“And all you have to do is have the individual take a look at the camera – that’s it,” explains Sean Mullin, demonstrating the system.

Mullin, who is president of a company called BI2 Technologies, explains that once a digital picture is taken of the iris, the system now searches a nationwide database. “In about 25 seconds, it’s going to come back and tell you who this person is and all his arrest records,” he says.

Mullin says the technology is being used in forty-seven states, including many large cities like San Diego and Atlanta.

Thursday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced they’re using it too.

Article written by By Melanie Posey