Legislature Adopts Bill for State Fingerprint-Identifying System

California would set up a statewide fingerprint-identifying system under a major criminal justice bill passed and sent to the governor Friday.

The measure became known as “The Night Stalker Bill,” because floor debate in both the Assembly and the Senate alluded to the recent hunt for the Night Stalker serial murderer in which the fingerprint system proved its worth.

“The identification system was able to determine the Night Stalker suspect within three minutes after a fingerprint was submitted for identity,” said Sen. John F. Foran (D-San Francisco).

Foran and Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) were prime sponsors of the bill, which would require the state justice system to keep fingerprints as part of “summary criminal history information” on arrested persons.

More important, the bill would require the state to set up a way for local police forces, at their option, to plug into the state’s fingerprint-identifying network.

The existing California Identification System, as it is called, was authorized and funded by the Legislature in 1983. That system began automating the state Justice Department’s fingerprint files.

After a fingerprint was obtained by Orange County authorities from an allegedly stolen car believed used by the Night Stalker in connection with an assault on a Mission Viejo couple, the fingerprint was submitted to the Cal I.D. system. The newly automated system took less than three minutes to identify a suspect who matched the fingerprint.

Legislators praised the new system and said that it was important for local governments to be able to tie into it as well.

“This will be a very, very important law enforcement tool,” Foran said.

The bill was sent to Gov. George Deukmejian, whose administrative agencies have indicated strong support for the measure.