Modern Police May Benefit From Pursuit of The Kid

Some remarkable discoveries have been made in the attempt to reconcile the Old West of legend with reality, according to the director of the Lincoln County Heritage Trust Museum.

For example, computer-aided research on a likeness of Billy the Kid could help today’s law-enforcement agencies across the country develop improved criminal-identification systems, the museum’s Bob Hart says. The process involves a widely recognized tintype image, owned by the museum, which Hart said is the only known verified photograph of the Kid.

Researchers carried out a computer-imaging analysis to get a better concept of the Kid’s facial features. This also helped determine the authenticity of other photographs believed to be of him. The analysis used 200 facial photographs as a database for comparison, including several criminal mug shots from the Chicago Police Department.

Law-enforcement agencies are interested in the techniques involved in the project because similar methods may be used to better identify suspected criminals, according to Hart.

“I find it ironic that Billy the Kid may eventually end up helping the cops catch the bad guys,” he said.

There are critics of such research who argue that time and money is wasted glorifying Billy the Kid’s outlaw lifestyle. The trust sees it differently.

“An argument for the preservation of this history is that Billy the Kid is a cultural icon,” Hart said. “He left a legacy that appeals to every generation of young people. He means different things to different people, but his story is something that stirs an interest in almost everyone.”