Police suspects could be fingerprinted at the roadside using biometric scanners if new rules proposed by the Home Office are passed.

The scanners will be used by police officers to identify known criminals if new legislation contained within the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill is adopted.

Suspects without sufficient identification will have to place their finger on the electronic device, which will link to records kept on the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

The technology will help police speed-up investigations by cross checking the suspects identity with the central computer database, which currently holds some 5,750,000 records of people arrested, charged or convicted for offences that could result in prison sentences.

Police are already piloting the roadside fingerprint scanners in Northampton.

The devices which are fitted on dashboards of police vehicles should be available nationwide within 18 months, according to The Independent.

Currently police need a person's consent to fingerprint a suspect that has not been arrested.

But the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill would give officers new powers to force people to give fingerprints, if they have reasonable grounds to suspect they have committed an offence or given false details.

The Home Office added that fingerprints taken using the roadside technology would not be added to the national database.

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