Citizens’ Police Academy: Week Seven

During week seven of Citizens’ Police Academy we discussed the topics of identity theft and crime scene processing with Det. Gary Hammer.

When I was a freelance reporter with The Bethlehem Press, I covered an event in Hanover Township, Northampton County, that focused on identity theft. Immediately after the eye-opening session, I headed to and picked up a paper shredder and a lock box.

According to Hammer, who has been with since 1995, the department receives every week.

Identity theft is defined as the use of the identifying information of another person without the consent of that person to further any unlawful purpose.

For example: if you use a credit card you found on the street to do some Christmas shopping -- and the cashier doesn’t notice -- you’re stealing someone’s identity and ruining their credit.

Identifying information can include:

• Driver’s License
• Credit Card or Bank Card
• Social Security Card and/or Number
• Date of Birth
• Bank Account Number
• Employee / School ID
• Birth Certificate
• Passport

Did you know that a person only needs your Social Security number to obtain a credit card? It doesn’t matter what name is put on the application, according to Hammer. It’s really that easy.

How is your information obtained?

• Wallets and purses are stolen -- don’t be absent-minded and leave your belongings in a shopping cart! And don't think a church parking lot is a safe place to leave your car unlocked.

• Theft from mailboxes, U.S. post offices and distribution centers -- you can purchase mailboxes that need a key to be opened.

• Dumpster diving -- this is why you need that paper shredder!

• Personal information found in your home or on the Internet -- this is why you need that lock box and why you should never put personal information on social media sites.

And, finally, here are few ways to avoid identity theft:

• Order a copy of your credit report once a year from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, the three major credit card reporting bureaus.

• Do not carry your Social Security card, and only give out the number when it’s absolutely necessary.

• Do not carry more credit cards than you really need. Most of your cards can stay at home when you’re making a simple trip to the grocery store.

• Keep duplicate copies of your IDs, credit cards and bank cards. This information will assist your credit card companies, local police departments, etc. when you report identity theft.

Colonial Regional offers a detailed packet called "Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft." Call (610) 861-4820 for more information.

I won't go too much into detail about crime scene processing. I will, however, touch on how A.F.I.S. and C.O.D.I.S. work. We've all heard about these systems while watching NCIS or CSI, right?

Kind of like snowflakes, fingerprints are unique for everyone. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System, A.F.I.S., is a computer that analyzes a fingerprint and identifies points on a fingerprint that has been lifted from a crime scene.

According to Hammer's presentation, the computer then:

• Breaks the fingerprint down into a numeric code that the computer stores;
• Compares that fingerprint code to fingerprint codes in its database;
• Hopefully identifies a suspect. If so, a trained examiner must use the human eye to compare the print against the suspect's fingerprint card.

C.O.D.I.S., or Combined DNA Index System, is similar to A.F.I.S., except it's a database of DNA collected from criminals when admited to prison.

Week eight -- last week -- was devoted to traffic enforcement, crash investigations and DUIs. Stay tuned, I'm almost caught up!