LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is introducing a new technology – “DNA for Property” – to residents that will help deter theft and increase returning recovered property.
It’s part of the kick off a national crime prevention campaign, “Connecting the Dots to Reduce Crime,” that’s assisting law enforcement in efforts to lessen property theft.
The focus on this national campaign is to connect law enforcement and their communities around the country, providing every resident with new technology – “DNA for Property” – to deter theft and increase the chance of returning recovered property to the rightful owners.
“DNA for Property” is a special forensic adhesive that can be applied to all types of valuables.
The adhesive is swabbed on an item and will permanently dry clear and invisible to the naked eye.
Suspended in the adhesive are thousands of “microscopic dots” that are .05 mm in size, that is smaller than the size of a grain of sand.
Chemically etched into the microdot is a unique alphanumeric personal identification number, or PIN.
With a commitment from the insurance industry, law enforcement agencies around the country will have the ability to provide a free – except for a $5 fee for shipping – DNA for Property kit, which is a $40 retail value to all the residents and businesses in their community.
The DNA for Property kits will provide each user with up to 100 applications and a free online account in the “International Asset Registry for Law Enforcement,” or IARLE.
Each user must register online to set up their free account, their DNA for Property kit will be linked to that secure account, and provide protected storage to include a full description for each item they apply with their DNA adhesive.
The IARLE database is accessible to every law enforcement agency around the country and will help increase the return rate of property that is recovered.
Lakeport Police Department is one of the first agencies in Northern California to introduce the program to residents.
The local program will kick off Sept. 17 at Lakeport's National Night Out event being held at Library Park. For further details see our event page on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1809377609370805/.
Residents who attend will receive details and information on registering for their DNA for Property kit. To get involved in this program contact Lakeport Police Detective Dale Stoebe at the police booth at the National Night Out Event.
ProtechDNA, the company that provides the technology stated, “We are excited to introduce this program to the residents of Northern California in cooperation with Lakeport Police Department. Lakeport Police Department is very active in their community, with neighborhood watch and other ongoing outreach programs and the DNA for Property technology will help enhance those efforts.”
With the recent fires across the state of California this presents a more urgent application. Evacuations of communities unfortunately provides opportunities to criminals that will take advantage of this situation and prey on this disaster to steal property from evacuated homes.
Lakeport Police Department will have resources that will help them detect if the DNA adhesive has been applied to the property and special readers to view the PIN and determine ownership. This is extremely valuable in combating property theft, giving law enforcement a clear advantage in identifying ownership to contact the victim and arrest the criminals.
“I am excited to partner with ProtechDNA and the insurance industry to provide another crime prevention program to our residents,” said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen. “Property crime continues to be an issue in our community and I am hopeful that this technology will discourage criminals and reduce theft in our community.”
The commitment from the national insurance cooperative provides the funding for the DNA for Property kits that will be distributed to all the residents/businesses of Lakeport that will help provide resources to Lakeport Police to ensure all residents are able to take advantage of this crime prevention program.
For residents to get their free DNA kits they need to go to www.protechDNA.com and set up their free account, of go the Lakeport Police Department for additional details. There will be a $5.00 fee for shipping.
Lakeport Police Department introduces ProtechDNA for property crime prevention program
- Lake County News reports
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