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if a cop asks for your fingerprints do you need to give them?

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jake2375

Junior Member
im in waukesha wisconsin, and i want to know if a cop can just take your fingerprints because of suspicion.
 


outonbail

Senior Member
How old are you?

Do you have a valid drivers license?

The police will fingerprint you as part of the arrest/booking process, but I don't believe they can just spot you on the street and say, "Hey you with the hand, I want to take your fingerprints to see if you're wanted for any crime"..

If you have a drivers license the DMV should have at least a thumb/index finger print on file already.

What crime is it they suspect you of committing?
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
im in waukesha wisconsin, and i want to know if a cop can just take your fingerprints because of suspicion.
Unless you are under arrest or the police have some other lawful process by which they can demand your prints (such as a court order) they cannot generally force you to give your prints up.


- Carl
 

jake2375

Junior Member
im 18, dont have a license. A guy's tires got slashed and of course im a suspect because he owes me money. The horrible part is i know my prints are on his car because i worked on his car no longer than a week ago. I personally think he set me up. Why they would take prints off of his car i dont know

Thats why i want to know if they can legally make me give them my prints. Apparently they aren't on file.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
im 18, dont have a license. A guy's tires got slashed and of course im a suspect because he owes me money. The horrible part is i know my prints are on his car because i worked on his car no longer than a week ago. I personally think he set me up. Why they would take prints off of his car i dont know

Thats why i want to know if they can legally make me give them my prints. Apparently they aren't on file.
were you arrested?
 

tranquility

Senior Member
It is a search and, like Carl said, absent specific enabling statutes (like in booking) they can't force you to give them up since they aren't going anywhere. But, they can get a court order for them if the taking of the fingerprints were reasonable. (I'd say search warrant, but it may be called something else in some states.)
 

jake2375

Junior Member
I have not been arrested for it. They want me to come in and give them my prints or come to my house and take them, either way i havent been arrested....could i get arrested for not cooperating/giving up my prints?
 

Isis1

Senior Member
I have not been arrested for it. They want me to come in and give them my prints or come to my house and take them, either way i havent been arrested....could i get arrested for not cooperating/giving up my prints?
only if there is a court order requiring you to do so.

go talk to an attorney. don't talk to the police without one.
 

BL

Senior Member
I have not been arrested for it. They want me to come in and give them my prints or come to my house and take them, either way i havent been arrested....could i get arrested for not cooperating/giving up my prints?
Decline their request ....

No,you can not be arrested for not voluntarily giving them your prints ,or anything else for that matter .

If they continue to bother you in their investigation , consult an attorney as was advised .

It will most likely blow over in a short time , as they would need a confession , or witnesses to the crime .

One tactic to get you to confess would be to say your fingerprints match , what would you say if we have a witness? , or we have a witness. ,etc .

If they have nothing ,offer nothing ,and keep declining their request.
 

Ronin

Member
This sounds a little hokey... :rolleyes:

Maybe CSI Waukesha are short on real crimes and are really bored :( and looking for something to do. Otherwise its pretty unlikely the police would investigate a tire slashing by dusting a car for fingerprints and fingerprinting potential suspects. That's an awful lot of work for a set of tires :eek:.

They want me to come in and give them my prints or come to my house and take them...
Now that's service !! :D
 

tranquility

Senior Member
I saw a Columbo once, or was it McMillian and Wife, where they followed the person around and took a glass he touched and fingerprinted it. Bingo Bango, guilty!

OP stop touching things, wipe everything clean after you touch them or be sure to wear gloves all the time. You never know.
 

jake2375

Junior Member
thats the funny part. this kids tires get slashed and they do a giant investigation. Two winters ago (keep in mind im in wisconsin) someone threw a roll of duct tape right through my window. why didnt they fingerprint the duct tape? why didnt they talk to anyone? i think this i a case of discrimination, im not talking to them or giving them anything.

Is there any law against ignoring/avoiding them? like not picking up their phone calls?
 
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I_Got_Banned

Senior Member
I don't believe they can just spot you on the street and say, "Hey you with the hand, I want to take your fingerprints to see if you're wanted for any crime"..
How is that any different than stopping you on the street and running your name for wants/warrants?
 

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