Private Consulting and Investigation Firm
Puerto Rico Branch Office
1.787.276.5619 | 1.787931.7478
Dominican Republic Branch Office
+1.809.920.2521
FINGERPRINTING AND ANALYSIS
At Covert Intelligence, LLC we are trained to take your fingerprints for any pre-employment application, we have done these kinds of services for persons that are applying for jobs with Social Security Administration, FBI, US Border Patrol, FEMA, Medical Licenses, Nurse License, Securities Investment License, FINRA, US Employment Licenses, Federal Jobs, etc.
Our experimented technicians are going to visit you to take your fingerprints in the comfort of your home and/or office. After the visit, you can send your fingerprints application with the confident that your fingerprints was correctly taken and submitted by a technician approved by the Course that is dictated by the FBI for this purpose.
Also if you have a personal case, and you need to check if fingerprints are in a Crime Scene we can help you in the process to take and analyze them, many business owners are victims from internal robberies and have used our services to confront dishonest employees with physical evidence after conducting a private professional investigations.
Fingerprinting is one of the oldest, most established forms of proving a suspect was present at a crime scene. Computers have enhanced the techniques used. Every person in the world has a unique set of ridges on their fingers. These are formed in the third and fourth month of pregnancy and remain unchanged for life -apart from size.
The Characteristics of Fingerprints:
Fingerprints are friction ridges that enable people to grasp things. They appear in three basic patterns: Loops, Whorls, Arches.
There are no sebaceous glands in the skin of the hand but there is a greater concentration of sweat glands than in other parts of the body. When a person sweats, the mixture is 99 percent water and one percent fats and acids. The more a person sweats, the better the fingerprints left behind. Once the water has evaporated, the fats and acids remain in the form of a fingerprint.
How Fingerprints are revealed at a Crime Scene?
For over 100 years, fingerprints have been exposed by carefully brushing a fine powder across the area. Black powder is used on light-colored surfaces and white powder is used on dark surfaces. The print is then lifted with tape and placed on a clear acetate sheet. In a laboratory setting, a fuming tank may be used to expose fingerprints on
non-absorbent and semi-absorbent items such as bottles, cans, plastic, glossy cardboard and tinfoil. It works by heating commercial-grade superglue to 100°C.
These fumes are circulated through the tank and stick to the fingerprint, so setting it and making it firm. It is then treated with dyes to make it clearly visible.
Absorbent surfaces such as wood, paper and plain cardboard tend to suck in fingerprints meaning a different technique must be used to expose them. Latent print examiners use ninhydrin, a chemical that helps detect amino acids that are found in sweat. After being mixed with a solvent, ninhydrin is applied to the surface in question and the result is bright purple fingerprints. Other chemicals and powders are used to reveal fingerprints on sticky surfaces such as adhesive tape and on thermal paper such as is used for till receipts and ATM slips.
What is the Automated Fingerprint Identification System?
The Automated Fingerprint Identification System is commonly referred to as AFIS and is often mentioned in television programs such as CSI. In simple terms, it is a computer system that stores fingerprints of criminals and compares these to fingerprints found at a crime scene. It takes the computer a few minutes to locate possible matches depending how many points of reference are available. These matches will then be checked manually by a fingerprint expert. Fingerprints from crime scenes can be stored on AFIS even if no match is found – and in some cases the culprit re-offends and is caught and his fingerprints are matched to previous crimes.
Fingerprinting is a basic tool in crime investigation and is effective in proving that a person was present at a crime scene. Using a variety of methods, investigators can expose fingerprints on virtually any surface and these are recorded in AFIS to aid in future crime scene investigations.
Meet Our Fingerprinting Technicians
Fernando Fernández
LPI, BAI, CCDI, CDRS, CII, CAS, CHS-II, SPA, SMIA, CCI, CDCI
Fernando Fernández is a licensed private investigator with a proven 19-year track record of solving cases internationally.
As a Certified Fingerprints and Forensic Photography Specialist, he has established himself as a trusted authority not only in traditional investigative practices but also in the complex field of forensic photography and fingerprints analysis. Fernando is dedicated to delivering precise and reliable results, ensuring the highest standards of forensic expertise in every case he handles.
Jean Mercado
Lyanne Flores
Jean and Lyanne have received thorough training in fingerprinting techniques under the expert guidance of Fernando Fernandez. Through his guidance, they have developed a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in fingerprinting. Fernando Fernandez, with his extensive expertise in the field, has equipped Jean and Lyanne with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct precise and effective fingerprinting. Their training under Fernando's mentorship ensures that they are well-prepared to handle fingerprinting tasks with accuracy and proficiency.