King County Regional Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)

An Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is a searchable database of fingerprint and palm print records.  In King County, the AFIS serves two primary purposes:

• To identify crime scene (latent) fingerprints and palm prints that aid in investigations and provide evidence in court.
• To quickly identify individuals to prevent wrongful detention, ensure that those using false names are correctly identified prior to their release, and to establish accurate criminal history records.

Finger and palm prints are entered into the AFIS where they are compared to those of known individuals.  The AFIS will provide a list of candidates with characteristics in common to the unknown prints, and an examiner will make the final determination of whether any of the prints match.

The King County AFIS database currently holds over 3 million finger and palm prints for comparison.

The AFIS also stores over 67 thousand unsolved crime scene prints which are compared to all incoming records, alerting examiners whenever a potential cold-case print may have a match.

The levy provides fingerprint technology and staffing to support identification and crime-solving efforts for all 39 cities and unincorporated areas within the county.  If approved, the levy renewal on the ballot on April 22nd will fund operations for seven years from January 2026 through the end of 2032.  

The AFIS levy was first approved by voters in 1986 and has been renewed 6 times – most recently in 2018.  The cost of the levy to residents has varied over the years in conjunction with new technology and initiatives.  It has ranged from 2 cents per $1000 of assessed value to 6.65 cents per $1000.  The most recent levy expired at the end of 2024, and the program has been able to extend funds an additional year without collecting monies from taxpayers.  If approved in the April election, the levy renewal will be at an overall lower rate than the previous levy which began at 3.5 cents per $1000 of assessed value and ended in 2024 at 2.9 cents per $1000.

If renewed, the rate in 2026 will be 2.75 cents per $1000 of assessed value, which equates to approximately $24.34 per year for a home with an assessed value of $885,000.  The rate adjusts with fluctuations in property values.  If property values increase, the levy rate will decrease so that the program does not collect more than it needs.  Conversely, if property values were to decrease the rate may increase but only within the statutory rate set forth in 84.55 RCW.

On average, this levy will collect $27 million per year for seven years.  Revenue has intentionally been set below planned expenditures in order to spend-down existing fund balances.  

The proposed ordinance is to maintain the status quo of the program.  It would continue to fund and refresh existing technology, staffing, and services - including crime scene response teams and the processing laboratory approved by voters in the 2012 levy.

The King County Assessor has released an online tool which will calculate a tax estimate for all current ballot measures specific to a property’s address.  The below link will take you to that calculator.

Property levy calculator

AFIS computer - stores and searches over 3 million fingerprint records. This includes the hardware, software, interfaces, and maintenance of the network, as well as connections to state and federal systems.

Livescan fingerprinting stations – Kiosks which are used to record and transmit booking and applicant fingerprints to the AFIS computer for identity verification.

Mobile ID Devices - handheld fingerprint devices used for fingerprint searches in the field with probably cause.  Allow officers to make identity determinations at a scene rather than detaining and transporting subjects to a jail or police department for livescan fingerprinting.  Devices can also be used to identify injured or incapacitated individuals who cannot identify themselves.

Staffing for the AFIS program consists of 117 positions between the King County and Seattle AFIS units.  These positions are grouped into Identification, Forensics, Technology, and Administration Sections.  Duties include: responding to crime scenes to collect fingerprint evidence, processing evidence in the laboratory, fingerprinting in King County jails, identifying arrested individuals prior to release, training officers on techniques and technology, responding to hospitals and Medical Examiner’s office to assist in identifying individuals who are not capable of identifying themselves, and assisting with identity theft issues. 

AFIS complies with The Keep Washington Working Act and does not collect or report citizenship data.

A regional approach provides technology and services at a reduced cost by sharing resources.  By state law, police agencies are obligated to handle their own criminal identification services or depend on the Washington State Patrol.  Funding biometric technology and forensic examiners would be large investments for local agencies to support on their own, especially when the volume of work does not justify the expense.  State systems tend to have different priorities and goals than local agencies.  

Without sustained regional funding, the responsibility for criminal identification would be revert to each local police department (for the cities) or Sheriff’s Office (for unincorporated areas), per state law.   The elimination of AFIS funding would result in the reduction or elimination of technology and staff for arrest identifications and forensic investigations.  A city’s options would be to fund its own staff and services, contract with another agency, or rely on WSP’s identification services.  

Fingerprints and DNA are each important for identification purposes, but one does not replace the other. 

Fingerprints can distinguish between people, even identical twins, quickly and easily and at a very low cost compared to DNA.  Because fingerprints are taken routinely for booking and applicant purposes, we have extensive background databases of known prints to search against. 

DNA is effective for both biometric identification and crime scene investigation, however, the cost and time to analyze DNA is significantly higher than using fingerprints.  Additionally, the database of known DNA profiles is not as extensive due to the limited circumstances in which DNA samples are collected and retained.  
Fingerprints remain the foundation of criminal identification and the basis for all criminal records worldwide. 

For further questions, please contact Mike Leahy at (206) 263-2750 or michael.leahy@kingcounty.gov.