The Shelby Police Department has acquired a Livescan fingerprinting machine.

Police Chief Charlie Roub says the $30,000 piece of equipment was paid for with a grant from the Ohio Homeland Security office.

This will bring Shelby Police into the 21st century when it comes to taking fingerprints and instantly sending them to the state.

Fingerprints are currently taken the old-fashioned way, using ink and cards, with the cards mailed to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

Shelby police officers have started training on the Livescan fingerprinting machine.

Chief Roub says it will be used many times a day once the new Shelby Police Department and jail building is completed at the end of this year.