Wisconsin Department of Justice Identification Manual - Imprimus ...

The equipment required to take inked impressions is relatively inexpensive and long
lasting. The material needed may be obtained locally, or from a commercial
fingerprint supply company and consists of the following:
• Inking plate - scratch resistant metal plate or piece of 1/4" glass, 6"
wide by 14" long
• roller - 6" wide and 2" in diameter, type used by printers
• ink - black printer's ink or commercial fingerprint ink
• card holder - for holding fingerprint cards
• stand - to mount inking plate and card holder, approximately 40" high
• curved holder - for printing crippled or bent fingers
• spatula - for inking crippled or bent fingers
• cleaning solvent - for cleaning slab and roller
All fingerprint cards and envelopes are furnished by the CIB upon request by bona
fide agencies.
IMPORTANT: The inking slab and roller must be kept clean of a buildup of ink,
lint, and dust, which will affect the quality of the inked impressions.
Fingerprint Stand
Fingerprinting Procedure
A small daub of ink should be placed on the inking plate and thoroughly rolled until
a very thin, even film covers the surface.
Wisconsin Department of Justice Identification Manual Obtaining Fingerprint Impressions • 67