Has Anyone Ever Used the F.A.S.T. Method for Fingerprints?

[joe817]

The DPS website offers an alternative way to have your fingerprints done. In fact they speak highly of this method:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... dentix.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It doesn't guarentee but it assures that the fingerprint card won't get rejected. (I don't know about that).

I called down to DPS in Austin and asked a service representative about it and she said you'd be surprised at how many f.p.'s get rejected. I called the company that is their agent and of course there is a fee involved: $9.95.

Have any of you used this method of fingerprinting, and what were your impressions? I'm thinking about doing this, before I take the class(as I have time).

[Crossfire]

Joe - we send people to FAST as a last resort, after we have tried to get inked prints from them and can't.

FAST prints are no guarantee that you won't be rejected. Their prints have come back too.

There are a few things you can do to improve the quality of your fingerprints:

1. Get them done by someone who does a LOT of prints, and takes their time.

2. Be well hydrated when you get them done. Dehydrated fingers don't give good prints. Plump them up by drinking lots of water the day before and the day you get them done.

3. Get some Cornhusker's lotion and use it before you get printed. (We got that tip from Utah!) There are commercial "ridge raiser" lotions, but Cornhusker's works better and is readily available.

[dicion]

I wonder if they would frown upon you submitting like, 6 FP cards (3 of each) with your initial app, in case 1 or 2 get rejected

I've used FAST (The Airports use it), and it seemed like any other kind of printing, except its done on glass IIRC, and they have a machine analyze it to pass or fail it after each one.
Doesn't mean it wont fail later, but that the machine could not tell any Gross errors in it.

I don't know why they'd reject my prints. They should already be in every system, everywhere in the United States
(Separated Military, I've held 3 different clearances for 3 different gov't agencies in the past 8 years)

All they should have to do is type in my name, and get like 20 different cards already entered in the system :)

[boomerang]

Wait until you renew and they ask for two more sets of your prints.

[dicion]

Wait until you renew and they ask for two more sets of your prints.

Of course.. because they've certainly changed...

[Mithras61]

Wait until you renew and they ask for two more sets of your prints.

Of course.. because they've certainly changed...

I don't know about you, but I change mine regular like. Usually about the time I change my carry ammo out...

[boomerang]

Do you get any setback on your fingertips?

[Mithras61]

Do you get any setback on your fingertips?

Not as much as you'd think, but the eyeball change can leave ya blind if'n you take off the bandages before 12 hours have passed!

[ELB]

I have been fingerprinted through the F.A.S.T. system as part of a background check as a volunteer for a group that works with minors. I did my CHL fingerprints the old fashioned way. For F.A.S.T., instead of ink the operator dampens your finger with water, and you press it on a glass plate, and see the results on a computer screen right away. As the "fingerprintee," the F.A.S.T. system seems easier, and as noted above, the fingerprints seemed to get an initial 'grade' right off the bat. The gal doing mine got to review each fingerprint separately, and she re-did a one she thought was OK, but she said she could do better and make sure they were acceptable to DPS.

I think as a process the F.A.S.T. system seems a definite improvement over the ink and paper business, but of course the machinery is more expensive. There was another thread here on the forum about it, I think the machinery costs were in the tens of thousands of dollars. Not something your average CHL instructor is going to tote around.

elb

[joe817]

Thanks for the input everybody. Mucho appreciated. I haven't convinced myself that's the way to go.

And Crossfire, excellent suggestion! I'll get a bottle of Cornhusker's, if i decide to go the ink route. I just may do that. After all, the fingerprinting is included with the cost of the class, and 10 bucks is 10 bucks...about the cost of a box of ammo.

Tnx everyone. Gosh I love this forum!

[dicion]

and 10 bucks is 10 bucks...about the cost of a box of ammo.

You tell me where you can find a box of ammo for 10 bucks, and I'll drive there right now

[joe817]

and 10 bucks is 10 bucks...about the cost of a box of ammo.

You tell me where you can find a box of ammo for 10 bucks, and I'll drive there right now

I said about $10. Cabela's has American Eagle 9mm for $11.99. And lookey at this:


Re: ammo on sale

Post by Right2Carry » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:54 pm
Went in to Wally World in Mansfield today. They had some 9mm Federal Champion 115GR FMJ RN Brass for the same price as the CCI Blazer Brass 8.97 for a box of 50. They also had some .40. I didn't take a count of boxes.

[jimlongley]

We are, or at least my wife is, about to try F.A.S.T. on the recommendation of both our CHL instructor and our local police.

My wife's prints have been returned TWICE as unreadable, this time. On our initial application, they were returned once, on our first renewal they went through just fine, but this time they have been rejected twice.

We called the CHL instructor, he suggested we try our local police, we called them, they suggested FAST.

Now it's a matter of finding one near enough and open the right hours.

[joe817]

We are, or at least my wife is, about to try F.A.S.T. on the recommendation of both our CHL instructor and our local police.

My wife's prints have been returned TWICE as unreadable, this time. On our initial application, they were returned once, on our first renewal they went through just fine, but this time they have been rejected twice.
We called the CHL instructor, he suggested we try our local police, we called them, they suggested FAST.
Now it's a matter of finding one near enough and open the right hours.

Jim, there are 13 in the greater DFW Metroplex, one in McKinney:

http://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations ... N%20REGION" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(from the DPS website)

[jimlongley]

We are, or at least my wife is, about to try F.A.S.T. on the recommendation of both our CHL instructor and our local police.

My wife's prints have been returned TWICE as unreadable, this time. On our initial application, they were returned once, on our first renewal they went through just fine, but this time they have been rejected twice.
We called the CHL instructor, he suggested we try our local police, we called them, they suggested FAST.
Now it's a matter of finding one near enough and open the right hours.

Jim, there are 13 in the greater DFW Metroplex, one in McKinney:

http://www.ibtfingerprint.com/locations ... N%20REGION" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(from the DPS website)

We had located the one in McKinney, but now it's a matter of being able to get there while they are open.