Drive to Austin for CHL?

[SW40VE]

A buddy of mine told me you can drive to Austin and be issued your CHL on the spot. Is there any truth to this?

[SW40VE]

I am glad noone has answered yet, as I see it is a dumb question. There would be no time for the background checks. My friend is dumb. Sorry.

[flintknapper]

No problem.


And no need for apologies.


Welcome.

[lrb111]

I don't think it's dumb. It might be that the background check could be done beforehand.
It got me wondeerring about those that apply online, months in advance for chl and teaching certificates at the same time. Then go to the annual class in Austin.

I'll post how quickly my wife gets hers. (never even had a ticket.)

[Kalrog]

I actually did drive the the Austin facility and hand in my application. Took longer than just about anyone else here who didn't have anything returned. Mail it in, it doesn't take longer.

[HankB]

There's one advantage to handing in your application at the Austin DPS offices - you can have them check on the spot to see if your fingerprint card is acceptable.

Both during my initial application and my renewal, the prints weren't initially clear enough, so (for a $10 fee) DPS re-did them on the spot.

The first time they used ink, but by the time I had to renew they were using an electronic scanner.

This begs the question . . . if trained and certified LEOs with a fingerprint kit and a co-operative subject are unable to reliably get good prints . . . how do the CSI-types manage when they're working with dirty or textured surfaces at a crime scene?

If I'm ever on a jury where fingerprints are a crucial part of the case, I'm going to regard that evidence with a healthy amount of skepticism.

[Mithras61]

If I'm ever on a jury where fingerprints are a crucial part of the case, I'm going to regard that evidence with a healthy amount of skepticism.

There you go disqualifying yourself from the jury pool! What kind of juror would YOU be, what with thinking and all?

[txinvestigator]

There's one advantage to handing in your application at the Austin DPS offices - you can have them check on the spot to see if your fingerprint card is acceptable.

Both during my initial application and my renewal, the prints weren't initially clear enough, so (for a $10 fee) DPS re-did them on the spot.

The first time they used ink, but by the time I had to renew they were using an electronic scanner.

This begs the question . . . if trained and certified LEOs with a fingerprint kit and a co-operative subject are unable to reliably get good prints . . . how do the CSI-types manage when they're working with dirty or textured surfaces at a crime scene?

If I'm ever on a jury where fingerprints are a crucial part of the case, I'm going to regard that evidence with a healthy amount of skepticism.

Those things you see lifted at crime scenes are latents, not fingerprints. With a latent all you need is enough points of comparsison to a classifiable set of fingerprints.

DPS will reject prints that, if were submitted as latents, would be enough for positive ID against a classifiable set of prints.

[jbirds1210]

It is absolutely amazing the ability some people have lifting difficult prints. I am not a skeptic of fingerprinting....I have been lucky a time or two and done what many did not think was possible I stress the word lucky. Different body conditions such as age and scarring can make prints really tough to get. Someone around the age of 80 has very little texture left to their skin and the print is often the smooth shape of a thumb! I am sure the electronic gizmos are more successful. I do not work in a county rich enough to afford those luxuries for my profession.

Remember that it is not necessary to obtain the entire print for identification...either actual or latent. It definitely helps if you have an idea of who the person is you are trying to marry a print with...but definitely not mandatory! Take care.
Jason