Innocent until proven Guilty ( or probable cause)

I read in The New York Post an article about a new portable fingerprint scanning system the NYPD is testing that allows NYPD officers to scan the fingerprints of persons detained on the street.

The new system checks the prints of detainees not yet charged with a crime to determine if there are outstanding warrants, provides any previous criminal history, and even informs officers if there is DNA available for the detainee.

So, is it morally right or even legal to perform these checks on citizens who have not yet been charged with a crime?

The NYPD says they are still studying the legal implications of this technology. In the meantime it is still being field tested (aka utilized).

Posted from my iPhone