How Police Departments Run Child ID Fingerprinting at National Night Out

National Night Out is one of the most important community policing events of the year. For police departments and sheriff's offices, it's also one of the best opportunities to run a child ID fingerprinting program — putting critical safety information directly in the hands of parents while building trust with the community.

Here's how to plan and run a smooth, high-volume child ID fingerprinting event.

What You'll Need

The right supplies make all the difference. For a typical National Night Out event, you'll need fingerprinting ink strips, child ID cards or booklets, tables and chairs, baby wipes or hand sanitizer, and a sign or banner to mark your station.

Pre-inked strips are the professional choice for community events. No ink pad, no mess, no setup time. A case of 2,400 strips handles 400–600 children depending on how many fingers you print per child.

Staffing Your Station

Plan for at least two officers at the fingerprinting station — one to take prints and one to assist parents with the ID card form. At busy events, three officers allows for a continuous flow without a line backing up.

Brief your team on the process before the event. With pre-inked strips, the technique is simple: peel the strip, press the child's finger firmly, roll slightly, and lift. The print transfers cleanly to the card.

How Many Strips Do You Need?

A good rule of thumb: plan for one strip per finger per child. Most departments print all ten fingers, which means ten strips per child. A case of 2,400 strips covers approximately 240 children at ten prints each — or up to 600 children if you're printing only four fingers.

For a large event expecting 300+ families, order two cases to be safe. Free shipping and purchase orders are accepted, so there's no reason to run short.

Tips for a Smooth Event

Set up early — arrive 30 minutes before the event opens to arrange your station, test your supplies, and brief your team. Keep it moving: a skilled officer can complete a full set of prints in under two minutes. Engage parents while you're taking prints, reminding them to update the card annually and keep it at home. Encourage parents to photograph the completed ID card with their phone as a digital backup.

Why Pre-Inked Strips Are the Right Choice

Traditional ink pads require setup, create mess, and slow down high-volume events. Pre-inked fingerprint strips eliminate all of that. Each strip is individually sealed, non-toxic (ASTM D-4236 certified), and produces a clean, clear print every time.

Protect Your Child has been supplying law enforcement agencies with professional-grade fingerprinting ink strips since 1994. A case of 2,400 strips ships free and purchase orders are accepted for government agencies.