;MOUNT CLEMENS -- The Macomb County Sheriff's Office's entire inventory of criminal photographs may be lost in cyberspace.
   Between 50,000 and 60,000 of the photos, commonly called mug shots, have been deleted from internal computer files.
   "It doesn't look good," Sheriff Mark Hackel told The Macomb Daily for a Friday story. "We lost quite a few of the pictures because there was some problem with the technology of the computer system we use. Our people thought the files had been backed up, but apparently not."
   Hackel said he didn't know exactly how the photos were lost, or whether they could be retrieved. Cyntia Zerkowski, director of management information services for the county, did not return a phone call for comment, the Mount Clemens newspaper said.
   The mug shots include information on suspects' race, age, height, sex, charge and inmate number. The pictures are shared with other law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations and are provided to the media for news reports.
   Computer files containing photos of sheriff's employees, including civilians, were also lost.
   "All of a sudden, the system failed for no rhyme or reason," Hackel said. "This certainly is not good for us if another agency asks to see one of our mug shots and our response is, ãWe don't have it."'
   It took three years to transfer old photographs along with current mug shots into the new computer system, department employees said.
   The Mount Clemens Police Department's photo inventory is intact, but it isn't computerized. The department can only afford to have a local pharmacy develop the film of its mug shots, Acting Chief Brian Krutell said.
   The sheriff's department has been struggling with technology on other fronts.
   Tens of thousands of addresses are not listed correctly in the database of the county's 911 emergency telephone system; repairs have been estimated at $950,000. The department also wants to replace its aging dispatch and radio system.
   "The point is, we need to stay current on technology," Hackel said. "We have a radio system that has a maximum life of 10 to 15 years and we've had it for 25. Now everyone's concerned about the cost of replacing or repairing it."

Detroit News

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2002