Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 127, § 25

Whenever the officer in charge of a prison, lockup or other place of detention has received a request from any authority, either by circular or otherwise, to assist in the apprehension of a fugitive from justice, such officer may take an exact description of any person committed to such prison or held in such lockup or other place of detention, and may include in such descriptions copies of the finger prints in accordance with the finger print system of identification. But said officer shall not take a description of a person who, he has reason to believe, is not a fugitive from justice. All descriptions so made shall be forthwith transmitted to the office of the colonel of state police.