Mobile fingerprint technology comes to the police

04 March 2010, 2:35pm

March 4 2010 - Police officers across the country will soon be able to check an individual’s identity at the roadside within two minutes, following the introduction of a new mobile fingerprinting device later this year.

The Agency has signed a contract with Cogent Systems (Nasdaq: COGT) to supply mobile fingerprint identification devices which will allow police officers to scan a person’s fingerprints while on the beat and check them against the national fingerprint database for verification. This will enable faster identification of those whose details are verified without having to take up much of their time, and also quickly identify those who are known to the police. This will save the public’s time, police officer’s time and help increase the number of offenders brought to justice.

During the first year of roll-out, up to 3,000 new devices will be deployed to forces in England and Wales, helping to cut the number of trips police make back to the police station and giving them more time to spend on the frontline. For example, rather than arresting and detaining an individual to establish their identity, which can take up to several hours, it will take a couple of minutes.

As an example, officers stopped a man who produced an Irish passport as proof of identity. The officers then checked his identity against the national fingerprint database using a mobile identification device and the results came back within minutes identifying the man as an offender who had fled the UK eleven years ago after being found guilty of raping an eleven year old girl.

Other benefits reported from officers currently using mobile identification devices as part of the national Lantern Pilot, include:

• an average saving of at least 30 minutes per case where used.
• reducing the number of people taken back to the police station to establish their identity.
• Identification of unconscious or fatal victims at a crime or accident scene.
• Improved levels of public confidence.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA, said:“From hours to minutes, advances in fingerprinting technology are helping the police to identify one person from many.

“Identification is crucial to police investigations and giving officers the ability to do this on-the-spot within minutes is giving them more time to spend working in their communities, helping to fight crime, bringing more offenders to justice and better protecting the public.

“The NPIA looks forward to working with Cogent Systems to ensure this new technology is rolled to all forces.”

Deputy Chief Constable Peter Goodman, ACPO lead on Mobile Identification, said: “We are entering exciting times with the progression of this new Capability. This new technology will allow police to more easily confirm the identity of suspects on the street without having to arrest them and return to the police station to confirm who they are as we currently have to do. It also means cost savings equivalent to releasing some 360 officers back to front line policing each year.”

Ming Hsieh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cogent Systems, said: “As the prime contractor, Cogent thrives to bring the most diverse mobile identification device selection and the most efficient mobile identification solution thus the best value to the UK police forces.

“We look forward to working closely with the NPIA to improve public safety and enhance the productivity and safety of police officers.”

Cogent Systems

Geo: International