The Police IT Organisation (Pito) has signed an
eight-year £122m contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation help
police forces use biometric identification technology to fight
crime.
The organisation co-ordinates and commissions national systems,
but its future is under fundamental review.
Northrop Grumman will provide systems for the IDENT1 palm and
fingerprint service that will allow the routine identification of
suspects throughout the UK mainland.
Through IDENT1, Northrop Grumman will integrate and develop the
successful automated fingerprint recognition services used by
police in England, Wales and Scotland since 1991, Pito said.
PITO's Identification Programme will also use the IDENT1
platform to enable the development of further national
identification services in partnership with the police service.
National palm print searching could make a considerable impact
on crime investigation and detection as around 20% of all the marks
obtained from crime scenes in the UK are from palms, Pito said.
The IDENT1 platform will in future be used for mobile
fingerprint checking, facial imaging and video identification,
according to Pito.
Pito’s lack of power over police forces’ budgeting and
management has throughout its history hampered the creation of
national systems and standards and resulted in a fundamental review
of its operations and future.