Police improvement agency wants biometric security

The agency is looking to implement biometric technology, such as fingerprint data for its purchasing department

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has put out a tender to enhance security in the purchasing for several law enforcement agencies. The project is worth £9 million.

The agency is looking for an IT contractor with the capability to introduce mobile biometric identification as a security measure for a multi-agency team.

The NPIA has recently been awarded the responsibilty to act as a central purchasing body for law enforcement agencies, including the Police Forces of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Channel Islands; Crown Prosecution Service; Home Office; and the Serious Organised Crime Agency and other government departments, including European institutions, agencies and organisations.

The law enforcement agencies have responsibilities spanning security, law enforcement, policing, border control, intelligence or individual identification.

They are looking for a contractor with the capabilities to introduce mobile biometric identification of persons, in real or near-real time, on site, through biometric information held by or accessed by the agencies.

They have identified a broad spectrum of requirements to meet differing business with a commonality to provide robust and accurate technology that will support the agencies’ degree of confidence in the identification and verification of an individual’s identity.

A full specification and contact details for the tender can be found online.