FBI Using Cross Match Technologies Biometric Fingerprinting Solution to Identify Terrorist...

Business Editors/Technology Writers

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2002

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is using Cross Match Technologies' global industry-leading ID 1000(TM) Live Scan identification system to capture, catalog and check the fingerprints

One of the reasons the FBI selected the Cross Match system is that it is portable and rugged enough to withstand the rigors of use in harsh locales.

"The Cross Match systems were purchased initially for the terrorist identification efforts in Afghanistan and have since been used for that purpose in Guantanamo Bay," said John Manzo, an official with the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS). "Additionally, the systems are used for other FBI deployments regarding related investigations. The functionality of the ID 1000(TM) meets the requirements of the deployments."

"Prior to having the Cross Match systems, the FBI used ink and paper to fingerprint the detainees," said Robert Christiansen, a Cross Match vice president responsible for international business development and an industry-recognized fingerprinting expert. "By making the process electronic, the FBI is able to efficiently capture forensic quality fingerprints and almost immediately transmit this data, along with photographs, back to the U.S. for further analysis. We believe our ID 1000s have armed the FBI with state of the art technology in this critical identification and investigative effort."

"The ID 1000(TM) from Cross Match is uniquely well-suited to the FBI's needs because of its ruggedness, ease of use, transportability and the capacity to operate effectively in the most hostile environments," said Theodore "Ted" Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Cross Match. "These same qualities have proven themselves to be of value wherever the need exists to rapidly obtain forensic quality fingerprints for security and background checking. Our system has emerged to be a Live Scan product of choice with a myriad of federal, state and local security and law enforcement agencies, as well as airports and seaports, among others."

Live Scan technology, as exemplified by Cross Match's industry leading ID 1000(TM), replaces traditional ink-on-paper fingerprints by scanning the prints of a person's 10 fingers electronically. The Live Scan system then allows for the prints in digital format to be rapidly transmitted via analog telephone lines or by satellite communication links to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Data taken in the field is also transferred to a disk during the process and then transferred to a CD-ROM. The data will then be stored in an FBI database of known international criminals, accessible by all law enforcement personnel. The fingerprints are also compared against the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) databases to determine if the detainees have criminal histories in the United States.

The FBI's system, which was configured specifically for its needs, consists of an ID 1000(TM) with a standard laptop PC running Cross Match's proprietary software. The system was configured to take photographs using an FBI standard digital camera.

Since its founding in 1996, Cross Match Technologies, Inc. has been at the forefront of applying forensic quality fingerprint imaging technology towards the development of cost-effective biometric security solutions for law enforcement, federal, aviation, commercial and international organizations. Headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and offering the broadest product lines in the industry, Cross Match is recognized for setting new standards in fingerprint imaging components through its more than 40 patents and related intellectual properties. Additional information on Cross Match is available at http://www.crossmatch.net.