Crime record at fingertips

NEW DELHI: Taking a cue from Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US, Delhi Police is going high-tech to keep a tab on criminals in the Capital. In a first for India, Delhi Police is in process of installing 171 Automated Fingerprint and Palmprint Identification Systems (AFPIS) in all police stations in the Capital as well as in other important places including the five district courts and 11 district headquarters.
The system, a web-based software running on Linux, will enable cops to access existing police records to instantly identify an arrested accused.This way, when they arrest a person, they will be able to access his past crime history, if any, and his personal information mentioned in the police records by putting him through AFPIS.
"Biometric system for identification is being used by a few other Western countries. All the allied systems in 171 locations will be connected to one central server which will contain information about all convicted people as well as under trials along with the sections imposed on them. As of now, we are capturing information through broadband. Later, we will use cyber mapping which will be even more effective,'' said ACP Rajan Bhagat, Delhi Police PRO.
Tenders for AFPIS have already been floated and responded to and now the police are conducting technical evaluation of samples submitted by the applicants.
"The system will have two types of units: complete units and basic units. We will install 23 complete units, comprising an AFPIS, remote workstation and web-based Single Digit Fingerprint Identification System in all district headquarters, district courts and crime branch and its cells. These 23 units will be able to add, alter and locate information about an accused. The units installed in 148 police stations will enable us to identify and not alter a person's criminal records,'' said Bhagat. Biometric system providers said a complete AFPIS unit will cost around Rs 20 lakh while a basic unit will come for around Rs 10 lakh.
Bhagat added the police are looking for state-of-the-art system. "A team of six people including a professor from IIT, an expert on AFPIS from NIC and an expert from IB, has been formed. The team will ensure that we select only the best solution. We are looking to increase accessibility of all police personnel so that it is easier to nab wanted and habitual criminals,'' said Bhagat.